On Monday we started, to make our Summer ready: All the beautiful things, Dietmar has shopped in his free time for our long journey, should be stowed so, that a life on board is possible again.
Fortunately, our Summer but more storage space than we expected and we managed to clean up already so far today, we our dinner (Fresh, North German asparagus with hollandaise sauce) could prepare back on board. The wonderful weather the last two days we were very motivated: Not only in the interior of the Summer you can move again, also prevails now in our locker finally exemplary order and the Sails are also struck again.
But is was not only diligent in the last three days. On Tuesday evening we were invited in Kiel with Ingeborg and Wolfgang, to get from experienced Weltumseglern a few valuable tips for the Caribbean. The two sailing since 43 Years with their STELLA MARIS on the world's oceans and have an infinitely large experience. Therefore, we have made ourselves yesterday afternoon on the way to Aerobatic Bay Marina of Laboe, there to meet Birgit and Franz from the CAYLUNA, which should be one of the party. They both have a 40 Foot catamaran, with which they want to break in July to the Caribbean. So we had the opportunity not only, to admire her beautiful interior of the ship, we were allowed to stay overnight, to us to spare the wide return to Grömitz.

At home with Ingeborg and we Wolfgang was excellent hosts and could in funny round many interesting stories from sailing in general and the Caribbean in particular, hear, which have definitely helped us.
Then it was back to the port on the CAYLUNA. We arrived on the big catamaran
so alone almost lost something before, but still have a great night. After a joint breakfast with Birgit and Franz, seamlessly joined to the 5-star cuisine dinner, it went way too early back to Grömitz.
Again many thanks to the four, it was a great time. When we come to the ship in Kiel on the way to the North Sea-Baltic Canal, we are very excited, See you again. Mit Birgit und Frank haben wir uns vorsorglich an irgend einem schönen Ort auf dem Weg von Deutschland in die Karibik verabredet 🙂

Last week Katie has your “Wutzi” again brought to the Rhineland home. Katja has been used to some years quite successfully with Flagranti at tournaments in the M-dressage. She has him before 11 Taken years to Bavaria, when we decided, to deny our future life together. Now Flagranti is also known as “Wutzi” 23 Years old and the OAPs now lives back in his old home NRW. He has survived the long ride in the trailer with no problems and amazingly relaxed. Nach dem Aussteigen und dem Gang in die Box hat er sich ohne zu zögern sofort über einige leckere Karotten hergemacht 🙂

While Katie has spent the Friday and Saturday with Melissa (it has the Wutzi 11 Accompanied years with supervised and has Katja on the ride), I have made myself once again on the way to my beloved Nordschleife. Since I myself in the VLN race series (Association Endurance Championship) since 2008 Races and drove many beautiful weekends on “Ring” spent with friends, I wanted to say goodbye again personally. So I've put together with Walli and Flea from the team “Walli Motorsport” spent a weekend at the VLN ring. With the boys and girls from the team “Walli” I 3 experienced great years Motorsport, as one can possibly want him. Were used, “Renault Clio Cup”-Racing car, with which we even twice the legendary 24 Have successfully challenged hour race. Winning of Virus “Motorsport” once caught, is after a few years either cured forever thereof or infected forever. My problem is probably, I to Category 2 am. As long as we are still in Europe, I'll try, to drive one or the other race. How this can be implemented, will show. The images above show the first start group flying in formation at the section “Brünnchen” and the cockpit of the Valais new “Opel OPC Cup- Racing car” mmmhhh lecker 🙂
'm Curious, how the 360 PS “feel” will. I will certainly miss the ring, yes especially since we now live nearby. But our SUMMER will carry us into new worlds for. Auch toll, or?

Last weekend, we looked at things “First aid” at the “SeaDocs” trained in Mönchengladbach. We were very pleasantly surprised, about the composition of the high-profile 21 Students and the high “Level” the course content. The aim of this course is to, to provide laypersons the specifics of supply on board.
Our Instructors, Dr. Fabian Steffen, himself is an avid sailor and has 15 Years of professional experience as an emergency physician on an ambulance. We have also felt!One must not forget, that we will be far away from the land to put ourselves at sea. Therefore, we have considered the seriousness of all these exercises from a different perspective.
The goal is, that medical problems on board are controlled by the availability of professional help, minor mishaps can be supplied on board without any interruption of a journey. Through a simple structured diagnostic assessment which communication is to be made possible with helpers, only as a meaningful planning of further steps is possible.
At the end of 2 Days we have given each other syringes, added a tube(to a doll, since it is only possible if the patient is deeply unconscious), Powered Brand-/Platz-/Schnittwunden, created a defibrillator, Etc applied resuscitation by cardiac massage.
Those were our learning objectives:
• Important activities: Associations, Wound Care, Immobilization, Salvage
• A guide to systematic Investigate (with and without aids), Approaching a diagnosis
• The implementation of revivals (with and without aids)
•Typische Notfallsituationen an Bord: Hypothermia, Drowning, Hand infection, Sunstroke, Burns
• The administration of drugs into the muscle and under the skin
• The communication with helpers
• Features a first-aid kit and a first aid kit, Literaturhinweise
• Tropical diseases, Impfhinweise

It was a really brilliant course gives us the feeling, structured to act in the event of a fall. To prepare for a long trip, we rate this course as an absolute “MUST”. Quite apart from, that we have some very nice people met, mit denen wir das gleiche Hobby teilen 🙂
On Easter Sunday, it's back up to the Baltic Sea. We meet with Wolfgang and Ingeborg of the “Stella Maris” as well as with Brigit and Frank from the catamaran “CAYLUNA”. Ingeborg and Wolfgang are the TO base manager Cuxhafen and are with your “Stella Maris” in 5 Sailed years around the world. Insanely cute and experienced sailors, of which we “Four” Tips and advice can be obtained for our trip to the Caribbean. Birgit and Frank have invited us to stay on your catamaran. For us, premiere. Life can be so wonderful 🙂

Today, we have taken one of the most important zunkünftig equipment in operation. In order to communicate worldwide at sea with other sailors and radio stations and send emails can, we reliant on recommendations by sailors from the TO forum to the company YACHTFUNK.com turned by Jörg Drexhagen. With the professional in every sense advice and support tatkrâftiger YACHTFUNK.com we now have a powerful and above all reliable functioning amateur radio equipment. Was very important to us to find a contact, the next lot of experience with this technique on yachts sold not only equipment, but for his customers is reachable if it jams times. Among many other sailors colleagues, who tells us of similar quality, We are completely satisfied and have us in addition even of the YACHTFUNK.com Partners “webservice yachtfunk.com websplash | Internet- & Media Design /Ramin Fleckner” can create our website. We are still excited about the work and the customer orientation of YACHTFUNK.com Team!
This morning we have connected the backstay antenna of our amateur radio. At the very first test bunker from Latvia and Switzerland were to receive clear. We want to use the device, order in all parts of the world with other sailors in the so-called “Funk Round” to communicate. A very important security aspect is the possibility, to get at sea, the current weather information. Since we are constantly exposed to wind and weather sailors and we need to plan and adapt our itineraries accordingly, we are particularly dependent on reliable information. We decided with the company WEATHER WORLD of Meno
Schrader to work together. In difficult sea areas we can get from WEATHER WORLD also a professional to the tours. Ein gutes Gefühl wenn man jemanden fragen kann der sich auskennt 🙂 Ebenso werden wir unseren Emailverkehr über Kurzwelle und Pactor 3 settle when we are at sea. As is from the future and wonder about so many when an email, DIE 1500NM (corresponds to about. 1800km) was sent away from the coast, has in the inbox. Only pictures, we can send shortwave unfortunately not, because the amount of data would be too great. We get then, if we have WiFi again.
This afternoon we head back home because Katja and I on the weekend seminar “Medicine at sea” will visit. Freue mich schon wenn ich Katja zum Üben die erste Spritze geben darf 🙂

Point 8:00 was our SUMMER under the crane system Grömitzer marina. The 14 Tonnes live weight prepare the experienced team from Yacht Service Gutowski no problems and have 10 Minutes later the lady swims in the 7 Grad Kalten Ostsee. The weather is contrary to the prediction of the best. Blue sky and little wind are optimal to provide the mast. It's always an exciting moment when the 18m long mast with all the shrouds and rigging from the horizontal is moved in the vertical. Only 30 Minutes later, this is backed up to the mast on deck and the ship is hauled on the berth.

For security reasons we have to renew the current Good, so that the mast remains safe even in bad weather. The rig specialist Mr. Beudel must in the mast “climb” the shrouds and stays to adjust correctly. With which the man moves respect for ease in height.

Ein super Tag! The heater in the boat runs well I'm looking forward to the first night! Unfortunately, without Katja, who diligently takes care of setting up our apartment. Es geht voran 🙂

What a day! The last steps are made. One last kiss on the head and velvety fur of our beloved cat Teddy and last look in the garden of our house, which was handed over to the new owner yesterday. Thank goodness the new landlords have already fallen in the first hour in Teddy and as a result he may in “his” House with new “Personal” remain living. On our ship there are also no mice he could catch :-). Then we went to the car dealership, submit to the lease car. Last but not least a short visit with my dear friend Reiner, of me the past few years is very dear to my heart and I will miss from the heart. But good friends can not be separated and hope, dass wir uns bald wieder sehen werden 🙁 + 🙂
With a suitcase and a backpack then I leave to the ICE Ingolstadt-Cologne 12:00 The clock Bayern during Katja already since Thursday our new apartment and future “Family-Office” Leverkusen is in the set. Was für eine fleißige Ehefrau und verlässlicher Partner 🙂
Again a big step towards our big trip is made. Every day now moves finally “palpable” our departure closer. I'm curious, whether the other “Losfahrern” is similar. But we'll find out tomorrow in Laboe at the meetings of TO'ler live!

Katja and I have decided, in addition to our three existing sponsorships a fourth sponsorship from their own resources and a FIFTH sponsorship from the “WORLD VISION” To take piggy bank. Somit haben wir gemeinsam zwei weiteren Kindern ein Stück Hoffnung schenken können 🙂 Wir werden Euch die Kinder vorstellen sobald wir nähere Informationen erhalten.

We got a crane schedule for the first week in April. Katja and I are planning to be in Grömitz if our SUMMER to be handed over to the cold element. Now just have the wether. Too much wind it would not be possible to make an 18m long and 750kg heavy mast.
In 13 Hours, the furniture vans standing with us at the door. Die Dinge nehmen ihren Lauf und wir kommen unserer Abfahrt wieder ein Stück näher 🙂

From Thursday to Sunday evening we have friends and co-workers invited to celebrate our departure from Bayern. Bavaria was for us “Newcomers” about 18 Years the center of life and home. We are grateful and sometimes very touching, that over 120 People have made their way to us personally “Ade” to say. A real highlight and a big surprise was the very personal gift of a former employee and friend of the family. See, Soprano of Croatian “Flap” from Munich, has on Saturday night totally us with the appearance of his singing group “from the stool” carved. Katja and I were deeply emotionally touched upon this wonderful event. One of the nicest gifts, I have in my 48 Years of age have received and expression of my personal connectedness and appreciation of the Croatian mentality and Community. THANK YOU guys, so etwas kann man nicht mit Geld kaufen 🙂
On Sunday we have our “WORLD VISION” Emptied piggy bank and it is a nice sum come together, we will send in a child. A beautiful feeling, that we could celebrate together with you and at the same time give a child a piece of the future in the coming days we will report more details.

In the past week we have our Parasailor and a new anchor chain of the company “Wälden” get. Through discussions with our sailing friend Martin, I have learned, that our previous VA chain is not resistant to seawater. Even the best VA chains rise sometime by “Lochfraß” in the weld from, no later than when the water temperature rises above 30 ° C. The only marine grade and Pacific appropriate VA chains just provides Fa. Wälden of Chiemsee. Made in Bavaria / Germany give us a good feeling and confidence in our ground tackle.
Next week Wednesday at 26.3 already comes the moving van and we leave bayrisches “Territory” after almost 19 wunderbaren Jahren unter weiß/blauem Himmel 🙂
It's hard to believe, that we in good 4-5 Weeks will sting with our SUMMER in lake. A “unreal” Feeling…..

Tonight is the farewell party with all our Bavarian friends instead. About 19:00 is it going on and we are excited to see how it will run. The train is moving and always takes longer ride on.

There I always liked good, when a ship receives a certain sentimental value. Thus we have our “Sumsi” 🙂 eine nette Hummel auf den Bug “tattooed”. Should accompany us across the oceans and will hopefully produce one or the other smile at our sailing friends. Is not she cute?