By Meg Watt, Captain
Neptun has recently arrived in Borneo, a much anticipated stop on our voyage, and this change of scenery is an opportunity for us to look back over the previous couple of months of our voyage.
Our initial voyage training began in Palau before we had ever sailed the ship.
We had our first ocean crossing to the Philippines and then it became a voyage of exploration and connection. We have spent almost 2 months in the Philippines and there have been so many highlights and experiences, but one thing that has stood out has been the warmth and hospitality of the people we have met along the way.
From our first contact with shore we have had so much help, connection, curiosity and warm hospitality from the people we have come across. And sometimes we have needed a lot of help! Navigating the official processes, finding essential parts in crowded cities, looking for places to dock, do shipyard, carry out repairs, and making the most of our time ashore. These things are all so much more challenging without local knowledge, but we have been met with an exceptional amount of warmth and willingness to help at every step.
Shout out to all the people that have driven us around, made phone calls on our behalf, carried our heavy items, gone out of their way to make the impossible possible and the million other ways that people have helped to make our lives easier.
That is the true essence of travelling, to make connections and live an experience that transcends boundaries and borders.
I think for a lot of people, both onboard and ashore, dreaming about what a sailing trip around tropical island paradises is going to be like is somewhat a romantic notion. Images of powder white sand, crystal clear blue water, and swaying palm trees come to mind. Sipping icy Pina Coladas while rocking gently in a hammock. And those images are true, but that is only a small part of the story.
There are other parts too. Like how hot the deck gets, and below deck, and the water in your drinking bottle, and the sun on you during the midday watch when you are helming. How much it rains in the tropics, even in the dry season, because tropical downpours can happen any time of the year. How it feels to be covered in grease from doing maintenance onboard, and not being able to shower because you have water restrictions and the harbour water is full of plastic, sewage, and the occasional dead animal (or live sea snake).
Life on a ship is full of an incredible array of experiences. You get high highs and low lows.
Surely that Pina Colada tastes better when you had to sail through the day and night, use your hands to hoist the anchor, set the sails, lash the boat, wash the dishes, helm the ship…in order to reach it.
It feels a lot nicer approaching the ship in the skiff after a day of snorkelling on a tropical reef and playing in the sand when the ship is bright and clean, and looking beautiful. You feel the pride, see the effort you put in on your watch day to scrub the waterline and treat the rust spots and put fresh paint on. You know that it’s YOU who made the ship look so nice.
A big part of sailing on a ship like Neptun is facing challenges and seeing how you react to them, overcoming adversity and seeing how your experience shapes you and acts a catalyst for personal growth.
During our time in the Philippines, we had challenges to overcome. We lost our anchor, had things break, faced typhoons, had to say goodbye to some of our shipmates, dealt with medical issues, and endured a prolonged stop in a busy working dock space in the middle of a heavily polluted city.
We have been tested by the heat, tested by the workload, tested by cultural and social differences.
One of the biggest adjustments is to be living on a ship in a small space with so many people, and to see how you adapt to that over time. Once the novelty wears off, and it’s not fresh. Seeing each other all day, every day. Sleeping in the same room, eating together, working together, doing chores together, spending free time together. It’s a big adjustment for most people. We have to be very aware of each other’s space and moods. You become more conscious; you have to be tolerant.
We have found our way. We have gotten to know each other, to understand each other. We have worked together to overcome our challenges. Experienced highs and lows together. Been teachers, learned from each other. It hasn’t always been easy, but we didn’t sign up for easy. We signed up for adventure.
After braving the big seas of the open Pacific, navigating the tidal rips and hazards close to land, dragging anchor and sheltering from a typhoon, we faced our toughest challenge yet. We lost our anchor and chain over a deep ledge off Kalanggaman Island, or Paradise Island, as we had dubbed it. Despite our best diving efforts, it was irretrievable. There was no choice but to make for the nearest port where we could find a replacement. This was a big change in direction from what we had been expecting, but sometimes you have to throw your expectations out the window. The needs of the ship are the needs of the crew. Where the ship goes, we go.
So we spent almost 3 weeks in Cebu City.
And we did so many great things for the ship. What an incredible team to have onboard. Everybody rose to the challenge, gave it their all, and put their heart and soul into the ship. We left Cebu with 2 new anchors, 2 new chains, freshly painted and with a myriad of jobs done that have improved our floating home for us, and for the crews that will follow.
It was a victorious crew that set sail, and before too long, we were back on track to another Paradise Island, Malapascua. Some days of recreation, hanging at the beach, touring the island by scooter, and some crew took the opportunity to scuba dive with Thresher Sharks. Very cool.
Our next departure brought a new phase of our journey. Good wind, sailing for days across a tropical sea. The crew no longer a bunch of people on a ship, but really a ship’s crew, handy with the lines and sails, knowing how to steer with the rhythm of the waves. Laughing together at watch handovers like people who have their own inside jokes.
The change in the energy was palpable. We had achieved things together, learned so much about the ship and ourselves, tuned into the forces of nature. Deepened our understanding. Hit our stride.
Our next stop in the Philippines was to be our last before departure. Anchored amongst the dive boats and cruising yachts, we found our first easy skiff landing spot since Palau, in the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It was an emotional “see you next time” to 2 of our crew who had to unexpectedly disembark. Some crew went on a jungle trek to an underground river, and a day of surfing was organised. Many of us have vowed to return again and explore more of Palawan.
The local authorities entreated us to “come again soon!” and with many fond memories we set sail South, towards Borneo.
