Oceans of Hope

Reflection about my experience on board Oceans of Hope On Oceans of Hope we were twelve people in total. Half of them were belonging to the OOH-professional crew. The other half were part of the MS-crew, where I belonged to. It’s so positive to have a good relationship with other participants of both crews. Concerning the MS-crew it´s perfect that we understand each other when someone names her symptoms and doesn´t have to explain it. Although the MS unites the whole crew it´s not the topic of the day on board which is really perfect. It´s great for me to steer the beautiful boat Oceans of Hope through the sea. It has so much power through the wind in the sails that one feels powerful, too! Especially I remember the fun-parts of the cruise like the Danish spice girls singing in the request concert where every crew member could make a wish for his favourite song: from Coldplay and Avicii, classical ABBA songs and Danish music. As I love pancakes, one of my favourits was eating pancakes with fresh lemon and sugar to celebrate Camilla´s retirement from her job. And it´s also so interesting that I forgot how small the bunk is I sleep in at night and how long the Oceans of Hope boat looks again at first sight. Last time I was sailing on Oceans of Hope from Copenhagen to Aabenraa where I met our skipper Mathis the first time. On the circumnavigation I took part in the leg from Istanbul to Salerno what was a perfect high speed-race in six days day-and-night-sailing with the great Oceans of Hope. Katharina.  

We boarded on the Oceans of Hope in Århus in Jutland, and sailed to Tunø. Tunø is a very small and calm island, where cars are not allowed, instead golfcars, bicycles and tractors are used for transportation. We enjoyed the island. Next stop at the summertrip was Sejerø also a nice small island. The wind was weak, so time was used by some from the crew , Cecilie, Thilde and Nicoline, in repairing rope work, very fine workAt Sejerø the space in the harbour was very limited. When we left the harbour Skipper Mathis steered the ship perfectly out and was honered with applaus from the other sailors on the ships in the harbour . Next stop Helsingør The Wind was rather rough, flat bilge most of the time . In Helsingør we moored so we a scenic view to The castle Kronborg. We finished the last dinner with delicious italian pizzaer in a very good atmosphere  and , celebrating the retimerent of Camilla also with GT, gin and tonic, the English Way Thank you for a very nice trip, where the atmosphere was very god. Lots of fun and good laughs.Thank you to Skipper Mathis and the Crew to make this  fantastic journey  possible. Best regardsElisabeth

Today is the last day of our sailing trip. For me was the first time sailing. I thought it would be a challenge, because I had never done it before. Moreover, collaborating with people that you don’t know could be difficult but it went very well. Well I can say it was such an amazing experience. I met many people from different countries, I swam in the North Sea (it was very cold but such a unique experience), I ate and cooked Danish food and I loved it and I learned a bit of sailing. Such as beautiful sailing trip with wonderful people. Tonight we are going to celebrate the retirement of Camilla. I would definitely do it again. Thank you all! You gave me an amazing week. Evgenia

Blog from Camilla Veale UK Frederikshavn to Samsø Well there were 11 women and one man Mathis Skydt (Skipper) on board at the beginning. But once we realised there were 5 Danish women professional sailors on board we decided we didn’t need Mathis anymore so we put him in the dingy with some provisions and a GPSand sent him back to Frederikshavn. So now Mathilde Schmidt is Skipper and Cecilie Amtoft is first mate. Nicoline Pedersen decided to stay with us as we are such fun as an all women crew !Seriously, Mathis is now an honorary woman and is still captain of the ship.We have two more professional crew Tilde Ellemose and Laura Sleiman who are also just fantastic.The crew with MS are from a variety of countries, Evgenia Arvaniti from Greece living in the Netherlands, Karin Helders from the Netherlands, Camilla Veale from the UK, Eva Gerwing  and Katharina Haug from Germany and Nina Gregersen from Denmark. Thank goodness for me the boat’s official language is English ! The first day’s sail was fantastic ! In sunshine with a westerly wind of average speed of 10 metres per second we averaged a speed of 8 knots. So we only took 13 hours to cover 102nm to Samsø.Mathis and the professional crew were fantastic in helping all the MS crew and helped us all get around the yacht if we needed it. They also helped us if we didn’t feel too well ! We all had a go at an aspect of sailing, hoisting the main, furling out the Yankee and staysail and of course helming.It was an consistent westerly wind so we had an easy reach all the way which helped our speed. It was worth leaving Frederikshavn early to anchor at 10pm after a beautiful sunset.

Oceans of Hope er nu igang med sin sidste uge på dette års sommertogt. I Frederikshavn påmønstrede der søndag eftermiddag 12 nye besætningsmedlemmer fulde af godt mod og humør. Efter efter en stor proviantering og en god nats søvn gik turen mandag morgen fra Frederikshavn til Ballen på Samsø. Det var en tur på 105 sømil, men det gik ganske nemt, da dagen bød på høj solskin fra en skyfri himmel, halvvind og 9–11 knobs fart hele vejen. Vi ligger nu for svaj ved Ballen, og er på vej en tur rundt om Sejrø, før vi igen vender tilbage til Samsø i aften.”

After a cool start to the day in Skagen , we have sailed/motored to our final destination of Laeso off the northern part of Denmark. Was not much wind unfortunately, but we had some time sailing. We have arrived to a party/festival time on Laeso. We were met by our founder Mikkel and his family. Was lovely to meet him, and thank him for starting this life changing organization. So now the question, beers or rest. Mmmm decisions.

Der skrives om såkaldte “Sabbatår” blandt unge for tiden. At det er alt for dyrt for samfundet. Atten milliarder har man vist kunnet regne sig frem til. Men lad os nu holde op med at kalde det “sabbatår”. Magen til åndsvagt ord i den sammenhæng skal man da lede længe efter (excuse my French). Det er dannelsesår! Selv brugte jeg fire år af slagsen; Rejser til søs verden over. Højskole. Arbejde på plastikfabrik (12 timer om dagen 7 dage om ugen i et halvt år for at få råd). De år har været helt definerende for alle de ting, jeg siden har gjort: læge, projektarbejde i den tredje verden, kaptajn, iværksætter (Oceans of Hope) m.m. Giv den gas, I smukke unge mennesker. Husk blot at tjene jeres egne penge til det. Det er bedst for både selvrespekt og samfund. Så må vi gamle, som ikke slides op i vores arbejde, sgu tage en tørn mere i den sidste ende, hvis det er det, der skal til (golfbanen løber ingen steder).Og hvem vil du selv helst hyre i dit firma eller mødes af i velfærdssamfundets tjenester? Ja, ikke også: den livserfarne, som har prøvet forskellige ting og lært sig selv og andre uden for sin egen boble bedre at kende. Til mine jævnaldrende: Istedet for at punke de i forvejen pressede unge, så engagér dig aktivt i frivilligt arbejde, start et projekt, lav en forandring i dit liv mod større bæredygtighed - og tag de unge med! De unge elsker, når vi “voksne” kan, vil og tør noget - og vil have dem med!  Tro mig, jeg ved det fra Oceans of Hope Blog indlæg af: Mikkel Anthonisen, læge og sømand, idémand til Oceans of Hope og stifter af Sailing Sclerosis Fonden.  

Det var en stor fornøjelse at besøge Egmont Højskolen igen og fortælle om Oceans of Hope og vores nye højskoleprojekt. Jeg både håber og tror, vi kan få et spændende samarbejde. Tak til dagens vært, Ingeborg Mate Holm, Egmont Højskolen, Dansk Handicap Forbund - og ikke mindst de mange fremmødte og veloplagte kursister.Hilsen Mikkel

Hvad tænker man egentligt, når man aldrig har sejlet før og får plads på Oceans og Hope? Lidt svært at vide, hvad man skal forvente… skal man sove i hængekøje? Er der sorte spande til at tisse i? Hvad nu hvis det bliver hårdt vejr, og man bliver søsyg?