I come from Australia and I grew up far away from the water, in a mountainous region just outside of Sydney. In Sydney harbor I saw a tall ship for the first time, whereupon I immediately applied as a trainee. My first training voyage was soon followed by a degree in marine engineering, which I also completed in Sydney.

As chief engineer, I worked on a Danish brigantine whose owner had done some cruise-in-company voyages on this ship together with the Eye of the Wind many years ago. On board this ship I also met Tiger Timbs, the former owner of the Eye of the Wind, who sailed with me as chief mate then.

When my German girlfriend returned from Australia to her home country, I followed her and looked around for sailing opportunities there. In the crew of the Eye of the Wind, I started as a trainee before joining the regular crew in early 2021, now working in a dual role as deckhand and engineer. The community here on board is one of the best I have ever experienced. The interaction with each other is just friendly at all times.

What I like best is sailing long distances: across the Atlantic, to the Caribbean, just far away from everything. Sailing and exploring just always go together for me.