When I met my parents after my return, my father's first question was whether it wasn't boring and whether I would do something like that again.

I wanted to find out whether I could cope well with high waves and strong winds. I had already been to the Barents Sea, but there were neither high waves nor strong winds.

It made sense to look south, where the weather is often supposed to be terrible.

As I had already seen S/Y Amundsen during its construction in The Netherlands, I was interested in sailing on the finished boat. So I asked for a place on the maiden voyage from Chile to Antarctica. But the boat wasn't ready yet. Then it was supposed to be a trip from Chile to Cape Town. Then from Chile to Brazil. But Chile’s regulations changed suddenly so it became a journey from Stanley to Cape Town.
In the end, I was so confused that I almost traveled to Puerto Williams in Chile instead of Stanley. Skip thankfully pointed out to me that Stanley is in the Falklands.

*Amundsen, moored at Stanley’s East Jetty*

First impressions:

*I could easily remember the names of my fellow travelers this time!*

Part of this trip is a land-based astronavigation course, the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory. I had no idea about astronavigation.

The course was tough. Anyone who was there will confirm that! The temperature in the training room alone prepared us for a possible cold and stormy crossing!

After two days of training, I was no longer sure when the moon or sun was shining and where to look for these objects. Our competent instructor, whom we all appreciated very much, threw around terms like Hc, d value, LHA, GHA, Longitude and Latitude. There were many other abbreviations and terms—and my mother tongue is not English.

We had to read various values from many books and tables. Sometimes we succeeded, but most of the time we didn't. Over time, thanks to the great support from the instructor and crew, we got better and better.

After we all passed the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course, we had the opportunity to put our acquired knowledge into practice and were taken to the coast, where I looked through a sextant for the first time in my life.

*After taking some sights and complicated calculations, we realized that we were in the Falklands.*

Back at the boat, the preparations for the crossing to Cape Town began. The crew had already taken care of the shopping and hull cleaning. We had to find the necessary charts, consulting harbor manuals, making notes, safety briefing, checking ice charts, consulting the weather forecast and stowing the dinghy.

*Miquel and Ian transfer the ice data to the map.*

*Spotting Captain Paul wearing “Vinson of Antarctica” trousers*

Then off we went!

To say it up front: we never got bored, there was always something to do.

*Every hour, guessing the day-tank level through the sight-glasses*

But these were probably not the photos you’d expect of the Southern Ocean.

Our mission was to find Tristan da Cunha using astronavigation and dead reckoning. At the beginning, we couldn't see the sun or the moon for days. We quickly realized that we had to be ready with the sextants at the slightest possibility of seeing the sun.

There was a fierce competition to get sights.

*Miquel taking a sight. If you stare at this picture long enough you will get seasick!*

*Ian drawing our position*. *Notes, books, templates and drawing sheets kept us busy.*

*Amundsen braving the Furious Fifties and the Roaring Forties*

And suddenly, early one morning, we were at this mysterious island: Tristan da Cunha.

We stopped to explore the island and onwards we sailed …

My secrets for getting through long passages:

Stare at the sea and the sky

Observe animals

Daydream to yourself

*These birds are so fascinating as they glide efficiently over the waves. I can watch them for hours.*

*Miquel attempts to break the speed record.*

If nothing else helps, exploring boat details always works. There have been plenty on Amundsen!

After this trip, I am firmly convinced that it would be no problem for me to skipper in the South Atlantic, provided the ocean promises to remain so calm for weeks on end!

One day, perhaps much too early, we reached Cape Town, tired but happy.

After arriving in Cape Town, the crew immediately started with various tasks. We students spent a few more days in Cape Town and the surrounding area. But that is another story.

I like precise optical instruments. Be it binoculars, a camera or even a sextant. I found it totally fascinating how it is possible to determine the current location with a sextant and skill and patience without any electronic aids. I'm already looking forward to determining a position with a sextant again.

Would I do it again? Well, the Falklands are far away. Now I have a Yachtmaster Ocean Theory qualification, but no Offshore. If I had the opportunity to do the Yachtmaster Offshore, one day I might return to continue this journey I unexpectedly started.

Many thanks to Amundsen and Crew, as well as Kenneth, our RYA Ocean Instructor.

Photos by Chris Streiff, and portrait by Miquel Delclos

How I Ended Up in the Falklands Learning Astro-Navigation

Vinson of Antarctica & Amundsen

How I Ended Up in the Falklands Learning Astro-Navigation

Imaginary Island

Vinson of Antarctica & Amundsen