I still really want to sail and other UA-cam sailing channels make it look so pretty and super positive. I appreciate Ryan and Sophie for being unafraid keeping things real. Because sailing with rose-color glasses on can be heartbreaking and even tragic.
Well done guys! I can certainly identify vicariously with the fear and anxiety of proximity to large ships in a canal or lock. I fully agree with several comments that extol the virtues of headsets to communicate. These are relationship savers! And as mentioned by someone, Patrick Laine’s channel is a great source of inspiration and practical tips for short-handed or solo sailing. He is very generous with his knowledge, and a true gentleman. Your humour, choice of music and smooth production values are wonderful! Fair sailing!
Ryan, you were quite gallant taking the helm when you were in the presence of ships. When I tie up at a lock, if it’s practical, I secure the eye of the line to the boat, throw the center of the line outside the dock bollard, and bring the tail of the line back to the boat. This makes adjusting the lines, as the height inside the lock changes, easier from onboard as well as making casting off easier. Boats under fifty feet can usually get by with only two lines inside the lock. Certainly transiting a lock for the first time is exciting along with a sense of accomplishment as you exit. By the way, the doors on either side of the lock are actually called: GATES. Ryan, I believe you are a genius, but you let slip that the key to your knowledge is reading. It always helps to be prepared with knowledge. I always enjoy your videos, and I always appreciate your many lessons. Thank you both.
Hahaha :) I know! I was born with a face you can read like an open book. For most of my life, it's been a curse. Now that I edit those videos, it gives me a good laugh :) Thanks for the support Ken! /Sophie
I was late to find your terrific channel and I subscribed and I am starting to binge watch. Sofie, your communication skills are excellent and as others have said, your physical expressions are priceless! I think your fear of large boats, although somewhat irrational, is a survival mechanism. I was hiking in British Columbia many years ago when after a gentle hike through a wooded area, the trail took a sharp left turn and I was confronted with a massive vertical rock cliff. Suddenly I was overtaken with fear although the cliff was not a threat to me. I always felt my response was unusual (and weak in a way) until years later I read a book about a brave man's journey hiking through the Grand Canyon alongside the Colorado River (he thinks he is the first to do this although perhaps an Indian has done it). He described the same emotions I had experienced when he encountered a huge rock wall there. Fair winds!
Thanks Wayne! Ryan is actually super nice. After over 2 months of cruising together in what sometimes turns into a stressful environment, I can proudly say that I’m sailing with a great captain :) Thanks for your comment! /Sophie
How exciting, I see you steaming up to the Kieler Canal locks and I see the Engelina in the back ground, many many moons ago I sailed that koftjalk to Wilhelmshavn through the Kieler Canal. I really enjoy your channel.
never been scared of big ships, though I have never sailed that close to them either, you did good. Always a joy to watch and learn. you teach in a fun way, nice to see you acknowledge you are human and sometimes say or do the wrong thing.
You are now my favourite double act, clearly blessed with funny bones!! But also insprational, Boat owners come with a range of experience, but in time you learn and evolve, thank you for sharing your adventures.
So funny. I know you were afraid, but I couldn't stop laughing at your expression when a BIG ship came by. You guys are so cute together. Carry on. Keep smiling.
Your videos are one of the few my wife has connected with and looks forward to each one you release. We truly appreciate all the work and post-production time to produce these. THANK YOU We have sailed for many years but if anyone tells you they know it all, and has no fears I question how much they have really sailed. Every time out we are confident of our abilities but I can assure you mother nature, the boat and all the wonders in the sea will find a way to challenge us in a new way only to once again humble us to remember to respect and enjoy the life we live.
Thanks Tim! I'm so glad to hear your wife likes our videos :) One of my goals with this channel was to show more women sailing! And I agree with you. As long as we sail, we will still be learning! /Sophie
LOL Sophie, my parents sailed down the kieler kanal in the eighties with 4 kids and continued down through Europe. (we lived to tell about it). Those multi barge shub-verbands (connected pushers) are terrifying at any rate. it feels like dodging bullets. yet once you get the hang of it. its managed fear.. don't ever be unafraid of a sailing train going twice as fast as you. you got healthy instincts.
I like to watch your videos. Just following your trip across the Atlantic. Then yesterday I stumbled upon episode #13. I live in Laboe where your trip through the Kiel Canal started. And I can see the big ships daily passing by :-) Greetings from Laboe and as we say in Germany: Und immer eine Handbreit Wasser unterm Kiel (May you always have a hand’s breath of water below your keel)
Sophie: Your facial expressions in canal & muzsic are precise less. I was crying with laughter, and you need Ryan as the calming rudder for you journey! Safe travels, Barney
I've just discovered your YT channel and binge watched all your episodes. I'm enjoying your adventure just because of your lack of experience is so interesting. Bon Chance and Bon Voyage ...
Hi Larry! Thanks! Oh yes... we are definitely in the process of earning our experience. We took our RYA Competent crew and Day Skipper three years ago, then bought our boat built some confidence in Sweden, and got ready in every way we could. But at some point, you got to untie the line and build that experience :) Really glad you enjoy our channel! /Sophie
Of course I liked this video !!!!!!! You remind me of when I had my first boat, I had someone like I am, doing my best to pay it forward to you and I learned (learnt is not an English word) a ton of someone elses mistakes without making them myself. 😊👍👌👊✅⛵️⚓️🚣
I just came across another fine video of your production - nice to see the Kiel canal for the first time (reminding me of sailing from Glücksburg as a junior). Nice choice of music BTW. I enjoyed the Blue Danube waltz from the start, but Johann Strauß really came to life in perfect timing with the faces + action at 7:17, climax at 7:31 and the double rounds of smooth wave waltzing afterwards. I literally swayed in my seat with you. Time to relax at 9:05! Fun fact upon your encounter with German Freikörperkultur at 10:22: In Germany, it's permitted to drive a car while being naked. Leaving it in public will bring you into trouble, though. Dunno about sailing. Second fun fact after searching for naked sailing: August 1st, 2017 was declared "World Naked Sailing Day" from Buffalo, NY. The 8 and 1 of the date are probably not accidental ;) BTW: I'm afraid(!) that this comment is too late, too long. Carry on with your dreams!
It took courage to face your fears and push through them. Now that they are behind you and you made it safely, those fears are now just precautionary concerns that you know can be dealt with using proper judgement and skill. Congratulations to you both! A big step forward toward your new life with many more, adventures on the horizon.
THanks Rrudy! I like to think that this fear keeps me on my toes with those big ships... You are right, the farther we go, the more we learn... Thanks for the support! /Sophie
This was probably insightful!, ;-) You two are so even keeled (pun intended) I can't imagine you fighting, but it depends on what you call "Fighiting". I smiled all through this whole episode, Ryan is the typical american boy, "what ever, it will be fine" applies. The trepidation and excitement of the moment is in Sophie's eye's. Great match, can't wait for you two to go through the Panama Canal. Cheers!
Fears ..parking when it's windy and being blown off the jetty 😱🤔 normally lots of communication before we go in then a little bit of raised voices, then a thank God we did it without breaking the boat lol 😆
Love the vlog. Your connection with your viewers IS the best on the net. Go South and get some sun fun. I have been to Quiberon many times. Looking forward to next week xx
Thanks Derek! I love Quiberon! Unfortunately this time, our tour of Brittany will stop in Benodet, so I can spend more time with my family before crossing Biscay. Thanks for the support! /Sophie
Right?! Ever since that video, my comfort zone has expended so much. I do enjoy getting out there and learn. It isn’t always a pain-free process, but the reward is so worth the cost.. cheers from Portugal Fit Outpost! /Sophie
I used to fish in a big canal that ships would sail through to get to Baltimore and they would draw a lot of water behind them so the water level would go down a few feet and come crashing back in, I always thought it was kind of neat.
Practice, practice, Practice . 3 day's is what I found is how long I have to endure sea sickness , It's easy to sail from one destination to the next next , but to operate in close quarters , dock and anchor successfully that takes more practice . I'M GOODS and I still practice . Love you videos . Vince.
Ohhhh - sooo good you guys - hahahahhahahahafhhaha! I laugh out loud when I watch your videos - and I'm by myself ......Ahhhh so wonderful to see you guys going on this journey together and thank you again for sharing in the way that you do. hahahhahaha Love it!
i think i am in love with sophie...she is so funny. you both did good, and you will do better. and i enjoyed going thru the Kiel Canal with you.....thanks with love from texas...
You make me laugh, I love your videos. What a canal, low flying military helicopters looking for naked female sailors Sophie. What am I affraid of? I hate parking, I'm alone and its mostly involves smashing into the jetty.
Epic vid. I just bought an 11 meter cat and I feel your fear! And its not just BIG ARSE SHIPS... My biggest fear is docking... you can have a transcendental day on the sea but hell is waiting for you at the marina, hehhe. My only advise is work out some hand signal so you can dock without shouting at each other. Oh and be gentle with each other.
Oh Mick.... docking a cat... that’s some serious skills; respect ✊! We’ve had some pretty disastrous docking jobs, one of them that resulted in us using our insurance for the first time. The good news is, that’s the worst that can happen. No one got injured, and the gel coat job Polar Seal got to get had her look bright and shiny in the end. Our docking skills still are a work in progress, and communication definitely is one aspect of the work! Thanks for the support! /Sophie
Yep, the priority is 1 nobody gets hurt, 2 nobody else's boat gets damaged, 3 my boat doesn't get damaged. Took my boat out solo for the first time today and by luck, it was the best docking ever! Enjoy your adventure... we are in the whale migration period here on the Gold Coast so out we go tomorrow hunting whales... in a good way!
Thank you for sharing your experiences on the Kiel Canal. Very useful for us & presented in a fun way. We are taking the same route this summer! (With a similar story to yours -- just learned to sail and bought a boat last summer) I'm wondering if I'll be sharing in your fears...a little anxious about securing the lines in the canal, too.
How fun! The Kiel canal was a great experience looking back. The Kiel Fjord was really pretty (we loved Laboe) and Kiel was a fun city! Wishing you a great adventure :)
Kiel Canal is a nice and relaxing tour. I've done this I think around 20 times. Doing the locks is a thing to learn, but quite easy. Fenders down on the water and have the end of the lines at the widest part of the boat. Bring the boat gently to the pontoon with this part, hop down and fix a spring line. Then front and rear lines on slip, so you can release the boat from the deck within a second. That's all.
It was a nice ride indeed! Going in the second set of locks was a lot easier, due to all the lessons we learned from the first passage. Thanks for the support Michael! /Sophie
I'm doing a binge viewing, great video's and nice to see some real life challenges other than only very small bikini's on palm beaches (which of course is not all bad😉). What I have found as one of my biggest challenges as skipper on a Husband wife team, is managing my partners fears. Meaning, doing my best to try and avoid as much as possible, those situations that can be challenge for her. As one approaches such a situation causes me some anxiety. My tip for you and one you are clearly doing already, is to expand your knowledge on all facets of sailing as quickly as possible and be involved with everything, (including passage planning😉), this will reduce your "fear Factor" and at the same time easy the hidden stress of your partner. Great to watch you guys. Cheers Hans
Today I watched all of your videos, UA-cam has too many sailing channels clones. To be different most opt for click bait gimmicks. Your channel comes across less reliant on such methods that's why I subscribed 👍
Thanks Sciolist! I hear you ;) There is a fine balance to find between putting out interesting titles and flat out click baits. But ultimately, I believe that what makes a title interesting and what makes it click bait lies in the eye of the beholder! /Sophie
dove Calais is one end of the busy area where the north sea meets the English channel but you need to remember there are many other routs between holand and the uk you also have felixstow containerterminal and al associated shipping
Lol, my friends and I love to chase those big cargo ships so we can surf their wakes with our surf skis but I must agree they can be scary at times. Great video guys. Thanks and best from HKG 🇭🇰
I enjoyed this video. Sophie you are really funny and Ryan stays so calm. You make a good couple. I am most afraid of hitting something very hard and rigid , like a container or other hard floating object. I guess I am afraid of sinking. omg.
LOL... Sophie, you are so much like my wife. We used to meet those huge container ships as we sailed and her thoughts were... "Don't sail so close to that ship!!!!" In a confined space you don't have a lot of choices... now the wake was a thrill for me and a pill for her. All in a day's work I say... guess I am like Ryan in that respect! LOL Fair winds and following seas....
Hi Melvyn! YES, sailing without the life jackets is a big no-no on our boat. We invested in life jackets we found comfortable enough that it would never be a pain to wear them all the time. /Sophie
From Nantes, home based in California, loving your channel and all the great learning materials, hoping to follow your steps. Thanks for the morganscloud.com reference!
I am also very wary of huge weeks from big ships. My sailing boat is only 25feet. I also have a lot of confidence in my boat though. Every skippers nightmare is docking his boat.....and I think that anxiety for that short time which seems ages will never leave me.
We feel you Angelo... it seems like every docking is different, and you can never really know what to expect... I’m glad I get to share my fear with someone else though :) Cheers from France! /Sophie
My wife and I have just bought an older sail boat and the most stressful points of sail at the present is docking, but we both agreed if we fight, we discuss and forgive, fingers crossed so far, its working
kevin mulvihill Get yourself a set of radio 2 way headphones if you want to stay married. Women don’t seem to understand that urgency causes you to increase your volume in order to be heard.
Nice! The Kiel Canal is a great place to get close and personal with some big ships! We were so tired when we passed through the first locks so didn't even notice the water level changing and they had to come up and tell us we could leave! =)
[Ryan]That happened to us in the second set of locks. The guy was standing out the door at the control tower yelling at us?! Radio? Light signal? Nothing... just German yelling :)
They are so impressive! By the end of the Kiel canal and after crossing the Elbe river, I felt a little more "used" to them. My fear keeps me on my toes with them, which I think is a good thing. Those big ships call for some respect! /Sophie
when you are sailing, you are with the forces which are shaping the earth, literally.. so having fear is a good thing.. and Sophie fait attention aux mains when you tie/untie the lines. fair winds and good luck.. :)
Sophie and Ryan, but mostly Sophie. Watched you in the canal at the first stop and it is natural, especially when new, or landlubbers trying to help, to pull in the bow line when docking (not parking). This is the worst thing to do as you have experienced. The best way I have found (Master 100 Ton Captain and 25 years sailing) is to always do (other than the Med), bow first then a quick turn of the wheel and a bit of engine thrust than back off, to swing the stern in and get off the boat with a spring line first and/or stern line. DO NOT PULL THE BOWLINE IN TIGHT, it kicks the stern out and is dangerous. Invite me aboard and I will teach you. !!
Our docking skills also are a work in progress! What you described is what we've been doing ever since our unfortunate experience in the locks... Where are you based by the way? /Sophie
Fear is a good thing, it helps you to stay safe and not take stupid risks. Remember each little happening is knowledge gained. Stay safe both, Still the highlight of my week.
Hi Sophie Fear of the the unknown usually seems silly once you have experienced that thing that gave you the fear in the first place. Look at the Kiel Canal as a toon up for the Panama Canal. There they give you an advisor that will tell you when to duck ;-) Sophie, be careful with sea sickness patches behind your ear. My wife had them on during a long passage and started to hallucinate on night watch. It was mild and she realized what was happening. It took several days to get back to normal after removing the patches. She had better luck seeing an Acupuncture Doctor. 3 Treatments and no sea sickness for 6 months. Keep going south it will get wormer :-)
Hi Sheldon! Thanks for the nice comment, and the warning about the patch. I hope to not always rely on those, rather find a way to manage my seasickness. I'm super interested in this Acupuncture cure... I will look it up! /Sophie
Some people like headphones but my dog will not wear them - oh well - yes a marina does present some obsticles but there is nothing like bouncing off of a few boats to let people know that you have arrived. Take care. Great video.
You guys did great! Agree, docking can really mess up a perfect day. You might look at getting some headphones with a mic (folks have recommended them, say they are great). You might email Randy from Sailing Happy Together. Thanks for sharing. Love your videos. 😍⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵😍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I gave qrtly seminars on Fear of Failure at the corporation I retired from , not to let fear of failure make each day of your life miserable . Fear of failing is a major biggy , High places, public speaking too . Big Boats ?? hmmmm . Get use to fear , look what you have done already! Egads ,, you guys rock incredibly . Eat fear for snacks , not to many though they make you feel funny in your tummy :) My fear - High Places ( but I eat it for snacks)
Love it Joe! I'll remember to eat my fear for snacks next time :) After confronting it in the Kiel canal and the Elbe river, my fear got better. It keeps me on my toes with those big ships ;) Thanks for the support! /Sophie
There's no way to learn except by doing it (docking). The scrapes and dings will become badges of honor over time. (Ask me how I know.) They are unavoidable when you're just starting out and even after you've been at it a few years. Just make sure no one gets between the boat and the hard stuff (docks, pilings, sea walls, locks, etc.). I do enjoy your adventure.
I always feel better when I'm not in front of the big pointy end. Everything else I can deal with..... *;)* (OK, well, except for maybe getting squished along a dock or lock wall....)
Parking is always a tense time. I tend to turn into Captain Bligh and bark out orders and expect everyone jump immediately. Not the thing to do to a loved one. But I do calm down afterwords.
The biggest danger of being right next to most huge ships is getting their crew members in trouble. They want to wave and pass things back and forth. The second is barnacles and welds. Never brush a big steel boat. I was on a tender and the big boat crew wanted me to jump ship. The jump wasn't dangerous, but all i could picture was the captain barging out of the bridge and screaming at everybody including the stowaway. A pole with a sack of limes is OK.
Sophie, I think its been shown that anxiety can contribute to Sea Sickness and seems to effect women more than men.I notice on Gone with the Wynns, that Nikki does most of the driving when docking and Jason handles the ropes and fenders. You may have better driving skills than Ryan.Here are 2 quotes from Sailmoonshadow.com. Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.Never approach a dock at a speed faster than you are willing to hit it.
[Ryan] thanks Andrew. We started awhile back having Sophie being the primary 'dock master parker' and me handling the line. While i still dock from time to time (need to keep up skill... though i dont know if i even have that). I think its very smart for the woman to dock and the man to handle lines. In every marina 97% of all the docking is man driving and woman line handling. I actually think it could be safer as having a bit extra strength (if you need it) on the dock can really help.
Are you planing on goin to Gran Canaria? If so when will you be there? I’m goin in The beginning of October for a week.. also Do something that scares you everyday..
Parking? There is a magic trick where you pull into a tight marina and stop. By backing up and forward, gently, many boats will do a left or right turn in place. It's caused by the prop torque backing up. Just spin around and move into the slip like slow balet.
Great job. Nice show. Hey, I was thinking... have you ever thought of maybe using something like a Canon Elph 360HS on a Freewell 360 rotating monopod (selfie stick) instead or in addition to your regular cam? Not sure the camera you are using, but it is nearly always very "tight" on you guys... i.e. unnecessary extreme facial close-ups. It would probably would be nicer (and more flattering) if the camera was back an extra foot or two more than you are holding it now. I bet your regular rig is too heavy for a stick, but something like the Elph 360ES might work, while not giving that fishbowl action cam look... Well, just some thoughts, keep up the amazingly professional work!
Hi! Oh, I dream of being able to extend to equipment that I use to a point-and-shoot camera (I would really love a Canon canon g7x mark ii) mounted on a long stick. Full disclosure here: I use a Canon Eos 70D with a heavy 18-135mm. The only "stick" I mount it on is a Gorilla pod 3K that is WAY too small. My birthday is coming in two weeks, and I've heard Ryan may sponsor this channel by upgrading me to a Gorilla pod 5K, which would make the camera be at a better distance ;) I loved getting your feedback though, and I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future videos we make! /Sophie
I still really want to sail and other UA-cam sailing channels make it look so pretty and super positive. I appreciate Ryan and Sophie for being unafraid keeping things real. Because sailing with rose-color glasses on can be heartbreaking and even tragic.
Well done guys! I can certainly identify vicariously with the fear and anxiety of proximity to large ships in a canal or lock. I fully agree with several comments that extol the virtues of headsets to communicate. These are relationship savers! And as mentioned by someone, Patrick Laine’s channel is a great source of inspiration and practical tips for short-handed or solo sailing. He is very generous with his knowledge, and a true gentleman. Your humour, choice of music and smooth production values are wonderful! Fair sailing!
Ryan, you were quite gallant taking the helm when you were in the presence of ships. When I tie up at a lock, if it’s practical, I secure the eye of the line to the boat, throw the center of the line outside the dock bollard, and bring the tail of the line back to the boat. This makes adjusting the lines, as the height inside the lock changes, easier from onboard as well as making casting off easier. Boats under fifty feet can usually get by with only two lines inside the lock. Certainly transiting a lock for the first time is exciting along with a sense of accomplishment as you exit. By the way, the doors on either side of the lock are actually called: GATES. Ryan, I believe you are a genius, but you let slip that the key to your knowledge is reading. It always helps to be prepared with knowledge. I always enjoy your videos, and I always appreciate your many lessons. Thank you both.
Mistress of a thousand facial expressions! LMAO!! 😂👌🇨🇦
Hahaha :) I know! I was born with a face you can read like an open book. For most of my life, it's been a curse. Now that I edit those videos, it gives me a good laugh :) Thanks for the support Ken! /Sophie
I was late to find your terrific channel and I subscribed and I am starting to binge watch. Sofie, your communication skills are excellent and as others have said, your physical expressions are priceless! I think your fear of large boats, although somewhat irrational, is a survival mechanism. I was hiking in British Columbia many years ago when after a gentle hike through a wooded area, the trail took a sharp left turn and I was confronted with a massive vertical rock cliff. Suddenly I was overtaken with fear although the cliff was not a threat to me. I always felt my response was unusual (and weak in a way) until years later I read a book about a brave man's journey hiking through the Grand Canyon alongside the Colorado River (he thinks he is the first to do this although perhaps an Indian has done it). He described the same emotions I had experienced when he encountered a huge rock wall there. Fair winds!
Love your background music, I also get scared when so near ships. Ryan be nice to Sophie! You guys have a good thing going~!
Thanks Wayne! Ryan is actually super nice. After over 2 months of cruising together in what sometimes turns into a stressful environment, I can proudly say that I’m sailing with a great captain :)
Thanks for your comment!
/Sophie
How exciting, I see you steaming up to the Kieler Canal locks and I see the Engelina in the back ground, many many moons ago I sailed that koftjalk to Wilhelmshavn through the Kieler Canal. I really enjoy your channel.
never been scared of big ships, though I have never sailed that close to them either, you did good. Always a joy to watch and learn. you teach in a fun way, nice to see you acknowledge you are human and sometimes say or do the wrong thing.
You are now my favourite double act, clearly blessed with funny bones!! But also insprational, Boat owners come with a range of experience, but in time you learn and evolve, thank you for sharing your adventures.
Oh thanks Ross! Reading those comments make all the 25 hours it takes to edit the videos worth it! /Sophie
I just started watching you guys and must say enjoying it so far so if it's like this in beginning cant wait to catch up to new videos love your style
"Oh, and it looks spooky!" LOL! Hopefully laughing WITH you now that the passage is complete. Love these videos.
Hahaha :) Glad you laughed Scott, I laugh too ;) Thanks for the support! /Sophie
Now I have to watch all the rest of the videos to see if you try the Malaccan Straights.
13:50 The lock is done and Sophie made it like a BOSS ! Great Job!
Thanks Kpt Iglo! We figured I might just take care of the close quarter helming. It seems to work fine that way :) /Sophie
So funny. I know you were afraid, but I couldn't stop laughing at your expression when a BIG ship came by. You guys are so cute together. Carry on. Keep smiling.
Thanks Chris! I'm glad you laughed, I laugh too ;) Thanks for the support! /Sophie
Your videos are one of the few my wife has connected with and looks forward to each one you release. We truly appreciate all the work and post-production time to produce these. THANK YOU
We have sailed for many years but if anyone tells you they know it all, and has no fears I question how much they have really sailed. Every time out we are confident of our abilities but I can assure you mother nature, the boat and all the wonders in the sea will find a way to challenge us in a new way only to once again humble us to remember to respect and enjoy the life we live.
Thanks Tim! I'm so glad to hear your wife likes our videos :) One of my goals with this channel was to show more women sailing! And I agree with you. As long as we sail, we will still be learning! /Sophie
LOL Sophie, my parents sailed down the kieler kanal in the eighties with 4 kids and continued down through Europe. (we lived to tell about it). Those multi barge shub-verbands (connected pushers) are terrifying at any rate. it feels like dodging bullets. yet once you get the hang of it. its managed fear.. don't ever be unafraid of a sailing train going twice as fast as you. you got healthy instincts.
Docking is intimidating so don’t beat yourself up if it goes a bit haywire. Just remember, when docking, never go faster than you are willing to hit.
Great job, love the humor and the honesty, keep it up.
Omg Sophie!! I feel your pain. I have the same fear. My heart was racing for you!
I like to watch your videos. Just following your trip across the Atlantic. Then yesterday I stumbled upon episode #13. I live in Laboe where your trip through the Kiel Canal started.
And I can see the big ships daily passing by :-)
Greetings from Laboe and as we say in Germany: Und immer eine Handbreit Wasser unterm Kiel (May you always have a hand’s breath of water below your keel)
Sophie: Your facial expressions in canal & muzsic are precise less. I was crying with laughter, and you need Ryan as the calming rudder for you journey! Safe travels, Barney
You made me laugh over and over, thank you both.
Love the videos, they are fun to watch. Thanks for taking us with you ...... and great to see more of Ryan
Thanks James!
Three cheers for a safe and successful passage through the canal.
You will get the hang of all these things.
All the best Sophie and Ryan👍
Thanks Wayne! Cheers from France! /Sophie
I've just discovered your YT channel and binge watched all your episodes. I'm enjoying your adventure just because of your lack of experience is so interesting. Bon Chance and Bon Voyage ...
Hi Larry! Thanks! Oh yes... we are definitely in the process of earning our experience. We took our RYA Competent crew and Day Skipper three years ago, then bought our boat built some confidence in Sweden, and got ready in every way we could. But at some point, you got to untie the line and build that experience :)
Really glad you enjoy our channel! /Sophie
I believe this is my new favorite video episode .. of all of my favorites. Cheers ..
Of course I liked this video !!!!!!! You remind me of when I had my first boat, I had someone like I am, doing my best to pay it forward to you and I learned (learnt is not an English word) a ton of someone elses mistakes without making them myself. 😊👍👌👊✅⛵️⚓️🚣
Thanks Richard! And thanks for correcting my mistake, my English is still a work in progress! ;) /Sophie
I used to have no fear at all.....now with my kid on board....i fear everything 😂
I just came across another fine video of your production - nice to see the Kiel canal for the first time (reminding me of sailing from Glücksburg as a junior).
Nice choice of music BTW. I enjoyed the Blue Danube waltz from the start, but Johann Strauß really came to life in perfect timing with the faces + action at 7:17, climax at 7:31 and the double rounds of smooth wave waltzing afterwards. I literally swayed in my seat with you. Time to relax at 9:05!
Fun fact upon your encounter with German Freikörperkultur at 10:22: In Germany, it's permitted to drive a car while being naked. Leaving it in public will bring you into trouble, though. Dunno about sailing.
Second fun fact after searching for naked sailing: August 1st, 2017 was declared "World Naked Sailing Day" from Buffalo, NY. The 8 and 1 of the date are probably not accidental ;)
BTW: I'm afraid(!) that this comment is too late, too long.
Carry on with your dreams!
It took courage to face your fears and push through them. Now that they are behind you and you made it safely, those fears are now just precautionary concerns that you know can be dealt with using proper judgement and skill. Congratulations to you both! A big step forward toward your new life with many more, adventures on the horizon.
THanks Rrudy! I like to think that this fear keeps me on my toes with those big ships... You are right, the farther we go, the more we learn... Thanks for the support! /Sophie
This was probably insightful!, ;-) You two are so even keeled (pun intended) I can't imagine you fighting, but it depends on what you call "Fighiting". I smiled all through this whole episode, Ryan is the typical american boy, "what ever, it will be fine" applies. The trepidation and excitement of the moment is in Sophie's eye's. Great match, can't wait for you two to go through the Panama Canal. Cheers!
Fears ..parking when it's windy and being blown off the jetty 😱🤔 normally lots of communication before we go in then a little bit of raised voices, then a thank God we did it without breaking the boat lol 😆
Fear starts in the head, courage does too... I love your channel, always great fun to watch.👍
We loved that quote :) Thanks for the support! /Sophie
9:42 - there's something unique about the phrase "Scare the crap out of me" with a French accent.... ;)
I LOVE you guys! A-mazing! Oh - the humanity! :)
Love the vlog. Your connection with your viewers IS the best on the net. Go South and get some sun fun. I have been to Quiberon many times. Looking forward to next week xx
Thanks Derek! I love Quiberon! Unfortunately this time, our tour of Brittany will stop in Benodet, so I can spend more time with my family before crossing Biscay. Thanks for the support! /Sophie
You never know what you can do until you try. Great video! Thanks for sharing.
Right?! Ever since that video, my comfort zone has expended so much. I do enjoy getting out there and learn. It isn’t always a pain-free process, but the reward is so worth the cost..
cheers from Portugal Fit Outpost!
/Sophie
I used to fish in a big canal that ships would sail through to get to Baltimore and they would draw a lot of water behind them so the water level would go down a few feet and come crashing back in, I always thought it was kind of neat.
Practice, practice, Practice . 3 day's is what I found is how long I have to endure sea sickness , It's easy to sail from one destination to the next next , but to operate in close quarters , dock and anchor successfully that takes more practice . I'M GOODS and I still practice .
Love you videos .
Vince.
Thanks Vincent! We do agree with you, it's all about getting out there and getting the practice! /Sophie
Great video. Enjoyed your sailing and explanations. Thank You for sharing your adventure.
Great episode, it’s fun following your adventure.
Thanks Anthony! /Sophie
I like Ryan thoughts and logic also Sophie has a great reactions 😂😀
What a space odyssey. Ryan is the perfect yang. "Open the pod bay door 'please'.
Giant boat crew often hold a lot of admiration for small boats and their crew.
Ohhhh - sooo good you guys - hahahahhahahahafhhaha! I laugh out loud when I watch your videos - and I'm by myself ......Ahhhh so wonderful to see you guys going on this journey together and thank you again for sharing in the way that you do. hahahhahaha Love it!
Your comment put a smile on my face! :) So glad you're enjoying them, we'll do more! /Sophie
i think i am in love with sophie...she is so funny. you both did good, and you will do better. and i enjoyed going thru the Kiel Canal with you.....thanks with love from texas...
Haha :) Thanks Arthur! /Sophie
I struggled watching this video. I have a massive phobia of ships. Your very brave.
You make me laugh, I love your videos. What a canal, low flying military helicopters looking for naked female sailors Sophie. What am I affraid of? I hate parking, I'm alone and its mostly involves smashing into the jetty.
Epic vid.
I just bought an 11 meter cat and I feel your fear! And its not just BIG ARSE SHIPS...
My biggest fear is docking... you can have a transcendental day on the sea but hell is waiting for you at the marina, hehhe.
My only advise is work out some hand signal so you can dock without shouting at each other. Oh and be gentle with each other.
Oh Mick.... docking a cat... that’s some serious skills; respect ✊! We’ve had some pretty disastrous docking jobs, one of them that resulted in us using our insurance for the first time. The good news is, that’s the worst that can happen. No one got injured, and the gel coat job Polar Seal got to get had her look bright and shiny in the end.
Our docking skills still are a work in progress, and communication definitely is one aspect of the work! Thanks for the support! /Sophie
Yep, the priority is 1 nobody gets hurt, 2 nobody else's boat gets damaged, 3 my boat doesn't get damaged.
Took my boat out solo for the first time today and by luck, it was the best docking ever!
Enjoy your adventure... we are in the whale migration period here on the Gold Coast so out we go tomorrow hunting whales... in a good way!
Thank you for sharing your experiences on the Kiel Canal. Very useful for us & presented in a fun way. We are taking the same route this summer! (With a similar story to yours -- just learned to sail and bought a boat last summer) I'm wondering if I'll be sharing in your fears...a little anxious about securing the lines in the canal, too.
How fun! The Kiel canal was a great experience looking back. The Kiel Fjord was really pretty (we loved Laboe) and Kiel was a fun city! Wishing you a great adventure :)
Kiel Canal is a nice and relaxing tour. I've done this I think around 20 times. Doing the locks is a thing to learn, but quite easy. Fenders down on the water and have the end of the lines at the widest part of the boat. Bring the boat gently to the pontoon with this part, hop down and fix a spring line. Then front and rear lines on slip, so you can release the boat from the deck within a second. That's all.
It was a nice ride indeed! Going in the second set of locks was a lot easier, due to all the lessons we learned from the first passage. Thanks for the support Michael! /Sophie
I'm doing a binge viewing, great video's and nice to see some real life challenges other than only very small bikini's on palm beaches (which of course is not all bad😉). What I have found as one of my biggest challenges as skipper on a Husband wife team, is managing my partners fears. Meaning, doing my best to try and avoid as much as possible, those situations that can be challenge for her. As one approaches such a situation causes me some anxiety. My tip for you and one you are clearly doing already, is to expand your knowledge on all facets of sailing as quickly as possible and be involved with everything, (including passage planning😉), this will reduce your "fear Factor" and at the same time easy the hidden stress of your partner.
Great to watch you guys.
Cheers Hans
Today I watched all of your videos, UA-cam has too many sailing channels clones. To be different most opt for click bait gimmicks. Your channel comes across less reliant on such methods that's why I subscribed 👍
Thanks Sciolist! I hear you ;) There is a fine balance to find between putting out interesting titles and flat out click baits. But ultimately, I believe that what makes a title interesting and what makes it click bait lies in the eye of the beholder! /Sophie
What waltz is this? It is so very familiar. You guys are great!
Just found ur channel. U have a great sense of humour. 😂👍
Thanks guys! :)
dove Calais is one end of the busy area where the north sea meets the English channel but you need to remember there are many other routs between holand and the uk you also have felixstow containerterminal and al associated shipping
great video guys, its always a joy to watch your videos :-)
Lol, my friends and I love to chase those big cargo ships so we can surf their wakes with our surf skis but I must agree they can be scary at times. Great video guys. Thanks and best from HKG 🇭🇰
Oh my god. I picture chasing those ship’s wake, and my heart is accelerating already. 😱 /Sophie
Just found your channel, Sophie is so funny, thanks for sharing!
forrest johnson b
I enjoyed this video. Sophie you are really funny and Ryan stays so calm. You make a good couple. I am most afraid of hitting something very hard and rigid , like a container or other hard floating object. I guess I am afraid of sinking. omg.
Oh Claas.... I hear you. The floating objects are on our list too! /Sophie
LOL... Sophie, you are so much like my wife. We used to meet those huge container ships as we sailed and her thoughts were... "Don't sail so close to that ship!!!!" In a confined space you don't have a lot of choices... now the wake was a thrill for me and a pill for her. All in a day's work I say... guess I am like Ryan in that respect! LOL Fair winds and following seas....
Hahaha! Happy to hear I'm not the only one :p Thanks for the nice comments Edwin! Fair winds to you! /Sophie
Great videos.
Glad to see you both wear life
jackets.
Hi Melvyn! YES, sailing without the life jackets is a big no-no on our boat. We invested in life jackets we found comfortable enough that it would never be a pain to wear them all the time. /Sophie
Ryan, tu as fait un commentaire irréfléchi à une Bretonne dans un moment de stress intense, Wow tu es bien plus courageuse que moi! Le respect est dû!
From Nantes, home based in California, loving your channel and all the great learning materials, hoping to follow your steps. Thanks for the morganscloud.com reference!
I am also very wary of huge weeks from big ships. My sailing boat is only 25feet. I also have a lot of confidence in my boat though. Every skippers nightmare is docking his boat.....and I think that anxiety for that short time which seems ages will never leave me.
We feel you Angelo... it seems like every docking is different, and you can never really know what to expect... I’m glad I get to share my fear with someone else though :) Cheers from France! /Sophie
My wife and I have just bought an older sail boat and the most stressful points of sail at the present is docking, but we both agreed if we fight, we discuss and forgive, fingers crossed so far, its working
kevin mulvihill
Get yourself a set of radio 2 way headphones if you want to stay married. Women don’t seem to understand that urgency causes you to increase your volume in order to be heard.
Nice! The Kiel Canal is a great place to get close and personal with some big ships! We were so tired when we passed through the first locks so didn't even notice the water level changing and they had to come up and tell us we could leave! =)
[Ryan]That happened to us in the second set of locks. The guy was standing out the door at the control tower yelling at us?! Radio? Light signal? Nothing... just German yelling :)
Knot Vikings Normally you won't notice any water level changes (maybe a couple of centimeters).
Great job, well done on the edit.
Great video yet again, fair winds guys. :)
Thanks Nev!
Love you guys.
I worked on SSB, VHF, Radar on those ships. Took awhile to deal with the size of the boats. I worked on equipment on offshore oil platforms.
They are so impressive! By the end of the Kiel canal and after crossing the Elbe river, I felt a little more "used" to them. My fear keeps me on my toes with them, which I think is a good thing. Those big ships call for some respect! /Sophie
when you are sailing, you are with the forces which are shaping the earth, literally.. so having fear is a good thing.. and Sophie fait attention aux mains when you tie/untie the lines. fair winds and good luck.. :)
I agree! My fear keeps me on my toes. I'm also very conscious of the distances between my fingers and the lines ;) Thanks for the support! /Sophie
@ 5:50 my rule.. eyes on the cleat, hands on the cleat.. eyes off the cleat, hands off the cleat..
Wonder how you will do in the Panama Canal , things are a lot closer there and the ship’s are much larger?
Sophie and Ryan, but mostly Sophie. Watched you in the canal at the first stop and it is natural, especially when new, or landlubbers trying to help, to pull in the bow line when docking (not parking). This is the worst thing to do as you have experienced. The best way I have found (Master 100 Ton Captain and 25 years sailing) is to always do (other than the Med), bow first then a quick turn of the wheel and a bit of engine thrust than back off, to swing the stern in and get off the boat with a spring line first and/or stern line. DO NOT PULL THE BOWLINE IN TIGHT, it kicks the stern out and is dangerous. Invite me aboard and I will teach you. !!
Our docking skills also are a work in progress! What you described is what we've been doing ever since our unfortunate experience in the locks... Where are you based by the way? /Sophie
Fear is a good thing, it helps you to stay safe and not take stupid risks. Remember each little happening is knowledge gained. Stay safe both, Still the highlight of my week.
Thanks Peter! You are right, my fear keeps me on my toes with those big boys! Thanks for the support :) /Sophie
This is the first video of yours I’ve caught, I will definitely subscribe.
Thanks Bill! :)
Hi Sophie
Fear of the the unknown usually seems silly once you have experienced that thing that gave you the fear in the first place. Look at the Kiel Canal as a toon up for the Panama Canal. There they give you an advisor that will tell you when to duck ;-)
Sophie, be careful with sea sickness patches behind your ear. My wife had them on during a long passage and started to hallucinate on night watch. It was mild and she realized what was happening. It took several days to get back to normal after removing the patches. She had better luck seeing an Acupuncture Doctor. 3 Treatments and no sea sickness for 6 months.
Keep going south it will get wormer :-)
Hi Sheldon! Thanks for the nice comment, and the warning about the patch. I hope to not always rely on those, rather find a way to manage my seasickness. I'm super interested in this Acupuncture cure... I will look it up! /Sophie
Its an old tradition for Nordic men to sail naked in order to gauge the temperature by the length of certain extremities!
Some people like headphones but my dog will not wear them - oh well - yes a marina does present some obsticles but there is nothing like bouncing off of a few boats to let people know that you have arrived. Take care. Great video.
Hahaha! Your dog can maybe bark to warn the neighbors? ;) /Sophie
You guys did great! Agree, docking can really mess up a perfect day. You might look at getting some headphones with a mic (folks have recommended them, say they are great). You might email Randy from Sailing Happy Together. Thanks for sharing. Love your videos. 😍⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵😍👍👍👍👍👍👍
A lot of people told us about those headphone with mic.... I'll look up Randy! /Sophie
I gave qrtly seminars on Fear of Failure at the corporation I retired from , not to let fear of failure make each day of your life miserable . Fear of failing is a major biggy , High places, public speaking too . Big Boats ?? hmmmm . Get use to fear , look what you have done already! Egads ,, you guys rock incredibly . Eat fear for snacks , not to many though they make you feel funny in your tummy :) My fear - High Places ( but I eat it for snacks)
Love it Joe! I'll remember to eat my fear for snacks next time :) After confronting it in the Kiel canal and the Elbe river, my fear got better. It keeps me on my toes with those big ships ;) Thanks for the support! /Sophie
😂😂😂 I love this episode!
Those were the days... 😂
By the way I love your humour....andthe music choice was genius....lol
There's no way to learn except by doing it (docking). The scrapes and dings will become badges of honor over time.
(Ask me how I know.) They are unavoidable when you're just starting out and even after you've been at it a few years.
Just make sure no one gets between the boat and the hard stuff (docks, pilings, sea walls, locks, etc.).
I do enjoy your adventure.
Thanks C King! We agree! /Sophie
My first Ryan & Sophie Sailing video. I loved it guys :)
I always feel better when I'm not in front of the big pointy end. Everything else I can deal with..... *;)* (OK, well, except for maybe getting squished along a dock or lock wall....)
Be patient kids. Everything will be fine. Safe sails.
The Military Helicopter heard about the naked sailor and were searching for him to order him to put on pants !! ;-) lol ;-)
Parking is always a tense time. I tend to turn into Captain Bligh and bark out orders and expect everyone jump immediately. Not the thing to do to a loved one. But I do calm down afterwords.
We're trying to get better at that, it's a work in progress but we're getting there! /Sophie
The biggest danger of being right next to most huge ships is getting their crew members in trouble. They want to wave and pass things back and forth. The second is barnacles and welds. Never brush a big steel boat. I was on a tender and the big boat crew wanted me to jump ship. The jump wasn't dangerous, but all i could picture was the captain barging out of the bridge and screaming at everybody including the stowaway. A pole with a sack of limes is OK.
A good channel to watch is Free Range Sailing good sailing episodes
Gee enjoy the view!
It got to sunscreen & I lost it hahahahahahahahhaha x
🙈🙉🙊
Sophie, I think its been shown that anxiety can contribute to Sea Sickness and seems to effect women more than men.I notice on Gone with the Wynns, that Nikki does most of the driving when docking and Jason handles the ropes and fenders. You may have better driving skills than Ryan.Here are 2 quotes from Sailmoonshadow.com. Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.Never approach a dock at a speed faster than you are willing to hit it.
[Ryan] thanks Andrew. We started awhile back having Sophie being the primary 'dock master parker' and me handling the line. While i still dock from time to time (need to keep up skill... though i dont know if i even have that). I think its very smart for the woman to dock and the man to handle lines. In every marina 97% of all the docking is man driving and woman line handling. I actually think it could be safer as having a bit extra strength (if you need it) on the dock can really help.
Are you planing on goin to Gran Canaria? If so when will you be there? I’m goin in The beginning of October for a week..
also
Do something that scares you everyday..
We will eventually, but probably not this year. We are heading into the med! /Sophie
Maestro is normal in Germany, many of the bunker places also only accept Maestro cards.
Parking? There is a magic trick where you pull into a tight marina and stop. By backing up and forward, gently, many boats will do a left or right turn in place. It's caused by the prop torque backing up. Just spin around and move into the slip like slow balet.
Great job. Nice show. Hey, I was thinking... have you ever thought of maybe using something like a Canon Elph 360HS on a Freewell 360 rotating monopod (selfie stick) instead or in addition to your regular cam? Not sure the camera you are using, but it is nearly always very "tight" on you guys... i.e. unnecessary extreme facial close-ups. It would probably would be nicer (and more flattering) if the camera was back an extra foot or two more than you are holding it now. I bet your regular rig is too heavy for a stick, but something like the Elph 360ES might work, while not giving that fishbowl action cam look... Well, just some thoughts, keep up the amazingly professional work!
Hi! Oh, I dream of being able to extend to equipment that I use to a point-and-shoot camera (I would really love a Canon canon g7x mark ii) mounted on a long stick. Full disclosure here: I use a Canon Eos 70D with a heavy 18-135mm. The only "stick" I mount it on is a Gorilla pod 3K that is WAY too small. My birthday is coming in two weeks, and I've heard Ryan may sponsor this channel by upgrading me to a Gorilla pod 5K, which would make the camera be at a better distance ;)
I loved getting your feedback though, and I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future videos we make! /Sophie
Do you fight in French, English or Swedish?
Can you tell me which song was used from 2:54 onwards ?
Well nosed it out myself ua-cam.com/video/fNU0-wzoq5k/v-deo.html
That's right! We use music from Epidemic Sound. Now and then, I stumble on songs and composer I really enjoy. /Sophie