After that I have a look at the stores: the ones with all the spare machine parts and the ones with all our food. Next are the freezers and refrigerators which keep our fruits and vegetables fresh throughout the trip. Then the galley, where spoons and scoops are silently clinging as a reaction to the pitching and rolling of the ship. Now my favorite place: the engine room. Bent, our German chief engineer would say, “Thilo, there's more than one!” But for me the heart and soul of the ship consists of pipes, valves, cylinders and turning crankshafts. Although seperated with fire doors, I don't want to distinguish between rooms. For me, it is one big area. The engine room should only be entered with ear protection. I remove it shortly to get a feeling for the noise around me: a hell of a noise! Everything is in place, nothing loose, nothing rattles. At the other end somewhat less steep stairs lead upwards again.

Then I patrol both outer decks. Everything in order, the helicopter is secured in its hangar, the inflatables firmly latched into their mountings. On the way back to the bridge I grab two cups of coffee in the galley. Mathijs, the Dutch mate on the bridge likes his coffee with a lot of milk and very sweet. So be it. Entering the bridge I fall into one of the chairs. Without many words between us, we drink our coffee. We enjoy the silence and the sea. It spreads infinitely in all directions. Indescribably beautiful. The sea.