Diary 5 May 2006
Australia is getting nearer and the voyage is quickly coming to a close, we will be in sight of land again probably sometime tomorrow. At times in the past 6 weeks it has seemed like a very long voyage but now it is nearly over the trip for me has actually gone very fast, too fast. I would happily turn around and sail back again! (after a long sleep and some fresh fruit!)
Three things in particular have made a deep impression on me on this voyage. Firstly, and most profoundly, I have been touched by the sea itself. I feel a very physical sense of joy and peace down to the marrow of my bones. I feel at home here, among the waves and the wanderers. Also I have loved being a part of a community, all of us living and working together. One of my favourite things is to be on deck in the afternoons and see so many people working and playing at so many different kinds of endeavour. 80 people living in a limited and confined space also has it's challenges, life in the skans(sleeping quarters)is a perfect example. The hammocks are strung so closely together, every night I knee Richard in the head, kick Kalle's feet, poke my elbow in Anna's face and feel the breath of Jesper's snores! I get as good as I give too! What I love about this closeness is that we all know the only way to make it work is to be more aware, tolerant and flexible, and good humoured!
Thirdly, I've learnt an enormous amount about myself through the daily work we all do on the Götheborg. Each morning we are each given a job to do, usually by the bosun Jens. He tells us what needs to be done and to figure out how to do it ourselves. Many of the jobs I have been given have pushed my abilities to their limits, I have found many of my own strengths and weaknesses. Thankfully being part of a team, there is always someone there to help fill in the gaps.As is often the way in life this trip hasn't been quite what I was expecting. I thought I was here to learn about sailing, but the biggest lessons I've learnt have been about getting on with people and finding ways to adapt to circumstances. The Swedes on board were slow to warm up, and frankly quite rude on occasion. Us four Australians have at times wondered why we were invited here at all! Whatever the reason, in the end I must say that I am very glad to have been on this voyage and immensely grateful to the SOIC for the opportunity, and to the crew on board for their hospitality and friendship. I have even put my name on the list to maybe go on to the next voyage toJakartaand I am inspired to visit Sweden one day soon.Here is a few of my magic moments on the voyage;The night a gale blew through at midnight and we all ran up to furl the Mäsh sails, when we had finished I stood on top of the Rå (yard)40 metersabove the ocean with nothing but the inky black horizon encirling me, the milky way splashed above my head, marled (phosphoresence) sparkling in the bow wave below, and the wind screaming in my ears!
The Sooty and Wandering Albatross that are our constant companions flying close by the ship and having a good look on board, I wonder, what do they see?
One of the more difficult things we do on board is to put in a bottom reef on either Mäsh sail. This effort is marked by the stains of blood all the way along the sail at the reefing points as our knuckles graze the rough canvas in an attempt to get the mammoth sail up on to the Rå. I've left a few of my own red stains too.
Sleeping in a hammock, especially when the seas are big (the people in the bunks have to fight just to stay in bed), it's like being rocked in a cradle, completely relaxed, falling asleep to the sound of the bow wave like the breathing of mother ocean.Simply standing silently in the pitch dark on night watch with the ship rolling beneath me, listening, part of the sea.
//Rachel Klyve.
