{"id":349,"date":"2019-10-06T08:21:12","date_gmt":"2019-10-06T08:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/?p=349"},"modified":"2025-09-10T15:05:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T13:05:29","slug":"from-rookie-to-veteran-8-years-in-the-tsr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/2019\/10\/06\/from-rookie-to-veteran-8-years-in-the-tsr\/","title":{"rendered":"From rookie to veteran - My experiences at sea"},"content":{"rendered":"

(English version below)<\/p>\n

23 juli 2011 satte jeg meg p\u00e5 et fly og vendte kursen mot Shetland, for \u00e5 delta i mitt aller f\u00f8rste Tall Ships Race. Jeg var 15 \u00e5r gammel, litt nerv\u00f8s, spent og ikke minst nysgjerrig p\u00e5 hvordan det ville v\u00e6re \u00e5 bo ombord I et seilskip. Ville jeg klare \u00e5 sove? Ville jeg bli sj\u00f8syk? Ville jeg f\u00e5 noen nye venner?<\/p>\n

En ting var sikkert: Jeg hadde ingen id\u00e9 om at dette etterhvert ville bli min lidenskap i mange \u00e5r fremover.<\/p>\n

Jeg hadde f\u00e5tt tildelt det nederlandske skipet Morgenster fra Den Helder, og jeg ble ogs\u00e5 fortalt vi kun kom til \u00e5 v\u00e6re rundt fem norske ungdommer ombord. Jeg var med i the Tall Ships Races gjennom Stavanger kommune, som var litt av grunnen til at jeg valgte \u00e5 v\u00e6re med i TSR i utganspunktet. Jeg seilte fra Lerwick og opp til Stavanger, som er min hjemby.<\/p>\n

Selv om jeg snakket greit engelsk, s\u00e5 var jeg nerv\u00f8s for hvordan kommunikasjonen kom til \u00e5 v\u00e6re ombord. Heldigvis snakket flere i besetningen engelsk flytende, og siden jeg var den yngste medseileren ombord, s\u00e5 fikk jeg b\u00e5de litt ekstra hjelp og st\u00f8tte underveis p\u00e5 turen.<\/p>\n

Klarte jeg \u00e5 sovet imens vi krysset Nordsj\u00f8en i h\u00f8ye b\u00f8lger og d\u00e5rlig v\u00e6r? – JA!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ble jeg sj\u00f8syk? – HELL YES!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fikk jeg nye venner p\u00e5 turen? – ABSOLUTT! <\/strong><\/p>\n

S\u00e5 hva er det som har f\u00e5tt meg til \u00e5 ville v\u00e6re med p\u00e5 TSR \u00e5r etter \u00e5r? Etter mitt f\u00f8rste m\u00f8te med regattaen i 2011, s\u00e5 f\u00f8lte jeg egentlig at jeg hadde kommet hjem. F\u00f8lelsen av \u00e5 v\u00e6re i et s\u00e5 inkluderende samfunn betydde veldig mye for meg. Jeg m\u00f8tte s\u00e5 mange bra mennesker fra s\u00e5 mange forskjellige kulturer, og vi var alle i samme b\u00e5t (bokstavelig talt). Ikke nok med at jeg fikk meg nye venner, jeg l\u00e6rte nemlig ogs\u00e5 mye om meg selv, som selvf\u00f8lgelig har betydd mye opp igjennom \u00e5rene.<\/p>\n

F\u00f8rste gangen jeg deltok i regattaen, s\u00e5 klarte jeg ikke \u00e5 passere den f\u00f8rste plattformen i masten. Det var veldig frustrerende, men jeg l\u00e6rte \u00e5 respektere mine egne grenser. I 2014 deltok jeg i mitt tredje Tall Ships Race, og klarte endelig \u00e5 krysse den f\u00f8rste plattformen, pluss litt til. Det var verdens beste f\u00f8lelse. 2014 var ogs\u00e5 det f\u00f8rste \u00e5ret jeg klarte \u00e5 vinne over sj\u00f8syken, og f\u00f8le meg relativt vel igjennom hele turen. (Ja, det finnes h\u00e5p!!)<\/p>\n

N\u00e5r jeg var med i regattaen for aller f\u00f8rste gang, s\u00e5 klarte jeg ikke \u00e5 kveile et eneste tau riktig. N\u00e5r jeg ble med i TSR for andre gang, to \u00e5r senere, s\u00e5 kveilet jeg s\u00e5 mange tau at jeg til slutt mistet tellingen.<\/p>\n

I 2015 var jeg med for fjerde gang, og klarte endelig \u00e5 klatre helt opp til toppen av masten. Mestringsf\u00f8lelsen var omtrent ubeskrivelig. F\u00f8lelsen av \u00e5 v\u00e6re fri og fryktl\u00f8s er noe jeg enda husker den dag i dag.<\/p>\n

I 2017 ble jeg Norges ungdomsrepresentant i Sail Training International sitt eget Youth Council, i tillegg til \u00e5 v\u00e6re ungdomsrepresentant i Norsk Seiltreningsallianse. Jeg har fortsatt begge vervene den dag i dag.<\/p>\n

N\u00e5r Stavanger var igjen var vertshavn for the Tall Ships Races i 2018, syv \u00e5r etter min aller f\u00f8rste deltakelse, fikk jeg sitte i medseilergruppa til the Tall Ships Races Stavanger 2018. Jeg tror dette er et lite bevis p\u00e5 hvor langt du faktisk kan komme med \u00e5 v\u00e6re lidenskapelig opptatt av noe, samt at du st\u00e5r p\u00e5 og ikke gir deg.<\/p>\n

Jeg tror det er viktig \u00e5 vise at mennesker med kunnskap, ferdigheter og erfaring, ogs\u00e5 har begynt et sted. Jeg kveiler fortsatt feil n\u00e5r jeg er p\u00e5 seiltur, og jeg blir fortsatt sj\u00f8syk innimellom. Heldigvis er det noe som etterhvert gir seg, og jeg har l\u00e6rt (p\u00e5 den harde m\u00e5ten) hva jeg b\u00f8r gj\u00f8re og ikke gj\u00f8re n\u00e5r det kommer til sj\u00f8syke.<\/p>\n

Det \u00e5 v\u00e6re 15 \u00e5r og ta en avgj\u00f8relse som omhandlet det \u00e5 tr\u00e5 utenfor komfortsonen, synes ikke jeg at var vanskelig i seg selv. Utfordringen min var at jeg skulle gj\u00f8re dette alene. I dag er jeg s\u00e5 glad for at jeg valgte \u00e5 gj\u00f8re det, og jeg er s\u00e5 utrolig takknemlig for alle somrene jeg har f\u00e5tt v\u00e6re p\u00e5 sj\u00f8en. Ikke minst h\u00e5per jeg \u00e5 kunne tilbringe mine \u00e5tte neste somre p\u00e5 sj\u00f8en ogs\u00e5!<\/p>\n

Takk for at du leste!<\/p>\n

\/\/The 23rd of July 2011, I got on a plane and set course towards Shetland to participate in my very first Tall Ships Race. I was 15 years old, slightly nervous, excited, and also curious about what it would be like to live on a tall ship. Would I be able to sleep? Would I get seasick? Would I make any new friends?<\/em><\/p>\n

One thing was for sure: I had absolutely no idea that this eventually would be my passion for years to come.<\/em><\/p>\n

I had been assigned the Dutch ship Morgenster, from Den Helder, and I was told that we would only be about five Norwegians on board. I was joining the TSR through the municipality of Stavanger, which is one of the reasons for why I joined TSR in the first place. I sailed from Lerwick and up to Stavanger, the latter one being my home town.<\/em><\/p>\n

Even though I spoke OK English, I still felt slightly nervous about how the communication would be on board. Luckily, a lot of the crew on board spoke English fluent, and since I was the youngest trainee on the ship, I got some extra support and attention.<\/em><\/p>\n

Did I manage to get any sleep while crossing the North Sea in high waves and bad weather? – YES!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Did I get sea sea sick? – HELL YES!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Did I make any new friends? – ABSOLUTELY! <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

So what made me want to come back to the TSR over and over again? After my first meeting with the races in 2011, I sort of felt like I was home. The feeling of being in such an including environment meant a great deal to me. I met so many<\/em> cool people from so many different cultures, and we were all in the same boat (literally). Not only did I make new friends, but I also learned a lot about myself. Which meant a lot.<\/em><\/p>\n

The first time I joined the races, I didn’t manage to climb over\/pass the first platform, when I was in the rigging. It was extremely frustrating, but I learned to respect my own boundaries. In 2014 I joined my 3rd TSR and and finally managed to cross the first platform and then some more. It was the best feeling ever. 2014 was also the first year I managed to conquer my sea sickness, and actually feel relatively well the whole race. (Yes, there’s hope!!)<\/em><\/p>\n

When I joined the Races for the first time, I did not manage to coil a single rope correctly. When I joined the Races again, two years later, I coiled so many ropes that I lost count in the end.<\/em><\/p>\n

In 2015 I participated for the fourth time, and finally managed to climb all the way to the top of the mast. The sense of accomplishment is basically indescribable. Also the feeling of being free and fearless is something I still remember today.<\/em><\/p>\n

In 2017 I became Norway’s youth representative in Sail Training International’s Youth Council, in addition to being the youth representative in the Norwegian Sail Training Association. I’m still holding both of the positions today.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Stavanger hosted the TSR again in 2018, seven years after my first participation, I was in the committee for the Tall Ships Races Stavanger 2018, in the trainee department. That is something I think is a minor proof of how far you can get, if you’re pasionate enough, and never give up.<\/em><\/p>\n

I think it is important to show that people with knowledge, skills and experience also started somewhere. I still make a lot of messy coils when I’m sailing. I still get sea sick sometimes, but the good thing about it is that it will pass, and I have learned (the hard way) what to do and what not to do.<\/em><\/p>\n

Being fifteen and making a decision regarding something that would be out of my comfort zone was actuatlly not that difficult itself. The major challenge was that I chose to do it alone. Today I’m more than happy that I did it, and I am without doubt grateful for all the summers I have spent at sea. Last but not least; I hope to spend my eight next summers at sea as well!<\/em>\/\/<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Me and two other Norwegian trainees in Lerwick in 2011<\/p>\n

Morgenster<\/p><\/div>\n

Official bracelets of TSR 2013<\/p><\/div>\n

Me on board the Morgenster once more in 2015<\/p>\n

On top of the world<\/p><\/div>\n

I even got to be a poster girl for TSR Stavanger in 2018<\/p><\/div>\n

Thank you for reading!<\/p>\n

Fair winds,<\/p>\n

– Eline<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(English version below) 23 juli 2011 satte jeg meg p\u00e5 et fly og vendte kursen mot Shetland, for \u00e5 delta i mitt aller f\u00f8rste Tall Ships Race. Jeg var 15 \u00e5r gammel, litt nerv\u00f8s, spent og ikke minst nysgjerrig p\u00e5 hvordan det ville v\u00e6re \u00e5 bo ombord I et seilskip. Ville jeg klare \u00e5 sove? Ville jeg bli sj\u00f8syk? Ville…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":146225400,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[669241940,685516986],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-livet-som-medseiler","category-sailor-sunday"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/palZqY-5D","amp_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146225400"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=349"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2116,"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349\/revisions\/2116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitaminseasail.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}