We have been away for four and half weeks. Not really very long, but for many of us life on board the Sea Stallion started back in 2004 and for those who have been with the good ship from the beginning, this means 180 days on board. Half a year out of four – something of an achievement.
In our current crew there are all kinds of people from many walks of life, ten different countries, and with nearly half a century separating the youngest and the oldest. One third are women. And there are students, unemployed, self-employed and pensioners. But we have one thing in common: life on board the Sea Stallion.
There isn’t much sailing on a trip like this. Last year, the Sea Stallion sailed from Roskilde to Dublin in 44 days. But we were only travelling in the water for 10 days and 13 hours. So we were ashore for many days. The same has happed on this trip. About 10 days at sea out of 30 days since we left Dublin on 29 June. So not much time is spent sailing. Yet that is what we are all here for. To sail!
But over the four years, it has become increasingly clear to us that life on board includes something other than sailing. Something big and good. Friendship and social togetherness. Perhaps it’s awful and old-fashioned to talk about togetherness today, where it has become more me, me, me than you and me and all of us together. But togetherness is a very big part of life around the ship. Close togetherness. In some cases so close that acquaintance becomes warm friendship.
During the 31-hour voyage from Lowestoft to Den Helder, there were long periods in which nothing happened at all. Just the ship through the water hour after hour. Most of the jokes have been told and retold. So now conversations begin to be about other things and people start talking about things that mean something. When you look round the ship and see people’s faces, you feel glad about having this completely special opportunity to be involved in something so unique and special as sailing with the Sea Stallion.
There is no doubt that a lot of friendships for life have been created on board the Sea Stallion.