Caribbean-bound voyagers set sail

Having always had the coast close to their heart, they now set out on a three month adventure, certain they’ll never tire of the salty air and tides.

Kingsway High School ex-pupil, Raymond Ninow met his accomplices, Pieter and Davin while on his journey of working, surfing and sailing all over the world. Big-wave surfer, Pieter de Witt is from Stilbaai in the Western Cape and Davin Clark from Ireland, keeps dipping out of his medical degree where he is in his fifth year, to go on adventures such as this. Qualified skipper, Raymond has been involved in sailing from a young age and has journeyed and worked all around the globe. Pieter ‘boat-hitchhiked’ for a while previously, having already experienced the hardships that came with not having required visas and finding himself trapped on the waters, not allowed to set foot on certain foreign lands. He looks forward to what this voyage holds for him. Apart from Davin’s ferry crossing, he has very little experience on the seas, but hopes his medical background can be of service. For all three, any lack of experience is made up for by their excitement and enthusiasm for the journey. They left the shores of Durban for East London on Monday to, weather-permitting, make their way to Cape Town. After the three voyagers grow sick of the Cape’s parties and fishing, they’ll set out on the seas bound for the Caribbean. They will stop along the way at destinations such as such as St Helena Island, Ascension Islands, Forta Leza in Brazil, Tobago and do ‘day-hops’ along the British Virgin Islands before arriving on the coast of the dreamy Caribbean. Aware that their biggest challenges are going to be space and money, at no point do the great depths or the vastness of the ocean reduce their enthusiasm.

“We live in such a beautiful place, we owe it to the ocean to get involved and dive headfirst into all it offers us. We’d be foolish not to,” said Raymond.

“I owe a lot to surfing, I grew up here and got involved, this lifestyle allowed me to meet the most amazing people.”

Among the three of them them they have sailed the Caribbean, Bermuda, Northern Atlantic, New Zealand, Mozambican Islands, Vasco de Gama and the Eastern Cape. To prepare for the voyage they assembled their surfing and fishing equipment, compiled opinions from others with experience, planned food and drink, purchased a lot of beer and ‘dooswyn’ and the most tedious of all, came to gain an understanding of and working their way through chart theory and the mounds of paperwork they required for the journey. Raymond is near to the completion of a communication science degree, opening him up to many different forms of journalism and communication. Pieter intends on gathering video footage and compiling a video to share high and lowlights of their Caribbean-bound adventure. All in all, notes, pictures and video footage will be compiled along the journey. Their mode of transport is ‘Schatzi’, Raymond’s 9,6m yacht who’s German name translates to ‘darling’.

“Schatzi was designed in 1965 – well ahead of her time,” assures proud owner, Raymond.

“We had her hull replaced in 1991. She’s the last of her kind.”

Schatzi has been fitted with the necessary tracking systems, beacons and has passed numerous boat inspections and safety precautions.

Being the skipper and most experienced, Raymond admits he feels a lot of responsibility with regard to the care of his crewmen. “The key is to have respect for the ocean, not fear,” said the skipper.

While this is Raymond’s ultimate idea of freedom, Pieter wants to take his sailing to new levels of professionalism one day and Davin knows this is an invaluable experience he isn’t going to pass up. All three agree that they want to look back on moments of doing nothing but surfing, fishing and drinking beer – their ultimate simplicity. The trio experienced feelings of anxiety, relief, excitement and anticipation ahead of the day they set sail.

They expressed their gratitude for the patience and support of their family and loved ones all over the globe. Alan Fraser generously supplied them with all fishing equipment they dreamed of, thus saving them from starvation, for which they are eternally grateful.

“Those with the chance should get involved with the ocean, flop around in it, try surfing, fishing. You don’t understand what opportunities it’ll open up to you,” said Raymond.