On the Dagmar Aaen, all crew members sail for free. The principle is known as ‘hand for a berth’. In return for working on board (hand), you are provided with a bed (berth) and meals. Everyone spends their free time on board. As very few people can leave their workplace for the duration of the entire voyage, the trip is planned to include occasional stops in ports so that new crew members can join and others can leave the ship accordingly.

One such crew change was planned for Nain. However, as Baffin Bay, north of Labrador, was blocked by ice, the detour there was cancelled and we reached Nain earlier than originally planned and had to continue south. Thomas had actually intended to leave the Dagmar Aaen in Nain and for Eberhard to come on board there. As if! Cartwright was agreed as the new handover point. Everything went smoothly for Eberhard as far as Goose Bay, but once he arrived there, it turned out that his luggage wasn’t on the flight. This marked the start of a three-day ordeal for Eberhard, involving research, countless phone calls and constant coordination with Arved.

On the day of Thomas’s departure from Cartwright, Mel – the incredibly friendly owner of a small motel with an adjoining pub – lent us her car so that we could take Thomas to the airstrip. Once there, we met an airfield employee who was in the process of filling potholes on the runway with a wheel loader. He had no information about current flight movements, but knew the flight dispatcher in Goose Bay and managed to reach her by phone – whilst she was changing her baby’s nappy… what followed was pure helpfulness. The dispatcher says the flight is uncertain due to an approaching thunderstorm, but jots down Thomas’s phone number and promises to keep him updated. And sure enough, at some point the dispatcher gets in touch with the welcome news that the plane is now approaching Cartwright to pick up Thomas – the sole passenger. A huge relief.

As we’re back at sea on the Dagmar Aaen, heading south, we receive the photo of the day: Thomas alongside Eberhard. The two met up in Goose Bay. Eberhard’s luggage also finally arrived there last night. Eberhard was immediately able to book his onward flight and accommodation. Maurice, his landlord, enlisted the help of his neighbour Mike, who completely selflessly drove Eberhard by car to Red Bay – our new meeting point. Without the help of the locals, Eberhard would still be on the road today – without buses or trains, you’re simply stranded on the coast of Labrador. We can now finally carry on. Our next destination is the north-west coast of Newfoundland.

Matze