Oceans of Hope - A global voyage to change perceptions of Sclerosis
by Sailing Sclerosis on 20 Feb 2015
Dr. Mikkel Anthonisen aboard Oceans of Hope transiting the Panama Canal - Oceans of Hope Sailing Sclerosis/Oceans of Hope
Oceans of Hope is a Sailing Sclerosis Foundation project that aims to change perceptions of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), inspiring people with the disease to overcome their own personal challenges by telling the stories of those taking part in the first ever circumnavigation by a yacht crewed by people with MS.
The Panama Canal - by Emil Koch, MS Crew
Having to wait for the canal authorities and agents to clear all 'necessary' paperwork to allow us to pass the canal, we spent some days in the Marina Shelter Bay in the outskirts of the city Colon. A lovely marina, which we found heavily guarded and almost an oasis in an industrial and urban area...
Passing the first lock of the Canal at 28 meters was a spectacular scene seeing huge ships on the first floor next to us being 20+ meters, we looked like a toy ship in comparison. Some work had to be done to keep our little fragile ship in the middle of the lock between giants that seemed to be able to crush us at any time. We were anchored in the lake close to the new construction area of the lock system, which makes it possible for the canal to take even bigger ships, we had a good night of sleep.
Panama City and this MS crew final destination is now close. I feel privileged having gained new friends for life, having this life in spite of MS. I thank all of the people around Oceans of Hope for giving me this opportunity to widen my horizons. Thank you to all my new friends for letting me into your life. All the best wishes to the organization Sailing Sclerosis. GOOD WINDS is the wish from Emil.
Exploring the Galapagos - by Bertram Christensen
Upon arrival Oceans of Hope was met with a welcoming atmosphere from the beginning. Both the Galapagos National Park representatives, the Port Captain and several other authorities were on board, and while fulfilling their jobs they were introduced to our great project. We received an extended blessing from the religious Port Captain who also invited us all personally to join him in the local church. As with any place we go, we meet great understanding for our purpose, and in this case Galapagos is no different than the rest of the world. A local taxi driver, the diving instructor, the turtle shelter and the immigration office all wanted to know more and now have brochures about the sailboat going around the world with an active crew with MS.
For additional insight on the Galapagos Islands, read our online article
Comments from the Crew
'Don't ever eat lunch at a local cantina in Panama City before going to The Pacific. Three adventurous Danes high on life thinking they were close to being immortal had to test it - total madness.' - Dorthe Alvang
'We are just a quick, windy ride away from the skyline of Panama City, five hours or so, yet in most ways a world away - dolphins, pelicans frigate birds...there is indeed oceans and oceans of hope here!' - Colleen Fegan
'Not one of us will go on in life without being affected by the 23 days of intense company on board Oceans of Hope. Company that despite differences has been united in a strong teamwork, where the focus has always been to handle the challenges, rather than building barriers. ' - Hans Kollner
'We have had our trials and tribulations in the last two days, but this has helped the crew to bond and now we are all ready for the biggest adventure of our lives.' - Cliff Davies
'Up with the sails and off with the engine, the wind was here. Yipee! Long live the unpredictable, Galapagos here we come!' - Pia Helgogaard
'The nights are light, like a Nordic summer night, because the moon is about to be full. You can still see The Southern Cross standing high in the sky.' - Erland Sperlig
'It will be so hard to leave our very special world on the gorgeous Oceans of Hope yacht. One of the hardest parts will be saying goodbye to the wonderful professional crew that have enabled us to sail, learn about ourselves and have a laugh along the way.' - Camilla Veale
Looking Forward - Australia & New Zealand
Oceans of Hope will arrive in the Australasia region with a grand entrance in Auckland, New Zealand in early May 2015 coinciding with the ANZAN 2015 conference scheduled for the same time period. Working together with ANZAN and other partners in New Zealand, Oceans of Hope will be a marquee visual attraction for the event. MS New Zealand are mobilizing their members to participate in a number of taster sailing days in Auckland Harbour.
Moving swiftly to Australia, on May 27th Oceans of Hope will be escorted by a parade of sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge to a VIP reception under the famous Sydney skyline. Celebrating World MS Day, Oceans of Hope will play an integral role in the festivities being organised in conjunction with MS Australia and MS Research, to include music and other entertainment along with a spectacular evening event. Meeting our mission of serving MS communities around the world, Oceans of Hope will spend several days with other local yachts provided by the Sailing with disABILITIES foundation, offering taster sails to introduce Australians living with MS to sailing and the Oceans of Hope dream. During the Sydney stopover Oceans of Hope will be based at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia who are lending the project a huge amount of support. Stay tuned... we will update our website with information as all the plans are finalized!
Join the Oceans of Hope Crew!
The Oceans of Hope still has crew places available for 2-3 week spells onboard as she sails from Sydney, Australia to Singapore. Do you have MS? Are you a sailor? Would you like to have the adventure of a lifetime? Are you ready to leave your MS ashore? If you have just said yes four times then you should hit the Crew Wanted button on our website and apply now!
Challenge yourself, challenge your MS - apply now, we know you will not regret it for a single oceangoing mile.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
More than 2,000,000 people worldwide have multiple sclerosis. The disease affects almost twice as many women as men. Multiple sclerosis (MS} is a disease of the central nervous system, the brain and the spinal cord. It is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system gets confused and instead of attacking an infection or virus it turns on itself and attacks nerve cells.
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/131755