Lia ⁽¹⁵⁶⁾

Harald, a Fleet Manager, and I chat about how his life at sea began in 1987. He shares stories of shipbuilding, being a Superintendent on large vessels, and the special camaraderie that grows onboard. We also talk about how modern tech keeps seafarers close to…

Today’s conversation is with Capt. Vijay Fernandez, who began his maritime career in 1991 and worked his way up from deck cadet to Master Mariner to shore-based roles in port operations. He talks about tackling demanding exams, studying in Glasgow, and the daily realities of…

I was raised to believe everyone enjoyed sailing. Some a lot, and others were more “fair weather” sailors. The first type, those who loved to sail any place, any time, in any weather, were considered normal. Those who would only sail for a short duration…

My sister Kim has been living on a boat by herself in Gibson, British Columbia, for fourteen years now. She has worked as a web designer the whole time. Other than the occasional trouble with internet connectivity, her life tied up at the dock is…

Time is moving quickly now toward the day I board an Oldendorff vessel at the beginning of August (still waiting to find out where this will be). The past few months have been a whirlwind of preparation. Getting a "Fit for Sea" stamp of approval…

The OC Voyage is not only a trip across the sea, it’s also a dive into storytelling. Since I'm a true geek, I’ll be trying out different ways to capture the experience, using a mix of tools that range from the handmade to the high-tech,…

D, my sibling, used to make the most extraordinary mixed cassettes for the family. Even back then, their taste in music was wildly eclectic. They blended genres with what I can only call controlled chaos—ska with classical, reggae with Monty Python. I wore those cassettes…

In this podcast, I speaks with Maria of the Learning and Development team about what it’s like to build a family life connected to the sea. Maria is married to O’Neil, once a marine engineer, and longtime Oldendorff employee. They talk about early sailing trips,…

In this podcast, I sit down with Adrian Pereira to talk about what it’s really like to spend three months living and working on a bulk carrier ship. Adrian recently finished this part of his training with Oldendorff Carriers, and we cover a lot—from safety…

I’ve always admired those highly organised people with their to-do lists, checklists, and laser-sharp focus on details. I wish I could say I was one of them. After all these years of travelling, both for work and for myself, you’d think I’d have it down…

Last week, I finished the last in a long series of medical tests. That means I officially have the greenlight to embark on what I’m calling my OC Voyage*. The last company I worked for, Oldendorff Carriers (OC), gave me the most amazing parting gift,…

Dave was more or less always on duty. He had a way of making everyone think he was relaxed. Even in storm conditions, he would whistle under his breath and calmly move from one task to another. People felt safe on board. I spent years…

My father, Dave, believed that being on a boat was the best way to spend a day. It didn’t matter where he was or who was onboard. When he was on water, he felt most himself. That sense of purpose, the ease of it, shaped…

I never really liked reading books by Ernest Hemingway. Too macho for me. Too much Tarzan on steroids and alcohol debauchery. And the bulls, OMG, the bulls. Yet, oddly enough, I did enjoy The Old Man and the Sea. There was a thread of interwoven…

It has been over 35 years since I last did any long-distance sailing. Back then, I was on a 17-metre yawl and not a 260-metre dry bulk carrier like the one I’ll be joining soon. We usually had four to six people on board. The…

Oldendorff Carriers is kindly letting me join one of their bulk carriers for six weeks. This is a dream I had carried for decades. Since my twenties, when I used to sail long-distance with my father. Whenever we were in larger harbours, or even out…