Our sailing trip in Croatia

From September 16th to 23rd, 2023, we, 5 students (14-16 years old) and our 2 teachers from the Wilhelm
Busch Schule Wienrode, were allowed to go on a sailing tour in Croatia with the Peter Maffay Foundation and Sail for Kids.
During this fantastic sailing trip, we were able to experience that challenge, courage,
responsibility, consideration, demandingness of oneself, perception, enjoyment, relaxing
but also showing commitment and proving oneself are very possible.
Even the flight from Leipzig to Zadar was an experience, because 3 of our pieces of luggage did not
arrive with us.

Our sailboat, the “Recovery” with our skippers and initiators Ümit and Philip, awaited
us in Biograd in the Marina Kornati. We moved onto the boat, which would now be our home for a week,
our workplace, and our oasis of well-being. Ümit and Philip gave us initial instructions
and we already enjoyed the first evening at a very pleasant 26°C with a nice dinner
and small purchases for those without luggage. At least toothpaste and toothbrushes were needed, as well as
shorts and swimwear so we could set sail. That’s when things got really exciting.
First, there were the safety briefings and how we should behave on board.
We landed in beautiful, secluded bays. It was up to us to anchor and
moor the boat together. Everyone had their tasks, which were not so easy to handle at first. Every start and
it was a must that Philip’s song “I´m always here” played, and Stop got better and better.
We had a lot of fun with our skippers in the bays. We were allowed to be pulled on the
stand up paddle, we were all pulled through the water on a rope. Philip showed us how to use the
small motorized dinghy, and we were allowed to try it ourselves. New territory for us,
but after the first hurdle – confidence refueled.

The wonderfully crystal-clear blue water at 24°C invited us to swim, and as often as possible, we took the
opportunity to jump into the water and have fun with the wetness. The sea, the landscape, the
self-sufficiency, the time for oneself, the shared experience, the countless Uno rounds, the
participation in all maneuvers, cleaning the deck and boat, made us a team. Especially when we
proudly wore our CREW shirts with our names on them. Thank you very much for that.
During the shore leave in the Telas´cica Nature Park, we walked in Winnetou’s footsteps. We circled the
only inland salt lake, the “Silver Lake”, where excerpts from the film “The Treasure in Silver Lake”
were filmed. On the way, we took in a stone sculpture landscape and the steep coast to
look at and experience. On another island, we discovered an old film set, dilapidated
stone buildings that we could explore. In the last bay, we walked/swam ashore and
collected garbage that had been washed up. We took 4 garbage bags full with us.
Philip and Ümit had “ordered” dolphins for us. When they actually appeared on a tour and
laid down in the bow of our boat for fun, it was a mega experience. Pure joy.
On the last day of sailing, we really picked up speed again. With wind force 5-6 we had a
considerable lean. We survived the turning maneuvers with safety harnesses. Everyone dared to go
, secured by the belts and Ümit, to the bow to experience a view into the distance, the roaring water, the
splashing spray. That’s where the power of nature really showed itself, and we took a
good portion of it with us.

So it wasn’t that easy to enter the marina. Philip and Ümit did a great job with us. Just
as they got all the problems that arose totally under control in a brilliant way. Their own joy of life, joy
in the matter, sailing and surrounding themselves with children like us makes us stronger. We learned
that giving up is no longer an option.
At the beginning of the trip, the two had started a call for donations via their “social media`s” because
they wanted to have a really good dinner with us on the last evening. They posted pictures and short films.
We were excited.
After packing our things, thoroughly cleaning the boat, roughly cleaning it, taking out the garbage, there was the
feedback round. Conclusion: Radiant faces, laughing and crying eyes, all thumbs up – we
would have liked to have had a lot more of the thumbs.
The dinner was magnificent. We tried dishes that we had not known until then.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this.
After one last evening and night together on our “Recovery”, we said goodbye the next
morning. Another breakfast together in a cool beach promenade restaurant,
some time to stroll around, then the flight home, crammed with completely new experiences,
unforgettable impressions.

Many, many thanks to the Peter Maffay Foundation.
Thaaaaaaaank you to Sail for Kids, Ümit, Philip, Jane and Steffi.
We hope and wish that many disadvantaged children

Maurice, Tyler, Lucy, Leon and Jamie.
Christine and Anke