The ship is ideal for ocean crossings and longer voyages, with various places for relaxing: library, lounge, poker corner and deckhouse. These different areas allow you to do your own thing: perhaps some quiet reading or a more active role in the social life in the deckhouse. The ship is equipped with a DVD player, a CD player, i-Pod connection and radio.

There are four 2-person cabins, four 4-person cabins and four 6-person cabins. The comfortable cabins each have an en-suite toilet and shower. An experienced cook and cook’s assistant will prepare three meals a day.

The ship is a Dutch vessel and part of the permanent crew is Dutch. Your fellow guest crew come from all around the world and you will find various nationalities among them. The common language spoken on board is English.

At sea it is very important to eat and drink well. An experienced cook and cooks mate prepare excellent meals every day. You will be suprised by the variaty of dishes. The cook will often use local ingredients from the ports we visit. And if allowed a fresh caught fish will be on the menu as well.

If you are vegetarian or suffer from a food allergy please let us know on the booking form. The cooks on board the ship are very creative and serve a broad variaty of menu’s. However due to the size of the galley, the possibilities are limited and for example, the ship is not able to cater for vegans. It is possible to request a vegetarian meal.

If you suffer from a food allergy, please let us know as soon as possible and the ship will discuss with the cooks to see what is possible.

Keep in mind several ingredients are used in the gally like nuts and gluten. If you allergic to this the cook will provide for seperate dishes and menu’s. However on board and in the galley these ingredients are present.

• Ages 15 -73 (request full details for sailors 65 and 70 years+)
• All nationalities (main language spoken on the ship is English)
• the crew ask that all participants have some sailing experience

Stricter booking process

Given the intensity of this voyage, we have implemented a stricter booking process. Fitness is of great importance, and this adventure is exclusively suitable for experienced and physically fit sailors. After receiving the booking form, we will ask potential sailors to answer additional questions and fill out a health statement which has to be signed by their doctor/physician. We will ask for your previous sailing experience. For further information, please make an enquiry.

Everyone is welcome to take the helm, set sails, assist with manoeuvres, navigation, weather observations, furling the sails on the yards and much more. The permanent crew will give lectures and instruct you during the voyage in steering, navigation and line handling. This will be done in a “Dutch” style, so without yelling, blowing whistles and so on.

Sailing experience is expected for this particular voyage. Instructions will be given in watch responsibilities, basic sail theory, line handling, steering and navigation.

This combination voyage is a perfect chance to truly experience life at sea. The days are filled with assisting in sailing, helping with all kinds of maintenance activities, sailing training, lectures on (celestial) navigation, ocean winds and currents. During nightwatch, there is more than enough time to stargaze.

Onboard the ship we call our guests ‘voyage crew’. This means that the permanent crew will train you to be a sailor. Unlike going on a cruise, here you will be going on a hands-on, active sailing adventure. You will be divided into three watches; Red watch, Blue watch and White watch, named after the colors of the Dutch flag. You will be ‘on watch’ for four hours after which you have eight hours of free time.

During your four hours on watch there will be different tasks that will be divided between the members of your watch. There will always be two people on helm duty. You will together, maintain a steady course on the helm. The crew will explain how to steer the ship and what to look out for. During the watch there will also be two people on look-out duty at all times. On the bow of the ship, you will stand look-out. You spot ships, buoys, debris, and icebergs in the water then communicate this to the officer on watch. The rest of the watch members will be on deck duty. The permanent crew will give you sail training and you will assist in all sail handling. This involves setting- and taking away the sails by hauling- and easing lines, climbing the rigging to furl or unfurl the sails.

The crew will instruct you how to work on deck and you will learn how to trim the sails to the directing of the wind. During deck duty, there is also time to assist the crew with the maintenance of the ship. This way you will learn how to work with traditional tools and methods. Woodworking, sailmaking, celestial navigation, and traditional rope- and rigging work will all be apart of your sailing voyage. The captains and officers are easy to talk to and like to get involved in your sail training. They will explain traditional- as well as modern ways of navigation. They will organize and run you through safety drills and procedures.

During your eight hours ‘off watch’, there is time to rest and enjoy the scenery. You can read a book in the library or in the deckhouse. The bar will be open for a drink and a snack. The crew will be giving lectures on various subjects, from traditional sailors skills and knowledge to science and astronomy. During your time off watch, you can still assist the permanent crew and the voyage crew ‘on watch’ with sail handling and maintenance jobs. The galley team sometimes asks for a hand peeling potatoes or apples on deck so they can make yet another of their famous pies. In the deckhouse, there will be people playing games, reading books, listening to music, writing diaries and emails. Your off watch time is for you to fill in, you may do as little or as much as you would like. These hours are also for you to catch up on your sleep.

When you are setting sails, reading or working away on deck, in the galley they are always busy preparing meals to keep everyone well fed. Multiple course meals will be served three times a day with coffee and tea times in between, what ever the weather. In the evenings the crew prepares team challenges and pub quizzes to enjoy together with your watch mates.

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Pics: Jordi Plana / Richard Simko