Key West, Florida, USA –
January 19, 2020 –
As most of you know it was my current mission to bring the Seadogs back to the continental USA after my first mate signed off Seefalke‘s crew in Suriname. It is my pleasure to report that this emotionally and nautically challenging mission is now accomplished.
This crew change is the most difficult I ever had. The Seadogs have been on board from day one of this epic voyage and have an unbelievable record of 9,443 nautical miles (17.488 km/10,867 mi) and 251 days at sea. Few human sailors can compete with this record. They protected Seefalke north and south of the equator and east and west of the Atlantic. They sailed through furious storms and tenacious calms, through bitter cold and brutal heat. They never complained, how harsh the conditions might have been.
The recent five months brought us even closer together as it was just the three of us. And when we finally set sail from Suriname beginning of November, for the last 2,270 nautical miles across the Caribbean Sea, we shared our food (most places we stopped do not sell dog food), our bowls (saved water), our beds, our ticks, the ups and lows, our fears and our pleasure.
Together we even survived a bad knock-down in an ugly thunderstorm. We explored beaches and waterfalls, hiked through jungles and prairies and made human and canine friends from all over the world. They fell over board, were rescued, once stole all my cereals, went into the milk powder or punished me by taking the trash apart, when I was gone for too long as they thought.
Long story short, they were a fine crew, the best I ever had. Some may say the dogs are finally home, I say they just left it. Sailing is full of farewells. This is a hard one.
You enjoyed the read and want to stay on board for another adventure? This is the captain’s pick: