SAILING IS TRUTH

I Am not a Sissy

By: Maik Ulmschneider 02/13/202002/27/2020

It is winter. I am still in Germany. I have been here for almost two weeks and in less than two days I am going to fly back home to my boat Seefalke. She is in tropical Cuba now waiting for me. It is cold. Sabine just passed, a furious winter storm, but luckily it…

Hit by a $3,000 Gust – Lesson Learned

By: Maik Ulmschneider 02/10/202002/14/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Meboat dogs, capsize, Dominican Republic, featured, lesson learned, Puerto Rico, sailing, sailing is truth, sailing trouble, sailing with dogs, Seefalke, squall, storm1 Comment

$1,000 nights are notorious among sailors. This is what we call nights when a sail is ripped in a sudden gust, or the dinghy outboard motor falls over board, or the anchor needs to be given up. Ask any blue-water sailor and you’ll find they all had at least one of those $1,000 nights in…

A Part of Me apart from Me

By: Maik Ulmschneider 02/07/202002/11/2020

Inside A Sailor's SoulCuba, culture clash, dropout, escape the rat race, featured, Germany, liveaboard, missing, sailboat, sailing, sailing and working, sailing emotions, sailors on land, Seefalke1 Comment

As you may remember, I am in Germany at the moment. I left my boat in Cuba for two weeks to take care of some important business. Despite being here for a week already, I am still suffering from the blunt culture shock. It is just a few days ago that I met with my…

Mother Carey’s Chicken

By: Maik Ulmschneider 02/04/202003/28/2020

Inside A Sailor's Soul, Inspirational EncountersAtlantic Ocean, culture clash, featured, ocean life, petrel, sailing, sailing emotions, sailing is truth, sea life, sea turtle, Seefalke, storm-petrel1 Comment

Being in Germany now, in my home country 10,000 km away from home, I feel like on a speed dating competition. I will be here for only two weeks and friends, family and business partners are fighting for a spot in my bursting schedule. I feel very flattered, however, I feel overwhelmed and homesick, too. …

A Legal Alien

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/31/202002/11/2020

Inside A Sailor's Soulculture clash, featured, Germany, jungle, liveaboard, sailboat, sailing, sailing and working, sailing emotions, sailors on land, Seefalke, solo sailing, SurinameLeave a Comment

“Uh oh, I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien….”, Sting has been following me today from the moment I got out of the plane in Düsseldorf, Germany. I just arrived from Cuba, where I left my boat and home Seefalke for two weeks to take care of some urgent business and admin in the fatherland.…

The Earthquake Can Wait

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/29/202002/11/2020

Photos and Their Stories, Revolution and RealityCuba, earthquake, modern world, sailing, sailing in Cuba, sailing is truth, Seefalke, solo sailingLeave a Comment

Santa Marta, Cuba – January 29, 2020 – I took this photo in Santa Marta, Cuba, just a few moments after the earth was shaken by a 7.3 force earthquake short of Cuban’s southern coast and a tsunami warning was issued for the area. Everyone is checking on friends and family. Only the couple in the top right corner…

The Smell of Fresh Bread

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/27/202002/11/2020

Revolution and Realitybakery, bread, Cuba, daily life, exploring, sailing, sailing emotions, sailing in Cuba, sailing is truth, Seefalke2 Comments

I just arrived in Santa Marta, a lively small town in the north of Cuba, between the cities Matanzas and Cardenas. As I get out of the blue and white 1956 Chevrolet 210 Sedan that served us as a taxi, I am struck by the smell of fresh bread. (You need to know that bread…

Five Star Ghost Marina

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/26/202002/11/2020

Cruising Resources, Revolution and RealityCaribbean, Cuba, Marina Gaviota, marinas, passage planning, sailboat, sailing, sailing in Cuba, sailing resources, Seefalke, solo sailing, Varadero2 Comments

Most sailors dream of sailing the Caribbean at least once in their lives. They dream of warm weather, clear water, secluded anchorages, endless beaches… The reality hits them with unaffordable marinas, crowded anchorages and crazy labor rates. I am not saying there are no hidden gems left off the beaten path anymore but the beaten…

Cuban Muscle Power

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/25/202002/10/2020

Revolution and RealityCuba, daily life, exploring, sailing, sailing in Cuba, sailing is truth, Seefalke, solo sailing1 Comment

Santa Marta, Cuba – January 25, 2020 – There is a lot of things that Cuba has plenty: cigars, beautiful girls, vintage cars and Che Guevara pictures for example. But on the flip side there is also a lot of things that Cuba has very little of: milk, apples or razor blades for example –…

Why It Is Worth It

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/24/202002/11/2020

Inside A Sailor's Soul, Photos and Their Storiesat sea, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf Stream, ocean weather, sailing, sailing emotions, sailing in Cuba, sailing in Florida, Seefalke, solo sailing, sunsetLeave a Comment

North Atlantic Ocean, Straits of Florida – January 20, 2020 – Cold and wet and tired – there are moments when I am asking myself “What the hell am I doing this for?” And usually the answer is just a moment away. All day the weather is lousy. You know there is a front coming…

Running Down to Cuba

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/20/202003/10/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Me, Passage BriefingCuba, Florida, Key West, passage briefing, passage planning, sailing, sailing in Cuba, Seefalke, solo sailing, VaraderoLeave a Comment

Every downside has its upside, and as my good friend, experienced Cape Horner and professional psychologist Katarzyna said, “The cure to everything is always more sea and less land.” Following this motto I am going to cure my grief over the loss of my dear crew members by embracing the new freedom and setting sails…

Mission Accomplished or Farewell for Good

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/19/202002/11/2020

A Sailor’s Life for MeAtlantic Ocean, Beagles, boat dogs, dogs on board, farewell, Florida, goodbye, Key West, liveaboard, sailing, seadogs, Seefalke, solo sailing, USALeave a Comment

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…

Not My Day

By: Maik Ulmschneider 01/17/202002/10/2020

A Sailor’s Life for Meclearance, Cuba, customs, exploring, Florida, immigration, Key West, liveaboard, port of entry, sailing, sailing in Florida, sailing trouble, Seefalke, solo sailing, USA1 Comment

Key West, Florida, USA – January 17, 2020 – There are these days in life when you are doomed to lose, when the shit is just not dropping off your foot, and if you keep shaking it, it eventually lands on your face making a bad day just worse. Today was one of these days…

Moody Atlantic

Varadero, Cuba – January 04, 2020 – Let me tell you the good news first: Yesterday we safely arrived in Varadero, Cuba Marina Gaviota, Varadero after a 168 hrs/503 nautical mile exciting passage: We left GreatInagua, Bahamas on Dec 28 around 13:00 with some delay because I needed to climb the mast to cut the…

The Brave Men Of La Patience

Matthew Town, Great Inagua, Bahamas – December 13, 2019 – The most exciting experience while sailing the seven seas are the encounters with people from other worlds. From worlds so far from ours they might as well have just landed from Mars. Sometimes their stories are sad, sometimes they are funny but almost always most…

The Boat and Her Captain

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