A distance of 24,300 nautical miles in 80 days. In November 2024, the well-known sailing athlete Boris Herrmann will set off for the toughest regatta in the world with the “Malizia Seaexplorer”. He has also been committed to marine conservation for many years. In “The World Beneath My Boat,” Herrmann and co-author Walter Wüllenweber tell the story of his adventurous circumnavigation on the Vendée Globe 2024/25.
In diary-like texts, Herrmann provides insights into the extreme challenges of solo sailing and the complicated technology on board. Calms and violent storms cause problems for him. He constantly has to repair something, even climbing a damaged mast despite his fear of heights. The die-hard team player talks openly about his problems with loneliness. About the constant lack of sleep, but also about the beauty of the sea and exhilarating encounters with seabirds. A collision with a whale ultimately ends his chances in the race.
On the high seas, Herrmann has been recording the changes caused by climate change for years, such as the ice-free Northeast Passage and the melting ice in the Arctic. He therefore collects information about the state of the oceans for research. Measuring instruments on board and drifter buoys provide real-time data and are transmitted to GEOMAR in Kiel. Herrmann’s team is also active in marine conservation, for example through environmental education for children and the reforestation of mangroves.
Walter Wüllenweber comments on the race and provides background material on Herrmann’s career and his team Malizia, but also on CO2-Emissions from sailing. He spoke with scientists like Antje Boetius, with environmental activists and with the oceanographer Sylvia Earle, who supports places of hope in the “Hope Spots” project. The journalist vividly describes the situation in the world’s oceans: ocean warming, illegal fishing, garbage, dangers from ghost nets and the overexploitation of this important ecosystem. Increasing storms affect CO2-Storage capacity of the oceans. The role of the fossil fuel industry is critically examined, with its disinformation campaigns and attacks on climate research.
The authors managed to create a book that appeals to both sailing fans and people interested in the major environmental problems of our time.
Review: Petra Wiemann
Boris Herrmann, Walter Wüllenweber
The world beneath my boat
C.Bertelsmann Verlag. 336 pp. €26