Sunrise - ARC2021 - Day #15 on the SUNRISE

Father and Son

Father: I remember the time when Alain was still a baby, not even two months old, and was already sailing with us on our 32 feet yacht on Lake Constance. It happens sometimes that the interest for a hobby vanishes when it is present from the very early age. But not with Alain and his sister Tatiana! As adults they are now sailing on the very same ship on their own and perform as part of our family-crew in several regattas around the year. For Alain and me the Atlantic crossing with the ARC is the longest and most intense sailing experience so far. In contrary to my slowly decreasing physical abilities like night vision, Alains performance, however, is still on the rise and even slowly outperforming me. For me as a father this is the best outcome that i could have wished for!

Son: From the very beginning of my life, sailing was a big part of it! Learning the boat and especially earning the trust of my father felt like a great accomplishment. It surely can be said that the heritage of the sailing spirit lives on in my sister and me. Sometimes Lake Constance became to small, so Dietmar and me went sailing on other lakes and the oceans, with the ARC being the total highlight thus far. When my father asked my if I want to join his trip across the Atlantic, I didn't even hesitate to say YES!
Although we share the same cabin we don't cling to each other like a old married couple. We keep a good balance between closeness and distance. And to be honest, I'm glad that I don't have to take this trip on my own!


--