Feels great to be nominated with so many experienced and professional captains with Master 3000GT CoC cruising around. Thank you.
Always been in the water since young age, but my career in my home land Sweden was AV / IT-engineer and after a few years, 1991, I left to pursue a career as dive instructor travelling around the world, and my final place teaching was on Boracay Island, Philippines, with a Master Instructor certificate in my pocket.
Meeting the captain of yacht Nan-Shan in Boracay 1995 changed my life. The yacht was a 30m motor-sail ketch, designed by Philip Rhodes 1952 and was anchored just off the beach and I was ‘persuaded’ to come and help (non-paid) cruising to Pulau Sipadan and Borneo. Got offered a job on that yacht and never looked back. Nan-Shan caught the eye of all around us, especially in remote places as Knysna in South Africa, Brazil etc. with its old style masts (rat lines, dead-eyes and fighting tops) and even had gold leaf decorated wood dolphin decorations around the windows and in the bow. With a world itinerary, small cash salary, 3 meals a day and health insurance, life was a bliss for the 2.5 years I was onboard. Stepped of in Antibes, end destination of the world itinerary and then realised there are a lot of yachts in the world.
Was engineer on Nan-Shan and over years increased my knowledge very quickly, and was on the engineering path, but later mate/engineer and finally when I year 2000 got my Master 3000 GT CoC I was Chief Officer.
Then it was just go go go and over the years been so fortunate to cruise some amazing destinations, with personal high lights as Alaska, Antarctica, Cocos Island, Cuba, Galapagos, Madagascar, Norway (also the arctic) and a day stop at Tristan de Cunha.
During the 25 years in the industry I had the opportunity to meet some amazing owners, charter guest (royalty and celebrities included), fantastic crew members and all the other people in this diverse and exciting industry that I meet being involved in several new builds, yachting events and shows.
Just loving it, and if I could go back in time, I’ll do it all again.
It has been an epic journey so far, and I hope to meet many more people and visit some more cool places, for many years to come 🙂
