Dear Dave,
I wanted to write you personally but I can just aswel introduce myself here.
I found the Club through the page on Crewbay and you referred me to the website.
Immediately, I was highly impressed by the purpose and ambition of this project and by your biography.
Originally, I was looking for a way to cross the Atlantic to avoid flying and to upscale my sailing skills, but reading through the pages of this website, I see a whole new dimension and a different approach.
My name is Egmont and I'm 34 years old.
I've been working as a doctor (general practitioner) for several years in Belgium now. I have a big interest in anthropology and some (limited) experience, conducting a (minor) study on traditional medicine in Chiapas (South Mexico), migration on Malta and working conditions of busdrivers in Belgium. I have worked as a busdriver for a year in Antwerp and have written a book about that experience.
It's a long-time dream to work, travel and explore the Americas and now that I've finished a postgrad in tropical medicine, the moment has come. I'm planning to work as a doctor in a small settlement in French-Guyana for some months and start traveling from there. Make my way up the Amazon, up to the slopes of the Andes and from there travel south.
I would be very interested and delighted to join your crew on the Labora to cross the Atlantic. I am not an experienced sailor though. I followed some courses when I was in my teens and a course in my twenties, and once or twice a year I go sailing with friends for a couple of days. It would be my first crossing. I love the sea and the elements and have a profound interest and love for life, humanity and nature alike. I am patient, willing to learn, sociable, cheerful most of the time and I don't mind hard physical work.
I have read you are planning to cross the Atlantic in September. My work here in Belgium finishes the 11th of September, but if you are planning to leave earlier, I can easily ask to stop my work earlier. I start working again in French Guyana mid-November, so I could easily join you from September to the beginning of November. It would greatly interest me to explore the Amazon with you and document the impact of global warming. I have writing experience as a journalist, so I could probably be of some help there. I read about the costs of joining the crew on the crossing and the exploration of the Amazon and that should not be a problem.
Even if for any reason, joining you for a crossing would not be possible, I still feel highly attracted to this project and I would very much like to meet or join you at some point. I am very much willing to contribute to the success of this project so please let me know how and where to contribute.
Respectfully and with kind regards
Egmont Ruelens
Hi Egmont,
I appreciate your enthusiasm and find your background quite interesting.
A crossing cannot be done in September, the season (favorable winds) start in November and end around April. Nevertheless, the timing might be perfect for you to join for the Amazonas expedition or even before that while we are cruising around the Mediterranean so you can learn more about our project and the boat.
I will send you an email to set up a call and discuss this further.
Cheers
Dave