In this publication10 photos
Alone at sea
No meetings, no routes dictated by others, no ‘five more minutes’ at the berth. Just you, the boat and the horizon. What happens next is your responsibility, under your sail. Nobody tells you what to do. You decide when to leave, where to go, how much to sleep, what to do when something breaks or AIS screams about crossing courses.
From Lübeck, a circuit of the western Baltic: wild, lively Barhöft by Rügen; across to distinctive Rønne on Bornholm; round the island to Christiansø’s austere beauty; twenty-four hours to deserted Gedser; the resort of Heiligenhafen by Fehmarn; then home to Kiel.
Sailed offshore, slept under stars, crossed shipping schemes, dozed to a timer, woke to gulls. Porpoises, empty marinas at dawn, tacking along a military boundary as they called my boat on the radio. A grounding and rescue call. Torn-out stanchion, lost fender, damaged navigation-light bracket. Seasickness, breathless exhaustion, an unresponsive autopilot. Then Laboe’s memorial emerged from fog, and I knew I was home.
The important changes happened inside, beyond points on a route. Trusting myself, the boat, the wind. Letting go of control. Keeping calm when everything moves. Sleeping fifteen minutes with nobody to back you up. Accepting fear and still going to sea.
My lessons
1. Interval sleep is serious. An autopilot can fail; another vessel can appear from nowhere. Thirty minutes is a luxury. Better fifteen to twenty, with a timer.
2. Plan sleep before departure. Fatigue arrives suddenly. Try to avoid narrow passages or tacking at night.
3. You don’t have to sleep in the cockpit. Cold and uncomfortable. Better below for fifteen minutes, then back on watch.
4. Mooring lines and fenders ready beforehand. Lead bow lines to the cockpit. Two fenders each side suffice. Position them so you can lower them with a boat hook from the cockpit; hang the others after berthing.
5. If in doubt, don’t go alone. Bring a crewmate. Share four- to six-hour watches for food, rest and, most importantly, shared experience.
A journey within as well as a physical one. Listening to myself, trusting instinct, deciding, letting go. These nine days are a chapter I’ll revisit in memory and at sea.
Statistics
Route: Lübeck → Bärhöft → Rønne (Bornholm) → Christiansø → Gedser → Heiligenhafen → Kiel
Dates: 21–30 April 2025
Distance: 417 nautical miles
Duration: nine days
Wind: Beaufort force 2–5
Waves: 0.5–2 metres
The story: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
📍 Route map — if you’d like to follow in my wake
#passage
No meetings, no routes dictated by others, no ‘five more minutes’ at the berth. Just you, the boat and the horizon. What happens next is your responsibility, under your sail. Nobody tells you what to do. You decide when to leave, where to go, how much to sleep, what to do when something breaks or AIS screams about crossing courses.
From Lübeck, a circuit of the western Baltic: wild, lively Barhöft by Rügen; across to distinctive Rønne on Bornholm; round the island to Christiansø’s austere beauty; twenty-four hours to deserted Gedser; the resort of Heiligenhafen by Fehmarn; then home to Kiel.
Sailed offshore, slept under stars, crossed shipping schemes, dozed to a timer, woke to gulls. Porpoises, empty marinas at dawn, tacking along a military boundary as they called my boat on the radio. A grounding and rescue call. Torn-out stanchion, lost fender, damaged navigation-light bracket. Seasickness, breathless exhaustion, an unresponsive autopilot. Then Laboe’s memorial emerged from fog, and I knew I was home.
The important changes happened inside, beyond points on a route. Trusting myself, the boat, the wind. Letting go of control. Keeping calm when everything moves. Sleeping fifteen minutes with nobody to back you up. Accepting fear and still going to sea.
My lessons
1. Interval sleep is serious. An autopilot can fail; another vessel can appear from nowhere. Thirty minutes is a luxury. Better fifteen to twenty, with a timer.
2. Plan sleep before departure. Fatigue arrives suddenly. Try to avoid narrow passages or tacking at night.
3. You don’t have to sleep in the cockpit. Cold and uncomfortable. Better below for fifteen minutes, then back on watch.
4. Mooring lines and fenders ready beforehand. Lead bow lines to the cockpit. Two fenders each side suffice. Position them so you can lower them with a boat hook from the cockpit; hang the others after berthing.
5. If in doubt, don’t go alone. Bring a crewmate. Share four- to six-hour watches for food, rest and, most importantly, shared experience.
A journey within as well as a physical one. Listening to myself, trusting instinct, deciding, letting go. These nine days are a chapter I’ll revisit in memory and at sea.
Statistics
Route: Lübeck → Bärhöft → Rønne (Bornholm) → Christiansø → Gedser → Heiligenhafen → Kiel
Dates: 21–30 April 2025
Distance: 417 nautical miles
Duration: nine days
Wind: Beaufort force 2–5
Waves: 0.5–2 metres
The story: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
📍 Route map — if you’d like to follow in my wake
#passage
Original and discussionOpen post in Telegram ↗
