Before I came to Copenhagen, I signed up for a sailing trip. I had no idea what this would entail, I just did it because it sounded fun and was inexpensive. On Saturday (September 25) I woke up before the sun (which wasn't actually that early because the sun doesn't rise until around 6:30) and headed to København Central Station to meet up with the group. We then took an hour train ride to Holbæk, where we would depart on our voyage. It was rainy and cold when we arrived so I was a little hesitant to be getting on a boat.There were about 18 DIS students, one adventure tour guide (an intern from DIS), two shipmates, and one captain. Looking at the boat I thought it was going to be very crowded, but it was somewhat comfortable. It was a little crammed at night, but it was manageable. The boat, the Hjlam (which is the name of an island), is a traditional sailboat built in 1901. The entire boat is made of wood and captures the essence of sailing through its large canvas sails and many ropes.
The sun eventually came out and we were able to shed some of our layers and rain gear. The sky was blue and we sailed along the Danish coastline of North Zealand. The area was called Isefjord. The crew lowered the anchor and took the dingy out so we could stop at one of the islands. We walked on the trails and in the mud. When we returned we ate lunch and then there wasn't much else to do. Most of use laid in the sun. I didn't realize how isolated and relaxing being on a sailboat is. I climbed up on the stern of the ship which was a little frightening, but it was a great view.
We docked in Frederiksberg for the night. Another girl and I made Drømmekage, which means "dream cake." It's a coconut cake with glazed icing. We didn't make it from scratch, but it was still very good. We also made some chocolate cake. The cakes took forever to make though because the oven was extremely slow (but you can't expect too much of an oven on a ship from 1901). Literally the cake took 2+ hours to bake. But it was worth it. We had a big meal for dinner with fish, beef, potatoes, soup, and veggies. I was surprised by how well the other students on the boat could cook. I was glad for it too because I know I'm not a culinary master.After dinner we played cards, talked, listened to music, and just hung around. The two shipmates were young Danish guys in their 20's and they were very entertaining. They always had hand-rolled cigarettes in their mouths or hands and cussed like sailors. One of the shipmates told us a lot of crazy stories, some of which I find hard to believe.
As part of the "crew" we were required to do a night watch shift. The purpose of the night watch is to make sure nothing happens on or to the boat while everyone is sleeping (like burglars, fires, vikings). Of course it's extremely unlikely any of that will happen, it's more for the novelty feeling of being a sailor. My shift was from 6-7am. I wasn't happy about having to wake up at 6 and stumble through the cabin (which was crowded with hammocks and beds), but I was glad it wasn't in the middle of the night. We were in pairs of two, so during my shift another girl and I sat on the deck with our sleepingbags and were bundled in multiple layers. It was foggy out so I didn't get to see the sunrise, but by the end of my shift it was a bright morning.
The rest of the day was mellow as well. We sailed back to Holbæk, and this time we actually sailed because the wind was strong enough that the engines were able to be turned off. I helped rig some of the sails and we were pushed forward by the wind.
The trip wasn't a wild and crazy adventure. It was more relaxing than I had thought. But I had a good time talking with some new people and getting some fresh sea air.
