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Boris Herrmann has been sailing around the world alone since November 8th.
On the “Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco”, the 39-year-old is the first German to compete in the Vendée Globe - the toughest sailing regatta in the world.
More than 22,000 kilometers lie behind the Hamburger, and about that is the way to the start and destination Les Sables d'Olonne on the French Atlantic coast.
In one of the rare quiet moments, the young father found time somewhere south of Tasmania last Friday for a conversation - and provides a deep insight into his soul.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Mr. Herrmann, please take us on board for a moment.
How is it around you?
Boris Herrmann:
It's a world full of shades of gray.
True to the motto "Fifty Shades of Gray".
If it's a light gray, I think, “Wow!
Nice weather today. ”At just 6 degrees, I'm mostly in the cabin.
Every now and then, albatrosses come with me.
Mystical petrels with a wingspan of around three meters.
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WELT AM SONNTAG:
You are currently living your big dream.
Is the Vendée Globe roughly the way you imagined it?
You are currently in fourth place.
Herrmann:
The big dream is one of those things.
Of course, I knew it would be challenging, but to be honest, I never imagined it would be that tough.
I find it difficult to be alone, and I am practically constantly under pressure.
I am challenged by the weather, by the mindfulness in handling the boat and by doubts and questions within me.
I'm only almost halfway behind me and sometimes think "Why are you doing this to yourself?" Or "Why are you eating this weird stuff again?"
There is no absolute answer to this.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
That sounds like you're pretty unhappy.
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Herrmann:
No.
That's not true.
Don't forget the way here.
All the years that gave direction to my life.
It was clear beforehand that the regatta around the world would not be a pleasure trip with feelings of happiness.
When I do it, there will be great satisfaction.
When the situation allows, I think back to my youth and my studies.
I see myself in the cafeteria at the university in Oldenburg, I remember conversations with my father and the tons of travel literature that I devoured.
I think about what has created this optimistic mood and this desire for adventure in me.
And I think about what happens to me after the Vendée.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
In Hamburg, for example, your wife is waiting with her daughter Marie-Louise.
Do you talk to each other on the phone every day?
Herrmann:
Yes.
If possible by video call.
That is of course very nice and incredibly important to me.
The baby reaches for the screen, Malou smiles, there is some interaction with me.
But I am also happy to receive photos or voice messages from friends.
I also talk to my father regularly.
I have already sent a few WhatsApp messages back and forth with Greta Thunberg.
Boris Herrmann has been traveling all alone on this racing yacht since the beginning of November
Source: pa
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WELT AM SONNTAG:
Christmas is
coming
soon.
What will your Christmas Eve look like?
Herrmann:
I have a present from my wife Birte, and here is a box with a string of lights.
I'll fix them below deck with clothespins.
I also have a small bottle of sparkling wine on board and am looking forward to the hearty French stew that I'll be eating.
For dessert there is mousse au chocolat.
I have a lot of that with me.
So Christmas is a change in everyday life, but the biggest celebration won't take place until I've rounded Cape Horn.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Before that you pass Point Nemo - the point on earth that is furthest away from any civilization.
Herrmann:
That will also be an interesting moment.
We are then surrounded by 26 million square kilometers of water.
It's around 2,700 kilometers to Easter Island or Antarctica.
If you consider that the ISS space station orbits only a good 400 kilometers above us, that means that an astronaut could theoretically get into his capsule and sit back on the sofa with his wife in the evening.
By contrast, it took eleven to twelve days for the Australian Navy to show up at my place.
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WELT AM SONNTAG:
Do you - also in view of this certainty - belong to those skippers who handle the boat very carefully?
Herrmann:
Arrive safely - that was my maxim right from the start.
With regard to the boat, I know exactly what the mast can withstand, for example.
I know the calculations and know how much wind the yacht can withstand which sail configuration.
But: My belief in technology is ultimately limited.
There is constant internal dialogue.
What do I ask of the boat?
How far do i go
In tough conditions, it's like sailing raw eggs.
When I consider what has already happened to others, it's twice as difficult to push the limits out here.
I stay well below 90 percent of the maximum load.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Speaking of maximum stress.
Do you even get enough sleep in the face of all the stresses and strains?
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Herrmann:
Since I started, I've allowed myself an hour and a half straight.
Usually the sleep phases are much shorter than an hour.
If the wind turns more than 15 degrees within ten minutes or if it gets stronger than 23 knots or weaker than 18 for example - then my alarm sounds.
A strong gust of wind or a big wave can be enough.
I am very sensitive and deep sleep is currently out of the question.
Conversely, I have specifically prepared myself to fall asleep quickly.
In Hamburg I even managed to nod off at the traffic lights during the red phase.
Those behind me had to wake me up.
This text is from WELT AM SONNTAG. We will be happy to deliver them to your home on a regular basis.
Source: Welt am Sonntag