PVO Expeditions: Baltic to Biscay - A Retrospect

The Greenhorn Experience

We invited 17-year-old Patrik to join one of our sailing adventures: Baltic to Biscay—a journey from Stockholm to Copenhagen, passing through the Kiel Canal, Amsterdam and the pictorial Dutch canals, sailing up the Thames to London’s St. Katharine Docks, then navigating the English Channel and the historic coastline of Normandy, rich with WWII history. From there, we explored the tidal landscapes of Brittany before reaching our final destination in La Rochelle.

At the end of the adventure, we asked Patrik to share his reflections in any form he chose. Here is what we received in the email—and it left us in tears.

“This is no holiday... it will be tough and you will be exhausted… and you will have to push yourself wayyy out of your comfort zone. Are you in?” 

My response to this daunting offer made by the PVOs team leader was of course an immediate yes. After agreeing to take on this adventure, I sat down and reflected upon what I had just committed to. A month on a boat, a month with strangers, and scariest of all, a month where the crew and I will be completely humbled and under the foot of mother nature... Great. 

In retrospect, coming along on this adventure is definitely one of the most amazing things I have done in my life. Having only just graduated from high school, I had been extremely restricted by a system set up by society. Wake up, go to school, go to sleep. Of course, there was time for other things but my entire life had revolved under a set schedule and rules for as long as I could remember. This would show to be something quite different.

Over the next month, I was ruled by wind, waves, tides, stamina, and willpower. Now, I'll be honest, there were times where the adventure was rough as hell. I think most of us will agree that battling 4 meter swells in a pitch-black, exhausted, 3 AM morning isn’t the ideal situation. However, this only makes you appreciate the calm evenings where the sunset is painting a breathtaking, fiery image on the canvas of the horizon all the more. 

On an adventure like this, you really never know what to expect. This is something I learned over the course of the journey and something I have taken with me in life. An example of this is during one of the more memorable moments of the adventure. During one night watch at 4 AM, it was cold, dark, and extremely monotonous, and just as I was starting to look at the clock, in the hope that my shift would soon be over, I look to the starboard side and I see a dolphin, zooming through the pitch-black ocean, lit up by bioluminescent plankton. This is a sight that very few people in the world ever dream of seeing, it was absolutely surreal. It was moments like these that changed my overlook in daily life and it has made it so much better. 

By approaching every moment enthusiastically, one is guaranteed to benefit greatly, which is the motto of PVO. Positive Vibes Only.  

I can't stress how valuable this experience has been to me enough. In a world where society spoon feeds you values and tells you what is right or wrong, taking a moment to step back and appreciate the natural world we live in was probably the most valuable moment in my years of education. You realize how small you truly are and understand that the most important things in life are companionship, kindness, and perseverance. I have gone from being a rather insecure person who works best alone to becoming more of a confident leader that values working with others because of the realization of its effectiveness. Sailing is far more than a sport, it is a chance for people to grow in ways that are not taught by schools and doing it with PVO expeditions will ensure that you come out the other side a changed person. 

- Patrik Persson