Adam's Adventure

Greetings! My name is Adam Klaffky, crew member of Sila From Jan 17 (the Falkland Islands) to April 7 (the Cape Verde Islands). Some of you in the HMI community may know me as "Fetus" (which is nothing more than the unfortunate outcome of a misheard word spoken over a game of "Chutes and Ladders" on my first day on campus!). I am an alumni of RMS VIII. Thanks in large part to the Barnes and my experiences at HMI, I have developed a love for wilderness and adventure. Perhaps that is why I now work as an outdoor educator and I imagine it is what made me jump at the chance to go sailing with the people who had opened my eyes to so much as a teenager.

Adam in the cockpit as we approached Ascension Island

The opportunity to join the crew of Sila came with short notice in mid December. I was bartending in Washington DC for the winter when one night, I thought to myself, "Man, I really need to get away on an adventure." The next morning, I woke to see the Barnes' invitation to come and sail the Southern Atlantic Ocean. About a month later, I found myself in the Falkland Islands with the former HMI heads-of-school and their two children, oblivious to what the coming weeks would bring. After all, I had never been on a sailboat before. However, despite the looming probability of seasickness, I was far more excited than nervous. As we left Port Stanley and headed east towards South Georgia, it became apparent that I was indeed embarking on an adventure. 

For something to qualify as an adventure, it must meet certain criteria. An adventure should last a considerable amount of time. It should have moments of happiness, awe, and adversity. I also believe that any adventure will serve to teach lessons about one's self, the world, and/or their place in it. As we now sit docked at the marina in Mindelo, Cape Verde, I look back with great satisfaction at what made this experience such an adventure. 

Since arriving in the Falkland Islands, this sailing trip has lasted 80 days, which is 80 days longer than any other sailing trip I have been a part of.  This qualifies as a considerable amount of time. Of course there were innumerable moments of happiness and awe through out the journey: not getting seasick on passage to South Georgia, falling asleep and waking up day after day to the sound of fur seals barking, walking among a colony of over 200,000 king penguins, beautiful hikes, games of cards, Risk, and Catan, swimming in the middle of the ocean, completing the entire Harry Potter series, and the unbeatable company of Molly, Christopher, Jack, and Porter. While I could go on and on listing blissful memories, I am also grateful for the rare challenges that we faced. 

Once Sila left South Georgia heading north, we were off-shore sailing for 40 days. This was the part of the trip that I was looking forward to the most, specifically because of the inevitable challenges ahead, not knowing what they would be. Within the first few days there were the expected challenges of cold weather, huge waves, and getting wet. Though I felt nervous at times and challenged by these conditions, there was still a voice in my head saying "This is awesome!" As we left the excitement of the "Furious 50s" and moved into more calm seas and a slower pace, the nature of our challenges changed drastically. The days went on and as we fell into a routine, they began to run together. The weather turned quickly from cool to hot and humid. With so much further still to travel, it sometimes felt difficult to live in the moment. Shamefully, I admit there were times when it felt as though I were taking a 6 week ride to the airport. While these feelings did not at all dominate my off-shore experience, they are important for me to acknowledge as they offer a reminder of a valuable lesson: It is the journey that matters and not the destination.

Now that those challenging times are behind us, I look back and appreciate them as part of the once-in-a-lifetime adventure that the past 80 days have been. Without them, completing the long passage may not have felt like such a grand accomplishment. I have learned an incredible amount in the last two months - about sailing, the wildlife of South Georgia, 10 and 12 year olds, etc. While there is no doubt that I will pull more learnings away from this adventure as I continue to reflect, right now I am most grateful for the gained perspective of living in the moment and always valuing the journey. Once again, the Barnes have given me an unforgettable adventure filled with learnings that I will take with me wherever I go. Thank you Molly, Christopher, Jack, and Porter! -Adam Klaffky