SAILING IS TRUTH

How to Tow a Sailboat

By: Maik Ulmschneider 08/08/202208/08/2022

Cruising Resourcesassistance, cruising resources, featured, rendezvous position, sailing, salvage, Search and Rescue, Seefalke, tow line, towing, towing maneuverLeave a Comment

As most of you know, my temporary home base currently is Isla Mujeres, Mexico where I happen to have become some sort of unofficial first responder to all sorts of maritime mishaps and emergencies. During this time I gained a lot of experience in salvaging, searching and rescuing. But before I share some of it…

Why Can’t I Say “No”?

Why didn’t I just say “no”?, I keep asking myself. I am sick. I can’t see my own face but I bet it is as greenish brown as the Sargasso seaweed that is spread all over my deck. I feel terrible. Cold sweat is running down my face. I remember the fun fact that it…

Sailors’ Stories Go underneath the Skin

By: Maik Ulmschneider 07/30/202207/30/2022

Inside A Sailor's Soulfeatured, sailing, sailing is truth, sailors traditions, Seefalke, tattoosLeave a Comment

“Tattoos are only for sailors and criminals!”, is what my mom kept telling me when I was little. I always wanted a tattoo but had little ambitions to become a criminal so this is how I became a sailor. Sailor tattoos tell stories. They tell stories of toil and strive, accomplishments and passion. They also…

After the Game Is before the Game

By: Maik Ulmschneider 07/07/202107/07/2021

A Sailor’s Life for Mefeatured, north geographic pole, north magnetic pole, north pole, polar navigation, sailing, sailing arctic, sailing greenland, Seefalke, solo sailingLeave a Comment

The blistering sun is relentless, the broiling heat inevitable. Not too surprising. It is summer in Mexico after all. And still my mind has wandered off to distant shores in the cold. The book is written, I can finally take down my pen and prepare my next voyage. After the game is before the game.…

Checklist Passage Planning

By: Maik Ulmschneider 06/04/202106/04/2021

Cruising Resources, Passage Planningchecklist, cruising resources, featured, float plan, floatplan, passage planning, passage planning checklist, passage preparation, SOLAS, SOLAS V Regulation 34, voyage planning, voyage planning checklist, voyage preparation, weather routingLeave a Comment

Passage planning is not only a good habit that is essential for every voyage. It is actually required by law in most countries of the world. All 164 countries that have ratified the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) require by law that the master of every sea-going vessel prepares a passage…

Birth of a Solo Sailor – The Book

By: Maik Ulmschneider 05/30/202106/05/2021

Allgemein, Short StoriesBirth of a Solo Sailor, book, ebook, multiple-choice stories, paperback, Seefalke1 Comment

It is done! “Birth of a Solo Sailor – A Voyage between Solitude and Loneliness” is now available on Amazon as ebook, paperback b&w and paperback in color. It is also available on Apple Books as ebook. https://books.apple.com/de/book/birth-of-a-solo-sailor/id1570855716 “Birth of a Solo Sailor” will take you on a sailing voyage from the equatorial rainforest in…

Check-in Guide for Cruisers: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

By: Maik Ulmschneider 12/18/202012/18/2020

Cruising ResourcesCancun, Check-in Guide, clearance, customs, Formalities, immigration, Isla Mujeres, mexico, port captain, Sailing cancun, sailing is truth, sailing Mexico, Seefalke1 Comment

Without doubt Mexico is a great and diversified sailing destination. If there just was not the hassle of checking-in. Mexico sure has one of the most lengthy check-in procedures in the Caribbean. Also the information provided through official channels often is inconsistent or outdated. During the COVID-lockdown in 2020 there was an intense and fruitful…

Hailing Heaven

By: Maik Ulmschneider 11/03/202005/26/2021

Inside A Sailor's Soul, Short StoriesCancun, Caribbean, featured, hurricane, hurricane delta, Isla Mujeres, Make Lagoon, sailing emotions, sailing Mexico, Seefalke, solo sailing, storm, tropical storm, YucatanLeave a Comment

And all of a sudden it is calm. No movement. Not the slightest breeze. Not the usual cacophony of Reggeaton music, barking dogs and roaring power boats. Even the birds stopped chirping. The world is holding its breath. This happened so suddenly, like someone pulled the plug in the dance club. Subconsciously I want to…

Tied to a Rope of Sand

By: Maik Ulmschneider 10/16/202011/26/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Short Storiesanchoring, beaching, featured, Isla Mujeres, lesson learned, running aground, sailing Mexico, sandbar, Seefalke, singlehanding, solo sailing, tropical storm, tropical storm gammaLeave a Comment

A beautiful scene. The boat is heeling in the evening breeze. The mainsail is hauled tight. And all this in front of a romantic sunset. But something is wrong. No spray is flying, no bow is cutting through the waves, no whooshing, no splashes – no movement at all. No sound. A still. Surreal. I…

At Captain’s Command

By: Maik Ulmschneider 09/27/202010/05/2020

Inside A Sailor's Soul, Short StoriesCancun, Destroyer Rommel, fear, night at sea, sailing, sailing in Mexico, Seefalke, singlehanding, solo sailingLeave a Comment

A kiss. A hug. I hate goodbyes! Without a further word I turn around and walk back to the beach that now lonely lays in the dark. Playa Tortugas, turtle beach, here in Cancun, during daytime full of families and fun, is surrounded by a net, intended to protect its guests from sharks and other…

Just in Time for Sally

By: Maik Ulmschneider 09/15/202009/15/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Short Storiesbow thruster, Caloosahatchee River, featured, Ft. Myers, Hurricane Sally, Key West, sailing in Florida, sailing the gulf, sailing trouble, Seefalke, solo sailingLeave a Comment

Patience is the most important quality of a captain. A lack of patience sinks ships. But even more important it is to be just in time.

Episode 3: Ronja in the Everlasting Summer

By: Maik Ulmschneider 09/01/202009/01/2020

Ronja's Learning Adventures, Stories for Kidsequator, jungle, Paramaribo, Ronja, Ronja's Learning Adventures, seasons, Seefalke, Suriname, Suriname River, traveling kids, tropic of cancer, tropic of capricorn, tropicsLeave a Comment

Finally I am on the airplane. On the airplane that will bring me to Suriname. To my dad! Into the jungle! Yesterday was tough! My mom and I took the train to my grandma, five hours, and then my grandparents drove with me to Amsterdam, another six hours. These were eleven hours and now, another…

Mexican Standoff – Part 2: Retaliation

By: Maik Ulmschneider 07/31/202008/01/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Inspirational Encounters, Short Storiesanchorage, Cancun, crime while sailing, featured, sailing emotions, Sailing in Caribbean, sailing Mexico, Seefalke, solo sailingLeave a Comment

Please make sure you have read Mexican Standoff – Part 1: Humiliation before you continue. So I lost my dinghy, I got bruised and hurt, I spent the night in the dirt, I got ripped-off and robbed. Humiliated. How deep can you fall and still not hit bottom? Once again I remember Rocky’s words: “It’s…

Mexican Standoff – Part 1: Humiliation

I am wet. I am cold. My bruises hurt. My scrapes burn. My head aches. Breaded in sand like a schnitzel I feel hunger coming up. I take a deep drag. The sweet smoke befogs my mind and my sight but I still make out Seefalke’s anchor light in the distance. So she is still…

Tale of Tears and Treasure – Part 2 (The Treasure)

By: Maik Ulmschneider 05/04/202007/18/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Short Storiesanchorage, Corona, Isla Mujeres, Prohibition, sailing is truth, sailing life, sailing Mexico, Seefalke, Treasure HuntLeave a Comment

Please make sure you read part 1 first: Part 2 (The Treasure) If you would need to hide something really well, where would that be? Something valuable or dangerous maybe. Or compromising. When you would need to make sure the wrong people will never find it. Your obsolete bio-weapon CoVid lab equipment maybe. Or the…

Episode 2: Where Is Suriname?

By: Maik Ulmschneider 04/30/202005/01/2020

Ronja's Learning Adventures, Stories for Kidsfeatured, French Guyana, jungle, Learning Adventures, Ronja, sailing, sailing is truth, Seefalke, SurinameLeave a Comment

Ronja’s Learning Adventures tell the story of a little girl who is fed up with school. At one point she runs away from home and joins her father who lives on a sailboat. While sailing the world with him she will now experience all that she only read in text books before. With the time…

A Tale of Tears and Treasure – Part 1 (The Tears)

By: Maik Ulmschneider 04/27/202005/04/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Short Storiesanchorage, Corona, Isla Mujeres, Prohibition, Quarantine, sailing emotions, sailing in Mexico, sailing is truth, Seefalke, Treasure HuntLeave a Comment

I shake Tommaso’s, Michele’s and Renato’s hands. Screw social distancing for a moment! “Fair winds! Stay safe! See you later in this or in next life!” A smile. A hug. A nod. I see tears glitter in their eyes. I climb down the rope ladder into my bright red dinghy. I crank my little Mercury outboard…

Episode 1: Ronja and the Time Difference

By: Maik Ulmschneider 04/23/202004/30/2020

Ronja's Learning Adventures, Stories for Kidsfeatured, kids, learning, Ronja, sailing, Seefalke, Suriname, Time DifferenceLeave a Comment

Rise and Fall of Supermoon

By: Maik Ulmschneider 04/11/202009/15/2020

Inside A Sailor's Soul, Photos and Their Stories, Short StoriesIsla Mujeres, sailing emotions, sailing is truth, sailing Mexico, Seefalke, SupermoonLeave a Comment

I got up early this morning. I had my “good” camera charged over night and I had researched that moonset at my position here at Isla Mujeres, Mexico would be at 07:07 UTC-5 or CDT. Not too bad. But sunrise would already be at 06:33, so I knew I had to get up a good…

Hailing Channel 13

By: Maik Ulmschneider 04/08/202004/10/2020

Inspirational Encounters, Short Stories, Under the Yellow FlagCaribbean, clearance, Corona, featured, Isla Mujeres, Quarantine, sailing, sailing in Cuba, sailing Mexico, Seefalke, stay at homeLeave a Comment

“Good morning, this is Isla Mujeres Cruisers Net. It is our purpose to stay connected, exchange information and build the community of cruisers. Your participation is encouraged.,” at exactly 08:00 the familiar voice greets all sailors currently anchored or docked at Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The voice belongs to Lisa, who is our net controller today. She…

Life Under the Yellow Flag

By: Maik Ulmschneider 04/02/202007/18/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Cruising Resources, Under the Yellow Flaganchorage, clearance, Corona, Isla Mujeres, Quarantine, sailing, sailing is truth, sailing Mexico, Seefalke, stay at homeLeave a Comment

“Open – Rain or Shine” the neon sign over the entrance to Skull’s Landing invites its guests. It is one of those signs that normally can be switched from “open” to “closed” just this one doesn’t have a “closed” option. A great marketing move. Skull’s Landing is the local cruisers’ hangout with Happy Hour from…

Last Order

By: Maik Ulmschneider 03/29/202003/29/2020

Photos and Their Storiesanchorage, Corona, Isla Mujeres, sailing, sailing is truth, sailing Mexico, SeefalkeLeave a Comment

This photo was taken on March 27, 2020 at the anchorage at Isla Mujeres, Mexico after the government of the state Quintana Roo had ordered to close all bars and restaurants from 23:00 until further notice due to the Corona pandemic. We are from Canada, from Argentina, from the Netherlands, from Sweden, from the USA,…

Call of Duty – Black Ops

By: Maik Ulmschneider 03/25/202004/11/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Short Storiesbeaching, Cancun, Caribbean, Corona, featured, Isla Mujeres, night at sea, sailing, sailing is truth, sailing Mexico, SeefalkeLeave a Comment

It is dark. Pitch black. Impervious. Only scattered low declination stars hint at the existence of more boats at this anchorage. I know there are dozens. Most of them have their anchor lights on, but not all of them. During the day I spent some time memorizing a path through this maze of boats and…

Light At the End of the Tunnel

By: Maik Ulmschneider 03/22/202003/22/2020

Photos and Their Storiesanchorage, Isla Mujeres, night at sea, sailing, sailing is truth, sailing Mexico, SeefalkeLeave a Comment

This photo was taken on March 18, 2020 at the anchorage at Isla Mujeres, Mexico. That day marked a small step for mankind, one giant leap for me: I could finally clear in to Mexico. What sounds like the most ordinary thing in the world, in times of pandemic masterplans it becomes an extraordinary achievement.…

Passage Briefing: Havana – Isla Mujeres

By: Maik Ulmschneider 03/12/202003/12/2020

Passage BriefingGulf of Mexico, passage briefing, passage planning, sailing, sailing in Cuba, sailing in Mexico, sailing is truth, Seefalke, solo sailing2 Comments

Port of Departure: Marina Hemingway, Havana, CubaPort of Call: Isla Mujeres, MexicoDistance: 268 nm (308 mi, 496 km)Estimated Duration: 67 hrs (2 d 19 hrs)ETD: Thursday, Mar 12 13:00 UTC-4ETA: Sunday, Mar 15 07:00 UTC-5 Weather The moderate high (1024 HPa) sitting south of the Florida Panhandle is most influential for the current weather situation…