What does it feel to sail for 6 months?

While knowing that there is another 12 months to go?

Picture: beach in Rangiora, French Polynesia with corals instead of sand

PLACES

While writing these lines I am in a marina in Tahiti, near Papeete.

If you would decide to travel to Tahiti, this is most likely where you would come. It’s not a big island. You can drive around with stops at the waterfalls, etc. in a day BUT at the same time it’s the biggest island in the whole of French Polynesia. Conclusion: these places are tiny.

We have spent the last three months sailing from one anchorage to the other which meant we had to rely on the solar panels, wind generator, and diesel engine to get electricity for the boat’s instruments, watermaker, fridge, and all the other electric devices.

Options to buy fresh food, vegetables or fruits were also limited until now. Walking into a HUGE Carrefour Supermarket was so overwhelming that I had to stop, close my eyes and remind myself that I am still on planet Earth. After having one or no option to buy goods, it was just mind-blowing to see all the variety of anything and everything.

The boats from the fleet had been told to limit the amount of ‘stuff’ they buy on the small islands and atolls to make sure that all the locals still have access to what they need. These places are so remote, they only get new supplies once a week via cargo – small - ships.

FOOD

Growing up in a landlocked country we ate loads of chicken, pork, sometimes lamb and beef. Fish was the meal during Christmas in a form of soup.

PICTURE: Hungarian fisherman’s soup. Photo credit.

But now, during this adventure most of the places we visited recently were serving raw fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner, because that’s what they have. And bread fruit, which is an alternative for potato but looks like a small sized watermelon hanging from a tree.

PICTURE: Ceviche and bread fruit for lunch before hiking

We ate and drank what was available, which was quite a change after living in London for eight years, where there are no limits to anything no matter the day of the week or the time of day.

ENTERTAINMENT AND CONNECTIVITY

When we are on the boat, we entertain ourselves by snorkelling, scuba diving, reading, playing cards, and watching Netflix.

Picture: Preparing for scuba diving in Tahiti

I signed up for training to obtain an Open Water Diving certificate. It was a difficult decision because I was struggling to find a good reason to do it, but there was no reason for not doing it.

I had one worry only, which was my right ear not being able to cope with the equalisation. I was right, unfortunately.

When you grow up, it’s not that easy to find new things in life that you have never done, that would give you the experience of discovering something new in the world. Well, scuba diving was something like that for me.

After five of six lessons, my right ear unfortunately gave up and got infected and my ear drum almost burst so I ended up in the hospital. So far the pain is gone but I am still half deaf.

Since we now have Starlink, our connectivity to the internet is much better.

What is Starlink? In simple terms, Starlink is a satellite disk that provides high speed internet access – most of the times – via satellites.

PICTURE: Me and Starlink

When we started the rally in January this year, 6-8 boats had the tech installed but by now – May – almost ¾ of the fleet has it (16 boats).

Being connected to the outside world (or not) while sailing is an interesting topic. I will publish a separate article about connectivity soon.

When I write about connectivity, I also think about it in physical terms. What do I mean? When you arrive to your destination you have two options:

(1) First option is to go into a marina where you can plug the boat to the shore power, fill up the water tank with fresh water and have access to land by stepping on the dock. The downside is that often it can be super crowded, noisy and smelly.

Picture: Misty in a marina

(2) Second option is to anchor which will give you privacy, beautiful sunsets and sunrises, tranquil moments in remote places. Downside is that the only way to leave the boat is by using the dinghy which you have only one. So if you leave, others cannot leave. It requires a little coordination, which most of the times is fine.

Picture: Misty at an anchorage

THE FLEET

We started the round-the-world adventure together with 26 boats in January. By now (May) three boats have dropped out and at least 15% of the people have left, with new crew replacing them. It is quite difficult to manage emotionally, as you do get close to these people. You go from strangers to ‘family’ pretty quickly if you share these experiences where you are all going through dangerous storms or where other people near you could have died and you were all on standby to help out. It’s really difficult to let go of these people, especially when you know that there is another year to go until you cross the finish line.

Picture: with Lorraine, good friend who left the fleet

On top of the shrinking sailing friends around us I have always felt a bit of outsider because my age and nationality. Despite having a British passport and being a British citizen – since 2022 – I grew up in Hungary, and that’s where most of my habits and culture is coming from.

The other factor that makes it difficult for me to feel that I belong, is my age. Where would you fit a 36 year old woman who has no husband, and no children? To the retired couples who are double handed sailing around the world? To the boats where there are middle aged couples with young kids? Or with the paid or unpaid crew on the rest of the boats, mostly below 30 years old so that’s also quite tricky?

On the happy note though, I have Laura. My safe heaven who cheers me up every day and she is my partner in crime! Also, interesting fact: we have been born on the same day (18th of August). Is it a coincidence? Don't think so.

Picture: Laura and me, my best shipmate

I know age is just a number, but perhaps what I need to embrace now is loneliness and being on the periphery of the community.

//

Back in January I wrote an article about Three reasons why I am sailing around the world. These were my words and below you can see what I think of them now:

1. My first reason for taking on this adventure now is to fulfil a deep desire to complete something unfinished.

I have started to realise that it’s quite a big commitment.

Better late than never, right?!

The biggest challenge I am facing currently is to somehow find purpose for the time when we are not sailing (which is almost half of the time).

2. My second reason for sailing around the world is that I am curious about how people in different cultures live their life. I would like to learn from them and become a better version of myself for the second half of my life.

a. Honestly, I became so introverted in the last couple of months that I hardly joined any activities outside of the boat. I am surprised about this and am still monitoring the change in me.

3. My third reason for sailing around the world now is because I can commit to such a long-term adventure now.

I have given myself the opportunity to think about an alternative option where I am not finishing the circumnavigation. It has been a difficult few months with loads of sicknesses and illnesses, and lack of places to buy food or find shelter from the heat. It was a comforting thought, that I don’t need to finish, whatever it takes.

//

In summary, I have underestimated how difficult it will be to sail around the world when we are not sailing. The waiting, the lack of deadlines and agenda makes the adventure a different type of adventure that I had originally anticipated.

I have become less interested in people, tried to pick up new skills – scuba diving – but ended up in a hospital, lost some weight, got a tan, made some new friends and lost half of them while eating raw fish and sailing here and there a little bit.

Looking forward to the next twelve months without any expectations.