My father’s sailing life began at the Pointe Claire Yacht Club, racing in one of the twenty-three Jabberwocks the club had built. These were 19-foot Bermuda-rigged sloops designed specifically for the racing community there. I have a suspicion the name alone was half the fun…
Greenland Waters – September 8 Date and time: 08.09.25, 14:00 (UTC -6) Location: LAT 70.36°, LON 62.30° SOG (speed over ground): 13 knots Wind: 20 knots The winds rose again this morning, and though they have eased a little, the skies remain grey and low…
In this candid podcast, I sat down with Nigel Greenwood, a seasoned ice navigator and retired Navy officer, who kindly agreed to an impromptu interview. We talked about his journey from military college to Arctic consultancy, his role aboard commercial and expedition ships, and the…
This week’s selection is a set of portraits of the officers and crew on board. I asked their permission before taking them, and most were eager to pose, as is the way in our Instagram age.
Greenland Waters – September 7 Date and time: 07.09.25, 09:30 Location: LAT 65.22°, LON 55.40° SOG (speed over ground): 12.4 knots Wind: 16–18 knots The day began early for me, on the bridge at 04:30 just as the sun was rising. To starboard lay a…
When I was provisioning for longer stretches at sea, I had a simple formula for two-tin and three-tin meals. Any pasta dish qualified as a two-tin meal: fresh vegetables added to tinned tomatoes and mushrooms. Chilli sin carne was a solid three-tin option, i.e. baked…
Greenland Waters – September 6 Date and time: 06.09.25, 11:15 (UTC -4) Location: LAT 60.51°, LON 51.38° SOG (speed over ground): 13.3 knots Wind: 1.2 knots The sea is flat today, still and shining after the storms of the past week. Overnight there was practically…
When I left my secure job at Siemens to take a year off and sail, many of my friends in Germany worried I was making a mistake. Some said so outright, others hinted at it in kinder ways. I knew it came from concern, not…
Greenland Waters – September 5 Date and time: 05.09.25, 11:00 (UTC -4) Location: LAT 58.24°, LON 45.32° SOG (speed over ground): 7.5 knots Wind: 33 knots The storm has finally begun to ease. Yesterday was relentless, with winds above 50 knots and seas that were…
Keeping the ship fed and the crew together The ship owners might tell you the captain is the most important person on board. The crew would probably disagree. They know that if the cook is good, morale stays high. If the cook falters, everything else…
I answer your questions from life on board: what it means to sit in the so-called captain’s chair, how the constant hum, groans, and knocks of the ship become background, and why downtime is scarce. I share how meals are planned, what it is like…
Cape Farewell – September 4 Date and time: 04.09.25, 09:00 Location: LAT 58.44°, LON 40.48° SOG (speed over ground): 3.8 knots Wind: 50 knots, gusting higher We are caught in a front that shows no sign of hurrying east. At this rate, we may sit…
Going to the Philharmonic So many big ships All on their way to Hamburg We will have to wait. Super futuristic horizon We call them wind parks Hundreds of masts pointing high Crosses to heaven. David and Goliath Ship looming starboard Makes him feel so…
Some of you have asked me to describe a typical day on board. The problem is that there is no such thing as a typical. Weather changes, time zones shift, and schedules bend around inspections or harbour arrivals. Still, there is a rhythm to life…
Greenland Waters – September 3 Date and time: 03.09.25, 11:00 (GMT -2) Location: LAT 59.14°, LON 35.37° SOG (speed over ground): 12.1 knots Wind: 32 knots We are close to the southern tip of Greenland and are now making our way north, parallel to the…
Greenland Seas – September 2 Date and time: 02.09.25, 11:00 (GMT -2) Location: LAT 59.26°, LON 26.3° SOG (speed over ground): 8.0 knots Wind: 8.0 knots We are moving slowly through calm seas, the pace deliberate as the crew works on deck, in the holds,…
It has been over four weeks since I boarded MV Roland Oldendorff, momentarily my home away from home. What I thought would be an extraordinary and once-in-a-lifetime experience has become ordinary, yet deeply special. And somewhere in the midst of this I have realised that…
Greenland Seas – September 1 Date and time: 01.09.25, 13:00 Location: LAT 59.50°, LON 19.48° SOG (speed over ground): 8.8 knots Wind: 14 knots We are off the southeast coast of Greenland after a bumpy night that left me short on sleep, though nothing serious.
Christian, a ship pilot on the River Elbe, kindly agreed to do an impromptu podcast with me on the bridge. It was a rare opportunity, since the pilots we have had so far have come aboard in the middle of the night, way after I…
North Atlantic – August 31 Date and time: 31.08.25, 13:00 Location: LAT 59.23°, LON 10.25° SOG (speed over ground): 13.5 knots Wind: 22 knots We set the clocks back two hours last night and are making steady progress north, though the seas have grown rolly…