Just had to sail

Truls Aaby (25) studies geoscience at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø. He is one of the students who should have been on board Statsraad Lehmkuhl through the Northwest Passage. When ice from collapsing glaciers in Greenland blocked the passage, he could have gone home together with the other students.

– I just had to sail, smiles Truls. I’ve wanted to sail for quite a while, and I had already set aside the time, so I decided to continue on. After all, sailing through the Panama Canal is a pretty cool experience, even if the trip wasn’t as cold as it was supposed to be.

The Joy of Sailing

Truls is from Asker, outside Oslo, and has done some sailing in the Oslofjord, but never on the open sea and never on a tall ship.

– My grandfather had a little 22-foot sailboat that my cousin and I used to sail around the islets back home. We did some regattas as well, and that’s when I first discovered the joy of sailing.

Truls is on board as voyage crew. That means he pays for accommodation and meals on board, but stands watch, handles sails and steers the ship, and is fully part of the onboard community.

– I really enjoyed being on board. You are welcomed so warmly, the people are great, and the food is amazing, says Truls. Right now we’re sitting right next to the galley, so of course I have to brag a little!

On lookout

Over the course of a day, everyone in a watch team rotates through all the different tasks needed to sail Statsraad Lehmkuhl. Truls feels most at home when he is on lookout.

– Then you can stand in the wind, relax in peace and quiet, and just take in the view. Even if there’s not much to see, the sea changes a little from day to day. And maybe you’ll spot some dolphins or turtles or something like that, he says.

Since the route had to be changed, the leg from Bermuda to Los Angeles was planned at short notice, and only four others were able to join Truls as voyage crew.

That has its advantages.

– Luxury, says Truls. We’ve been a bit more like part of the professional crew, even though we’re still happy amateurs. We eat together with the crew, share coffee breaks at ten and three, and we’re allowed in areas where normally we wouldn’t be, like on the poop deck and in the aft mess.

A great community

Now only a few days remain until Truls disembarks in Los Angeles. Over four weeks he has experienced both the Caribbean and the Panama Canal. What was the best part?

– The Panama Canal, it’s really cool. And climbing the rig - very exciting. I haven’t been all the way to the top yet, but there are still a few days left, he smiles.

– And then there are the small things, like getting to know new people. Simply being part of a great community. That is really something special.

Would you like to come on board as voyage crew? Here are the legs you can join.