Lectures & Lessons

24 November 2013

Wilfried Boysen (A Berliner on the way to Cape Horn) reports:
“Information from the bridge:
daybeginningposition: 52°13´6 S 112°33´1 W
dayendposition: 53°49´4 S 113°03´7 W
distance: 196 miles
The ‘Oosterschelde’ is going 8-9 kn ESE, windforce 4 Bft from SW. Weather is overcasted but the visibility is clear. The swell is 2 m.
We are going steadily forward to Cape Horn. On the weather charts we can see the coast of Chile. On the chart desk of the bridge we can see the nautical chart with the south of South-America. At the time of 2 in the morning the ‘Tecla’ is 130 miles SSW of our position rather at the same height to Cape Horn. The ‘Europa’ is 260 miles ESE ahead of us.
Watches
Yesterday afternoon the change of the cast of the watches was announced. Some jobs were already coordinated among the members of the new watches: turn at the wheel, who observes the time for change at the wheel, who makes the wake-up call for the following watch.
We are getting to know each other in the white watch at 4 in the morning. We take turns on the wheel according to the list of names in our watch.
Simultaneously we advanced the clocks by 1 hour (15:00 on board of the Oosterschelde in the middle of the Pacific Ocean = 24:00 in Amsterdam/Berlin).
The 00:00 watch (red watch) set up the mizzen sail with the second reef and shook out the first reef in the main sail.
The 04:00 watch (white watch) went smoothly. I do the wake-up call before breakfast (It is terrible to wake up good friends in their rest, but I do it as soft as possible).
The 08:00 watch (blue watch) set up the outer jib and the upper topsail.
The 12:00 watch (red watch) went smoothly.
The 16:00 watch took down the mizzen and the outer jib. The rest went smoothly.
The 20:00 watch went smoothly.
Kitchen
Job served at dinner a wonderful meal:
– rice and Mexican tacos
– roasted paprika, onions, beans
– a delicious dessert: caramel mousse with almonds and raisins
Special events
Lecture: Legal systems (Leo Boersen). The legal systems based on
– religion
– political doctrins
– customs
– common law
– civil law
Leo has highlighted the differences between civil law and common law.
– You find the common law with juries in the UK and its former colonies and the US.
– The civil law is found on continental Europe and the various colonies of continental European countries.
Leo explained with examples of his own experiences the differences between these two major legal systems, that dominate the world today. He stated as his opinion, that the civil law is more efficient, more fair, less costly and more expedient. The system of juries has outlived itself and notably in criminal cases can lead to very peculiar outcomes. The technique of caselaw also is not always a coherent and systematic approach of solving legal problems. If a contract involves companies from both a common law country and from a civil law country, things become very difficult to resolve. Hopefully the UN can help to unify International Law, both public and private.
Thoughts
Before I began the voyage on board of the ‘Oosterschelde’ I had many thoughts about the psychologic effects:
– many people in a narrow space
– boredom
– 50 days across the ocean
– no land in sight
– limited comfort
I was prepared and had until now no problems. Boredom I never have. I am impressed by the manner of the crew members and of all passengers. On board is a positive atmosphere. There is good company with one another: respectful, tolerant, helpful and engaged. Aside from the watches it´s possible for everyone to retreat. He/she can do what he/she wants. Everyone leaves the other to his/her thoughts, meditations, reading a book, writing the diary etc. I didn´t expected such behavior. I learnt: to be free is not only a question of space, but also how the people, who are in this space, are living one with another. I think, on board there is enough space. In the words of the Roman philosopher Seneca: “What´s enough is not too little”.
I am sure, that the positive atmosphere on board the ‘Oosterschelde’ will be continued the next few weeks until our destination: the Falkland Islands.”