Michelle Segrest's Blog, page 3
April 7, 2020
Travel Nurse in the Trenches — On the Front Lines of the Coronavirus
No one is as close to the COVID-19 pandemic as our healthcare professionals, and while this travel nurse dreamed of seeing the world, first she will fight on the front lines against the unpredictable Coronavirus that threatens millions worldwide. She describes a day in the life of a nurse immersed in the crisis and offers advice on what you can do.
April 7, 2020
By Michelle Segrest , Navigate Content, Inc.Before she leaves work each day, she wipes down her entire body with medical-grade bleach wipes—from the top of her head all the way to the bottom of her shoes. She drives home and is grateful that there is no one there but her dogs, Bailey and Buzz.
“I never thought I would be grateful to live alone,” she says.
Waiting for her at her front door are two industrial-strength garbage bags. Before she walks in the door, she places her shoes in one of them. Then she strips down to her birthday suit and puts every stitch of her clothes in the other. The bag and it’s contents go straight to the laundry.
She immediately jumps in the shower and vigorously scrubs her body with boiling hot water. It’s similar to how they scrubbed Meryl Streep in the famous scene from Silkwood, a movie about severe nuclear contamination that was made 11 years before this 26-year-old travel nurse was born. Then she walks Bailey and Buzz, the highlight of every day.
“My job as a travel nurse happened at the perfect time,” says Allie, who left her home in Alabama for West Virginia three weeks ago for her first assignment as a travel nurse. “People might wonder why I say this since I’m exposed to the Coronavirus every single day. But at least this way, I won’t bring it home to my parents or other people that I love.”
She is now more than 500 miles from home—alone, grateful, and afraid.
Nurses Serve on the Front Line of the Coronavirus Pandemic“As a nurse, I’ve seen a lot,” Allie says. “I’ve been exposed to patients with scabies, shingles, C-diff, Chicken Pox, HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis C—you name it. I never felt afraid. I was born to do this. I was born to take care of people. I would walk into the room like I’m big and bad and like I have some sort of super powers. Whatever you have can’t touch me, I would think to myself. When I say I’ve seen a lot, I mean it. I watched the love of my life slowly die after a year-long battle with colon cancer, and I took care of him every single day. I watched him go through chemotherapy and shrivel into a skeleton. I was born to do this. I was born to take care of people.
“But this is scary.”
Travel Nurse in the Trenches
Allie works on the front lines of the Coronavirus as a travel nurse. It’s not exactly what she expected when she signed up as a travel nurse.
A Travel Nurse and Her Dogs
Allie cuddles with her dogs, Bailey and Buzz.
Daily Life of a Travel Nurse in the Trenches
Allie was thrilled when she joined the travel nurse program. Fighting the Coronavirus is not what she expected, but she knows that one day she will see the world.
A Travel Nurse headed to her first assignment
Fighting the Coronavirus is not what Allie expected when she left home to see the world as a travel nurse with her dogs Bailey and Buzz
A Nurse's Mission
Allie says she was “born to take care of people.” She nursed her boyfriend, Hunter Shell, for a year until he lost his battle with colon cancer.
At the beginning of her nursing journey
Allie and her longtime boyfriend, Hunter Shell, who lost his battle with colon cancer after a year-long fight.
A Nurse's Mission and Purpose
“I was born to do this,” Allie says. “I was born to take care of people.”
Using Masks to Fight Coronavirus
Allie advises wearing a mask and staying at home in the fight against the Coronavirus.
How Patients with Coronavirus Suffer
Now, she walks through the hospital doors and shields herself with a mask and protective gear. The cloth armor helps, but it no longer makes her feel invincible. Coronavirus is her Kryptonite.
Now, as she walks through the quiet, deserted halls of her hospital, the eerie echo of death lurks around every corner and behind every door. She can hear Coronavirus patients fight and gasp for every breath. Some have the luxury of ventilators to help them breathe. Some do not.
They struggle alone. No visitors are allowed.
Allie no longer feels invincible, but she continues to battle from the front lines.
She washes her hands at least 384 times a day. She’s done the math.
“I visit eight patients one to two times per hour for 12 hours,” she explains. “I wash my hands before I enter the room each time and after I leave each time. I’m surprised I still have fingerprints.”
The Reality of the Coronavirus PandemicBut it’s a small price to pay to protect the people around her and control spread of the virus. For those who think staying home alone and washing your hands constantly is difficult, Allie recommends considering this . . . “Think about how many people you came in contact with the past 14 days and how many people they each came in contact with the past 14 days. If one of them has Coronavirus, well . . . just do the math.”
A healthy person may not experience fever. They may have a cough and perhaps shortness of breath. But they may still have Coronavirus. It could easily feel like having allergies, Allie says. “What people don’t understand about the inconvenience of lockdowns is that we can have this virus for up to 14 days with no symptoms. The incubation period is anywhere from two to 14 days. If you had to tell the health department everyone you’ve been in contact with for the past 14 days, could you do it? Could you name them and provide phone numbers? This is the kind of inner circle you need to have. If you had to provide this list, would you be proud of yourself? Would you think you did everything you could to prevent the spread of the virus?”
Then think about what the people on the front lines are going through.
Every day, Allie goes home to a house with no other humans. Her colleagues who have spouses and children must quarantine themselves from their own families because they have most definitely all been exposed to the virus. One of her colleagues quarantined herself from her kids for 14 days. Then she found out one person she knew was exposed and she had to wait another two weeks before she could risk seeing her children. Just in case.
One of her fellow travel nurse friends left two weeks ago to work at ground zero in New York.
What Everyone Can Do to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus“I just wish people would take this seriously,” she says. “If everyone could see what I see every day, they would just stay home. It’s so easy. Yes, it’s inconvenient. But this will save lives. It’s just that simple. Stay home.”
This is not exactly what Allie had in mind when she signed up to be a travel nurse. She wanted to see the world and experience different places and cultures. So far, all she’s seen of her new hometown are private hiking trails and the front yard where she plays frisbee with Bailey and Buzz. But it’s okay.
“I was born to take care of people,” she says. “I will see the world when all this is over.”
The hospital where Allie works is huge with separate wings and floors for Coronavirus patients. But that doesn’t mean the other parts of the hospital and other staff members are not at risk.
“I am not in direct contact with the Coronavirus patients,” Allie explains. “However, some patients arrive with certain symptoms that meet the criteria to have the COVID-19 test. West Virginia was one of the last states to record positive Coronavirus results, but this could be because of the lack of tests available. The criteria is insane. Of six boxes, you must check five of them to even get the test. What’s happening, for example, is people come in with diabetes and they are treated for diabetes. But perhaps this is a 70-year-old male who needs to go to rehab before he goes home. The rehab facilities and nursing homes require that he needs a negative Coronavirus test before they can accept him. They then give him the Coronavirus test, and he tests positive. They may have a few symptoms but not all of them. Now he’s been exposed to several nurses without protective masks or protective gear. Now he has exposed an undetermined amount of people. It’s chaotic.”
How Do You Know if You Have Coronavirus?Two weeks ago, when Allie began working at this hospital, all nurses were not wearing masks. “Now we are,” she says. “It changes every day, and that’s what makes it so scary. We just really don’t know everything we need to know about this.”
These patients cannot breathe, Allie says. “They choke for breath and gasp for air. They describe it as having an elephant sitting on their chest. If they walk up two steps they are bent over and literally out of breath. Athletes who sprint 100-yard dashes can’t get enough air to walk up two steps. It just attacks the lungs. For people my age who are healthy, some are getting over it. But there are also healthy people my age who are dying.”
Coronavirus Prevention Advice from a Nurse on the Front LinesAllie has simple advice for everyone. “I have to work, and I’m exposed to this on the front lines,” she says. “If you have to work, afterward go straight home, take your clothes off, take a shower, and stay home. If you are stir crazy and need fresh air, exercise in your front yard. Facetime with your friends and family and have that connection, but stay home. It’s not about me and you. It’s about your grandparents. Think about them. My grandfather has had Cancer three times, and he would not survive this if he got it. He just wouldn’t. So as badly as I would love to see him and hug his neck, I will stay home. I tell my Mom to not go see him. Don’t take the chance.”
Allie says what we must sacrifice is not so bad.
“It may not be fun eating beans and pasta for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but we can survive without luxury items and fancy food for a few weeks,” she says. “If in two weeks we can get past this because we ate Vienna sausages instead of eating at a restaurant with our friends, I think it’s worth it.”
The daughter of an Eagle Scout, before moving to West Virginia Allie loaded up on non-perishables—rice, canned goods, beans, and cereal. “If I have to quarantine, I’ll have enough food,” she says. “When I got here, I loaded up on milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and toilet paper. Without Dad’s boy scout routine, I probably wouldn’t have anything.”
How to Move Forward in the Climate of CoronavirusWith ever-changing information, the learning curve is steep.
“Always consider your source of truth,” Allie advises. “Don’t get your main information from Facebook or Twitter. Definitely follow the social distancing. I know you want to be with your friends, but just do it virtually. We all have technology. If you get together with 10 of your friends and play cards one night, that’s really fun, but what if one of you has it? Again, remember to think about who you’ve been in contact with the past 14 days and who they’ve been in contact with. What if one of them has a grandfather with lung issues. He could die if he gets it. I know how I would feel if I gave it to someone else. Seriously, just stay home. This will all be over soon.”
How Does a Nurse Find the Emotional Strength to Go to Work Every Day?“That’s the question of the day,” Allie says. “This is just what I was born to do. I was born to take care of people. If every nurse is afraid to go to work, who will take care of these people?”
The hardest part, Allie says, is that these people are experiencing this alone. In fact, even people who are being treated for something other than Coronavirus are forced to be alone while in the hospital. A patient not much older than Allie was diagnosed with Cancer recently. The doctor informed the spouse over Facetime.
It was so hard to see these people get this news alone,” Allie says. “I could hear the kids on Facetime asking when their parent when they would be home and completely unable to understand why they couldn’t be there. No one should have to get that kind of information alone. We have become not only the caretakers for these patients, but also their family. I try to empathize with them and let them know that I’ve been through this. I can’t imagine getting this news about my boyfriend and not being able to hold his hand or hug him. It’s devastating.”
As hard as it is, staying home and respecting others with social distancing is the smart thing to do. “It’s the only thing to do,” Allie says. “The government is literally asking us to stay home and do NOTHING. It should be so simple. I don’t know why it’s such a hard thing for people to do. Remember that you could have Coronavirus and not experience any symptoms. You may not even know you have it, but you could be giving it to other people. Many people without symptoms are testing positive for Coronavirus.”
The CDC guidelines are changing every day. “I get an email every day describing new guidelines and recommendations,” Allie says. “There is just not enough research and information to really know what we are up against. Until we do, I’ll continue to serve on the front lines. But you should stay home. Just stay home.”
The biggest thing is how do you protect others, not just yourself, Allie says.
“It’s scary. Actually, I think people are not scared enough. Be scared. If more people were frightened, maybe we would be gaining some ground. So many people are wearing that imaginary bullet-proof vest that I was wearing, but no one is immune. I’ve seen multiple sick people who maybe had the virus before we had the test for it. Some of us nurses in the beginning were saying that if the flu had this much media coverage we would all be afraid of the flu.
“Once it was here and we had the tests and the multiple cases of positives started to occur it became serious. We had these deaths before, but perhaps they were ruled as pneumonia because these patients laid in the bed for so long they developed pneumonia. Now we understand that Coronavirus may have been killing these people. Now, we see how fast it is spreading and how it’s killing not just older people, but also young healthy people. For a while we thought it was only killing old people. Then we thought it only killed smokers. Now we have a diagnosis. It affects everyone, and we don’t know how to cure it. This is the reality. We also don’t have the equipment to keep you protected or the research to tell you what to do. This is all reason to be scared.”
Meanwhile, this young 26-year-old travel nurse still has dreams.
“I would love to someday go to Hawaii, or at least somewhere tropical,” she says. “So far, I haven’t even been able to explore this part of West Virginia. But it’s okay. For now, this is my purpose. I was born to do this.”
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April 5, 2020
Hanseatic Town of Stralsund, Germany and Ozeaneum - A Virtual Tour
An UNESCO World Heritage site, the Hanseatic City of Stralsund, Germany is a quaint fishing and yachting seaside town famous for tourism, museums, a world-famous Ozeaneum, and is known as the “Venice of the North.”By Michelle Segrest, Navigate Content, Inc. — Travel Adventures from #myofficetoday
On Germany’s Hanseatic Baltic Coast, the medieval town of Stralsund sits directly on the shore of Strelasund—a narrow strip of the Baltic Sea, which separates the island of Rügen from the mainland. Located in the northeast of the German Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Stralsund has a population of about 58,000.
From its formation in 1234 until present day, Stralsund has preserved its medieval ground plan, especially the structure of the streets. The use of the town as a traditional port and maritime trading place is obvious. Many buildings, such as the 13th century Town Hall, the ”Wulflamhaus,” or the three big churches, represent the red Brick Gothic architecture of the medieval time.
In fact, the city is famous for its bricks. Red brick is dominant for Stralsund’s churches, abbeys, monasteries, town hall, and municipal buildings. The Rügen Bridge connects mainland Germany to its largest island. The old maritime-trade metropolis has often been called the "Venice of the North." With its North German Gothic brickwork, the largest town in Vorpommern can’t be missed from land or by sea. With an impressive wealth of historic buildings from eight centuries, the old maritime town has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2002.
Anyone who loves historical architecture will feel right at home in Stralsund’s old town. Stately gabled houses, wall upon wall, within the confines of the old town form a foundation for three colossal red brick churches. St. Mary’s, St. Nikolas’ and St. James’ are impressive monuments that bear witness to Stralsund’s former wealth and status.
Anyone who loves historical architecture will feel right at home in Stralsund’s old town. Stately gabled houses, wall upon wall, within the confines of the old town form a foundation for three colossal red brick churches. St. Mary’s, St. Nikolas’ and St. James’ are impressive monuments that bear witness to Stralsund’s former wealth and status.
What Makes Stralsund a Hanseatic Town?From the 13th to the 15th century, by virtue of vigorous action and geographical position, the Hanseatic League dominated the main currents of commercial trade activity in northern Europe. It was an organization formed by north German towns and merchant communities abroad to protect mutual trading interests. The hierarchy group of “First Families” was the ruling class of communities including Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck, among others. The members of these elite families were of prestigious rank.
Stralsund is a Popular Stop for Sailors, Fishermen, and Tourists
Whether you are walking along the shores of the Strela Sound, wandering across Harbour Island, or admiring ships from the North Pier (Nordmole), you’ll notice that the face of Stralsund is turned seaward. In the harbor, you’ll see the masts of ships dominating a short draw bridge that only opens a few times a day to let ships in and out of the main harbor.
The hull of the Gorch Fock I shines a brilliant white. The air carries the aroma of smoked fish and the sound of crying gulls. The area around Stralsund is not only a sailing paradise, but also an important seaport and shipbuilding location. Even the fish are wild about the Strela Sound, a fact that the recreational anglers greatly appreciate. Swimmers and children love to visit the Stralsund Beach.
The Museums of Stralsund, GermanyWhether you have a passion for ships, fish, or history, Stralsund’s museums offer something for everyone. The Museum of Cultural History attracts visitors with its gold treasure of Hiddensee, the Oceanographic Museum (Meeresmuseum) and OZEANEUM fascinate guests with awe-inspiring aquariums, and Marine Museum on the small island of Dänholm tells thrilling tales of adventure.
Stralsund’s Famous and Popular Ozeaneum
The Ozeaneum is a “public aquarium” but this simple definition does not give it due justice. It displays a great collection of aquaria, but it is much more.
Whether you are a sailor, a fisherman, a yachtsman, or if you simply love the sea, there are few places (if any) where you can learn more about the life that inhabits it than in Stralsund‘s Ozeaneum. It delivers facts and figures in a way that becomes less of a learning assignment and more of an unforgettable experience.
The Ozeaneum hosts five exceptional exhibitions:
World Ocean
Baltic Sea
Exploration and Utilization of the Seas
Children‘s Sea
Giants of the Sea
These are accompanied by four aquaria, which allow you to literally dive into the sea:
Baltic Sea
North Sea
Open Atlantic
Penguins
The fascinating story begins at the world ocean where we learn about climate and tides, the mechanics of waves and the specifics of each ocean—and much more, always entertainingly illustrated by interactive information screens and illustrative models.
After the introduction with the world ocean, we enter the Baltic Sea, the unknown sea in Germany‘s backyard. Through this part of the museum, you learn the history of the Baltic Sea, a former glacier, and what makes her so special and sensitive to human influence. Her wildlife becomes an up-close and personal experience as visitors see it in their (almost) natural habitat in the Baltic Sea aquarium.
The oceans are a vast resource to humans. They provide us with energy, food, and natural resources, as well as transport routes and recreation. Humans have always utilized the oceans. In the exhibition, “Exploration and Utilization of the Seas,” visitors learn why the harmonization of utilization and regeneration is so important.
The other sea in Germany’s backyard is the North Sea, and this is the next stop on the tour. Even though it is so close to the Baltic Sea it could not be more different. On one side we have the semi-enclosed, tame Baltic with no tides and an extremely low salt content. On the other, we have the much wilder North Sea, open to the Atlantic, eternally swinging with the rhythm of the tides. We learn how all this has formed the coasts and the wildlife throughout millions of years.
Whereas some of us may eagerly want to move on to the highlight of the Ozeaneum, some of us and especially our little ones, may need some rest and more relaxing activity. They will enjoy the great Children‘s Sea that is dedicated to kids in pre-school age, right next to the open air deck with the penguins and a stunning view of the lovely town of Stralsund.
The “1:1 Giants of the Sea” exhibition reveals facts about the biggest creatures that inhabit the seas and allows visitors to experience them.
The Ozeaneum is overall a great experience. No matter how many times you visit, you will discover something new. For more information visit www.ozeaneum.de/en/ and maybe consider a donation to Greenpeace at the exit of the Ozeaneum.
Stralsund Tourism
The Tourist Office of the Hanseatic City of Stralsund (Tourismuszentrale Stralsund) offers information, brochures and accommodation services to help you plan your holiday. Guided tours of the city, group tours, souvenirs and advanced ticket sales are also available. Tourist Office website
10 Historical Facts about the Hanseatic Town of Stralsund, GermanyThe town of Stralsund was founded in 1234, it's first name was Stralow.
In the 14th century, Stralsund became a member of the Hanseatic League and was the most important city in the Baltic region aside from Lübeck.
After 10 years of conflict and war the ”Peace of Stralsund” was signed between the Hanseatic League and King Waldemar IV of Denmark on May 24, 1370.
The ”Sundische Gotik” is an independent form of architecture which developed between 1330 and 1380 and symbolized the political power and economic growth of Stralsund as an important part of the Hanseatic League.
During the ”Thirty Years War” the town was under siege by Wallenstein, an imperial general. But Swedish troops came to defend Stralsund successfully. As a result Stralsund signed an alliance contract with Sweden. After the ”Peace of Westphalia” in 1648 Stralsund was completely under Swedish rule.
In the Swedish era many baroque gabled houses were built, especially since Stralsund became the political headquarter of Swedish Western Pomerania in 1720, an increase of administrative and residential buildings took place.
After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Stralsund became a part of Prussia. The number of inhabitants increased severly and the industrial development supported the extension of the suburbs, the connection to the railway network and a traject ferry to Rügen.
After the end of World War II, Stralsund became part of the Soviet zone and later of the German Democratic Republic. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the two parts of Germany Stralsund became part of the federal state Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.
In 2002 Stralsund and Wismar were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The new bridge to Rügen opened in 2007.
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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseaten_(class)
Hanseatic Town of Stralsund, Germany - A Virtual Tour
An UNESCO World Heritage site, the Hanseatic City of Stralsund, Germany is a quaint fishing and yachting seaside town famous for tourism, museums, a world-famous Ozeaneum, and is known as the “Venice of the North.”By Michelle Segrest, Navigate Content, Inc. — Travel Adventures from #myofficetoday
On Germany’s Hanseatic Baltic Coast, the medieval town of Stralsund sits directly on the shore of Strelasund—a narrow strip of the Baltic Sea, which separates the island of Rügen from the mainland. Located in the northeast of the German Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Stralsund has a population of about 58,000.
From its formation in 1234 until present day, Stralsund has preserved its medieval ground plan, especially the structure of the streets. The use of the town as a traditional port and maritime trading place is obvious. Many buildings, such as the 13th century Town Hall, the ”Wulflamhaus,” or the three big churches, represent the red Brick Gothic architecture of the medieval time.
In fact, the city is famous for its bricks. Red brick is dominant for Stralsund’s churches, abbeys, monasteries, town hall, and municipal buildings. The Rügen Bridge connects mainland Germany to its largest island. The old maritime-trade metropolis has often been called the "Venice of the North." With its North German Gothic brickwork, the largest town in Vorpommern can’t be missed from land or by sea. With an impressive wealth of historic buildings from eight centuries, the old maritime town has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2002.
Anyone who loves historical architecture will feel right at home in Stralsund’s old town. Stately gabled houses, wall upon wall, within the confines of the old town form a foundation for three colossal red brick churches. St. Mary’s, St. Nikolas’ and St. James’ are impressive monuments that bear witness to Stralsund’s former wealth and status.
Anyone who loves historical architecture will feel right at home in Stralsund’s old town. Stately gabled houses, wall upon wall, within the confines of the old town form a foundation for three colossal red brick churches. St. Mary’s, St. Nikolas’ and St. James’ are impressive monuments that bear witness to Stralsund’s former wealth and status.
What Makes Stralsund a Hanseatic Town?From the 13th to the 15th century, by virtue of vigorous action and geographical position, the Hanseatic League dominated the main currents of commercial trade activity in northern Europe. It was an organization formed by north German towns and merchant communities abroad to protect mutual trading interests. The hierarchy group of “First Families” was the ruling class of communities including Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck, among others. The members of these elite families were of prestigious rank.
Stralsund is a Popular Stop for Sailors, Fishermen, and Tourists
Whether you are walking along the shores of the Strela Sound, wandering across Harbour Island, or admiring ships from the North Pier (Nordmole), you’ll notice that the face of Stralsund is turned seaward. In the harbor, you’ll see the masts of ships dominating a short draw bridge that only opens a few times a day to let ships in and out of the main harbor.
The hull of the Gorch Fock I shines a brilliant white. The air carries the aroma of smoked fish and the sound of crying gulls. The area around Stralsund is not only a sailing paradise, but also an important seaport and shipbuilding location. Even the fish are wild about the Strela Sound, a fact that the recreational anglers greatly appreciate. Swimmers and children love to visit the Stralsund Beach.
The Museums of Stralsund, GermanyWhether you have a passion for ships, fish, or history, Stralsund’s museums offer something for everyone. The Museum of Cultural History attracts visitors with its gold treasure of Hiddensee, the Oceanographic Museum (Meeresmuseum) and OZEANEUM fascinate guests with awe-inspiring aquariums, and Marine Museum on the small island of Dänholm tells thrilling tales of adventure.
Stralsund’s Famous and Popular Ozeaneum
The Ozeaneum is a “public aquarium” but this simple definition does not give it due justice. It displays a great collection of aquaria, but it is much more.
Whether you are a sailor, a fisherman, a yachtsman, or if you simply love the sea, there are few places (if any) where you can learn more about the life that inhabits it than in Stralsund‘s Ozeaneum. It delivers facts and figures in a way that becomes less of a learning assignment and more of an unforgettable experience.
The Ozeaneum hosts five exceptional exhibitions:
World Ocean
Baltic Sea
Exploration and Utilization of the Seas
Children‘s Sea
Giants of the Sea
These are accompanied by four aquaria, which allow you to literally dive into the sea:
Baltic Sea
North Sea
Open Atlantic
Penguins
The fascinating story begins at the world ocean where we learn about climate and tides, the mechanics of waves and the specifics of each ocean—and much more, always entertainingly illustrated by interactive information screens and illustrative models.
After the introduction with the world ocean, we enter the Baltic Sea, the unknown sea in Germany‘s backyard. Through this part of the museum, you learn the history of the Baltic Sea, a former glacier, and what makes her so special and sensitive to human influence. Her wildlife becomes an up-close and personal experience as visitors see it in their (almost) natural habitat in the Baltic Sea aquarium.
The oceans are a vast resource to humans. They provide us with energy, food, and natural resources, as well as transport routes and recreation. Humans have always utilized the oceans. In the exhibition, “Exploration and Utilization of the Seas,” visitors learn why the harmonization of utilization and regeneration is so important.
The other sea in Germany’s backyard is the North Sea, and this is the next stop on the tour. Even though it is so close to the Baltic Sea it could not be more different. On one side we have the semi-enclosed, tame Baltic with no tides and an extremely low salt content. On the other, we have the much wilder North Sea, open to the Atlantic, eternally swinging with the rhythm of the tides. We learn how all this has formed the coasts and the wildlife throughout millions of years.
Whereas some of us may eagerly want to move on to the highlight of the Ozeaneum, some of us and especially our little ones, may need some rest and more relaxing activity. They will enjoy the great Children‘s Sea that is dedicated to kids in pre-school age, right next to the open air deck with the penguins and a stunning view of the lovely town of Stralsund.
The “1:1 Giants of the Sea” exhibition reveals facts about the biggest creatures that inhabit the seas and allows visitors to experience them.
The Ozeaneum is overall a great experience. No matter how many times you visit, you will discover something new. For more information visit www.ozeaneum.de/en/ and maybe consider a donation to Greenpeace at the exit of the Ozeaneum.
Stralsund Tourism
The Tourist Office of the Hanseatic City of Stralsund (Tourismuszentrale Stralsund) offers information, brochures and accommodation services to help you plan your holiday. Guided tours of the city, group tours, souvenirs and advanced ticket sales are also available. Tourist Office website
10 Historical Facts about the Hanseatic Town of Stralsund, GermanyThe town of Stralsund was founded in 1234, it's first name was Stralow.
In the 14th century, Stralsund became a member of the Hanseatic League and was the most important city in the Baltic region aside from Lübeck.
After 10 years of conflict and war the ”Peace of Stralsund” was signed between the Hanseatic League and King Waldemar IV of Denmark on May 24, 1370.
The ”Sundische Gotik” is an independent form of architecture which developed between 1330 and 1380 and symbolized the political power and economic growth of Stralsund as an important part of the Hanseatic League.
During the ”Thirty Years War” the town was under siege by Wallenstein, an imperial general. But Swedish troops came to defend Stralsund successfully. As a result Stralsund signed an alliance contract with Sweden. After the ”Peace of Westphalia” in 1648 Stralsund was completely under Swedish rule.
In the Swedish era many baroque gabled houses were built, especially since Stralsund became the political headquarter of Swedish Western Pomerania in 1720, an increase of administrative and residential buildings took place.
After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Stralsund became a part of Prussia. The number of inhabitants increased severly and the industrial development supported the extension of the suburbs, the connection to the railway network and a traject ferry to Rügen.
After the end of World War II, Stralsund became part of the Soviet zone and later of the German Democratic Republic. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the two parts of Germany Stralsund became part of the federal state Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.
In 2002 Stralsund and Wismar were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The new bridge to Rügen opened in 2007.
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Sources:
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April 4, 2020
How to Sail the North Sea at Night in Heavy Traffic — A Sailing Adventure Blog
The night watch video game is scary and dangerous when sailing on the high-traffic North Sea with little experience. By Michelle Segrest — How to Get Your Sea Legs
This story was selected as the Bronze prize winner among 200 entries in the 14th Annual SOLAS Awards for Travel Writing in the Cruise Story category (the best account of a trip on the water in any vessel, from the smallest kayak to the largest ship).
When it comes to sailing, the North Sea is like the schoolyard bully. Maybe she will accept you onto her turf. Maybe. Most likely, however, she will punch you right in the face and send you home bleeding and bawling.
With a multi-day passage and only a two-person crew, I prepared myself for my first meeting with the North Sea. I had no idea what to expect. All I knew for certain was the legend among sailors about the power of the North Sea tides…
There is a monster living beneath the North Sea, and it is forcefully breathing in an out. Each breath lasts six hours. The deep breath in is the low tide. The deep breath out is the high tide. Sometimes the monster has a hiccup, and this is called a spring tide. Rungholt was a harbor city in medieval times that in 1634 became the Atlantis of the North Sea. It was totally sucked away and now sits at the sea’s bottom thanks to these powerful and unforgiving tides.
I feared the monster. But even more, I dreaded coming face to face with the North Sea bully.
Onboard Sailing Vessel Seefalke, the skipper is a stoic, matter-of-fact German with more than 20 years of experience sailing challenging waters. I am the over-emotional, highly-excitable American girl from Sweet Home Alabama who has been sailing for only six years. My sailing mentality ranges from I-can-conquer-the-world, superhuman powers on a good day to confidence-crushing fear on a bad day.
Searching for a strategy, I asked myself, “How do you tame a bully?” The answer was clear. You stand up to her and face her—head on.
Or . . . you catch her in a good mood.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt if have a big orange bodyguard with an iron fist and a steel jaw to protect you. Our bright orange, 43-foot, steel ship, Seefalke, was built in the North Sea by Dutch designers who carefully constructed her specifically for these brutal conditions. She spent 43 years of her 45-year life sailing the North Sea.
Let me assure you, Seefalke and the North Sea are old friends. They get along just fine.
In the early fall of 2018, we caught the bully in a good mood. The North Sea gave her old friend, Seefalke, a hearty welcome home with rare easterly winds that lasted for 82 straight hours—long enough to push us 317 nautical miles over four straight days, without stopping, from Helgoland, Germany to Dunkirk, France.
Even with these favorable conditions, a voyage across the North Sea is never easy. Ours didn’t happen without some drama, danger, and a fierce battle with not only the North Sea bully, but with the monster that lies within us all.
Sailing Departure Plans & Sailing Mistakes by Novice SailorsDAY 1 – 31 AUGUST, 2018
Our original plan was to sail a short first leg from the island of Helgoland to Den Helder in The Netherlands. It would require sailing through the night and deep into the next day. This meant I would experience my first night watch—double anxiety when combined with my first-ever North Sea passage. I was terrified, but I didn’t tell my skipper. I prepared the boat for departure, then walked the four-legged members of our crew—my two beagles, Cap’n Jack and Scout—and put on a not-too-convincing brave face.
Since there are only two of us, the watch schedule required that we would rotate from the helm to the bunk every four hours.
When we departed Helgoland at 05:00—90 minutes into high tide—it was cold and dark, and there was a slight drizzling rain. Lighting our way were only the white lights on the masts of the other ships slowly leaving the marina—one by one—at high tide. It felt like we were in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. As we creeped into the black opening of the North Sea, the captain took the first watch as the pups and I took cover in the cabin below.
My internal clock woke me at 08:45–a good 15 minutes before my shift. I emptied my bladder, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and made some coffee. I could see the huge waves crashing against the small porthole windows from the cabin below.
We were already being pushed by the heavy current along with about 15- to 20-knot winds and were on a nice 25-degree tilt. We were sailing smoothly at 4.5 to 5 knots. This is nowhere near as fast as many sailboats move in these conditions, but it was a respectable speed for our heavy, 11-ton, steel battleship.
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I was briefed about what to expect. My main objective was to stay on course, dodge any traffic or buoys, and adjust the sails if the wind shifted. But we also had to deal with a traffic separation scheme (TSS).
Traffic separation schemes are common along busy waterways, especially in areas like the North Sea where there are gigantic ports with hundreds of huge oil tankers and container ships passing through.
A TSS works kind of like driving on a highway or expressway. There is an invisible “median,” which is a no-go zone. On the navigation chart, it is indicated in pink. Unlike driving on a highway, there are no lines in the middle of the road, and no grass in the median. These sections can only be identified on the charts. The idea is to separate the huge ships from the smaller leisure craft, like Seefalke. If you need to cross the TSS, then you must cross it at a 90-degree angle and only if all traffic is clear.
All was smooth, at first. The waves were HUGE—about three meters high. Occasionally, a high wave would splash against Seefalke’s beam and give me a shocking, cold, saltwater shower.
I was facing the bully head on, and all was well. I was enjoying the ride and began to bury my fear under a thin blanket of nervous anxiety. A couple hours into my shift, I looked down into the cabin to see that the captain was sleeping, all nestled with the pups. This meant he was relaxed and had confidence in me, which gave me confidence in myself.
Sometimes, confidence is a bad thing.
About 30 minutes later, something suddenly awakened the captain. Sometimes experienced sailors feel things that simply don’t trigger the senses of novice sailors like me. He sprinted to the cockpit in his underpants and stocking feet, pushed me out of the way, and took the wheel.
Somehow, I had managed to drift over into the TSS. We were flanked by three gigantic ships.
I couldn’t understand what I did wrong. I was on the correct heading.
Apparently, the current had pushed us over into the no-go zone. Even though I was on the right heading I had still managed to drift into the TSS. It’s so easy to underestimate the force of these currents. Perhaps, the bully was playing a mean game with me. This was an extremely dangerous mistake, and it’s also illegal. We turned the ship around, dodging the massive freighters, and got back on track.
I was beating myself up over this mistake. The thought of taking the helm again paralyzed me with fear. I tucked my tail between my legs and moped into the far corner of the cabin, trying unsuccessfully to repair my wounded pride.
We had dinner around sunset, and I was briefed about the night shift. I was still dealing with my confidence crisis after the TSS fiasco. Not only did I have to think about all the watch responsibilities, but I now had to do this in the black of night. The captain took the first shift–20:00 to midnight.
At 23:30, with barely any sleep and filled with a mix of anxiety and determination, I strapped on my life vest and slowly climbed the four wooden steps to the cockpit. The captain was exhausted from maneuvering through the heavy traffic the past four hours. He briefed me, and then went down to sleep.
For some reason, looking through binoculars has always given me a headache. At night, I have even more trouble seeing through the lenses. I could see all the lights around me, but I was having trouble determining if that blob of lights is a ship or a buoy or an offshore rig. Ok, that’s a ship, but is it moving, or is it anchored?
I was also having trouble with depth perception. Is that ship right in front of me or is it two nautical miles away? I simply couldn’t tell the difference.
This was frustrating me, and it was also making me more nervous. All I knew for certain was that I was failing miserably at what I call “the night watch video game.”
This is how the video game works. It’s totally black and all you see are lights in various shapes and sizes. All the objects are coming at you or going away from you from various directions and at various distances. You are moving. The water beneath you is moving. Most of the lighted objects are moving. Some of the lights are blinking in sequences that are significant. You have no ammunition, and you cannot fire at a target. You can only play defense. You must dodge all the lights, avoid slamming into anything, and manage to also avoid shallow water areas.
Most important, in the night watch video game, you only have one life. Literally.
All the stationary objects are identified on the paper charts. The plotter screen shows the ships that are within one or two nautical miles, but only if they are connected to the Automated Identification System (AIS). When they are in your path within a certain range, their icons start blinking and an alarm starts screeching. On the screen, it looks like the other ship is right on top of you, even though it may be half a mile away. It shows where the ship will be in six minutes, but it doesn’t show you where Seefalke will be in six minutes.
I look behind me. I look to the right. I look to the left. I try to focus on the various objects through the binoculars and through my own eyes. Lights keep blinking on the screen. The alarm begins to squeal. There is a ship on the screen, but I don’t see it in real life. Where is it? On the screen, it looks like it’s sitting on my stern. Arrrrgggghhhhhhhhh. Help!!!!
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Why is this so hard? Why can’t I do this?
Suddenly, the lights in front of me were getting bigger and brighter. They were moving but in no particular direction that I could interpret clearly. There was nothing on my screen that told me what these lights were, nothing I could see clearly through the binoculars, and nothing on the chart.
What seemed like only an instant later, the shapes of two ships came into form. I was close enough to them now to identify them as ships and not just lights.
By the way, steering an 11-ton sailboat is nothing at all like driving a car. You can’t just swerve out of the way at a moment’s notice to avoid a collision. It is not possible to slam on the breaks and stop instantly. You must maneuver long before you are about to hit something. I tried to steer Seefalke away from these boats, but the strong current kept pushing us directly toward them.
I panicked and screamed for help from the captain. He bolted to the cockpit, again in is underpants and stocking feet, and steered us clear just as we were about to slam into the two fishing boats.
When we were clear of danger, he asked me how this happened. “I really don’t know,” I told him. He asked if I was using the binoculars. I told him I was, but I was having a hard time seeing through them. I wasn’t trying to make excuses.
Then I realized something to myself as I said it out loud, “Even if I see the danger, it doesn’t mean I know what to do about it.”
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He stayed with me for a little while longer until we were out of the heavy traffic zone. By this time the sun was rising, and I could see better. The captain went back to bed, and I just held my breath and gripped the wheel with clenched fists, trying with all my might to mentally make it through the rest of my shift.
While I was feeling battered and beaten by the beastly bully, the captain returned to the cockpit at 05:00 and calmly took the wheel as if nothing had happened the night before. I waited for him to scold me or lecture me on the two near-fatal mistakes of the previous day. He said nothing.
My disappointment in myself bubbled to the surface, and I burst into tears.
I felt completely defeated and incompetent. I didn’t think I deserved to be sailing this magnificent ship on such a formidable body of water.
I tried to look at him, but my eyes could only find the cockpit floor as I hung my head in shame. “I think we need to have a serious conversation about whether I’m ready for this,” I told him.
Then, without letting him respond, I went below, collapsed on the bunk, and cried myself to sleep.
Sailing Through the Night & Changing the Sailing Passage PlanDAY 2 – 1 SEPTEMBER 2018
I awoke two hours later, made breakfast, and then slowly made my way to the cockpit.
The air was crisp, cold, and refreshing. The sapphire sea was spectacular. The water looked as though 50 shades of blue had melted together to form one brilliant hue that was created for our eyes only. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that color blue before or since.
The weather was so good we decided we should just keep on going and skip Den Helder. He wanted to take advantage of the easterly winds that are so rare for the North Sea.
The bully was tame. She was in a good mood. She and her buddy, Seefalke, were having a great time, and we should let them keep playing.
This time my eyes found his as I reminded him of my last words before going to bed. “I may just not be ready for this,” I repeated, this time more emphatically. My confidence was totally shot. He needed a more capable sailor to help him. He can’t do everything. And I can’t do anything.
Then the captain admitted he had done a poor job of teaching me and preparing me. It's difficult to transfer half a lifetime of knowledge and experience to someone else. I can understand that when something comes so naturally for you, sometimes it's difficult to break it down into details and teach someone else how to do it.
Experienced sailors don’t have to think about how to sail. They draw from years of time at sea and just sail.
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He reminded me that he makes mistakes, too. Then he glared his aquamarine eyes directly into mine, and said something I’ll never forget.
“You just need experience, and this is how you get it.”
Then he said, “I have confidence in you. If I was going to battle, I would want you with me. You would be the first person I would pick to be on my team. You can do this.”
He talked me down from the ledge.
In that moment, I thought about Yvi Habermann, a lifelong friend and experienced, badass German sailor. She once told me a story about when she was on an 18-month sailing trip with her husband. He was seasick for three straight days while they were sailing the North Sea. They didn’t have the conditions we were having. The bully was in full force and knocking them all over the playground. She took the helm of their 7-meter boat for three straight days and nights without a break. She told me that it’s in times like this that you find out what you are truly capable of doing.
I snapped out of my pity party and asked the captain to teach me. I focused on asking good questions and not relying on him to remember to teach me every detail. I took responsibility for my own education.
I was on a mission. I practiced for my night watch all day long. He challenged me and quizzed me with each oncoming vessel. He showed me how to measure the distance and how to tell if the ship was coming or going. I was determined.
We then re-organized the watch schedule. We no longer based it on time intervals. Rather, we based it on the situation. The captain would take the difficult, high-traffic shifts. I would take the longer, easy, open-ocean slots while he rested. Instead of switching at a certain time, I would wake him when I got to a certain waypoint, and we would assess the situation together to determine whether I should keep going or if he should take over.
That night, the skipper took an early shift and got through another TSS. Then he woke me and spent about half an hour briefing me. “There are two key contacts right now,” he said. “Tell me what they are.” I looked through the binoculars and did a perimeter check. I identified every light. “That’s a buoy. That’s a ship that’s not moving, so it’s anchored. That’s a huge wind park,” I began to see things clearly. “That’s a sailing boat under motor that’s going away from me. I know this because there is a white light on the mast, and I see the green navigation light. Green is on the starboard side and it’s moving to the right of me. It’s going away.”
I did this with every single light in the perimeter. Then I identified the two key contacts.
I felt confident. The skipper went down to sleep. I carefully did my checks every 10 minutes. I would check my eyesight against what I saw through the binocular lens, then I would check the paper chart to see if the object was already identified.
At 04:00, everything was clear. I was so wide awake I don’t think I was even blinking. I realized I had safely made it through dozens of obstacles, but now there were none. Not one. Seefalke and I were all alone on open water.
I looked down into the cabin. The captain was all cuddled with four velvety beagle ears in his face, sleeping soundly. I let him sleep and extended my shift. Around 05:30, the North Sea began to wake up, so I woke him.
He told me he finally got some deep sleep. I was proud. I had done my job. I kept us safe, and I let my skipper sleep.
Taking Advantage of Favorable Weather & Sailing ConditionsDAY 3 – 2 SEPTEMBER 2018
We decided to continue to take advantage of the weather and favorable winds and kept going. I continued to practice for my night watch, trying not to exhaust the captain too badly with my barrage of questions. I was beginning to feel like a real sailor and not just a random first mate tagging along for the ride.
We passed some of the largest shipping ports in the world—Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerp. It was so cool to see all the gigantic container ships and oil cargo ships. In Rotterdam, we saw the famous Marit Maersk, one of the world’s largest container ships. It’s almost 400 meters long and 59 meters wide. With 100,000 horsepower, it hauls 10,150 containers and each one of them is larger than Seefalke.
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Our course was now set for Dunkirk, France, the last port in the North Sea right at the entrance of The English Channel.
The remainder of the passage would be complicated. We needed to maneuver through traffic separation schemes, tons of buoys, large busy ports, and as a bonus, some areas with low water levels. This would be a long night for the captain if he took all of the heavy load.
I took my shift at 18:00 and continued through to the first waypoint.
Rather than fear the night watch, this time I decided to embrace it.
There is something special about that moment when the sun disappears behind the horizon. It’s not yet dark, but it’s not daylight any more either. Some of the anchored ships begin to light up like Christmas trees and others look like ghostly shadows in the distance. The only sound is the waves.
I performed my checks, surveying the perimeter every 10 minutes. I identified every light. Most of the time I would go clockwise, but just to be sure, sometimes I would switch it up and go counterclockwise. It’s an old editor’s trick. Sometimes when you read an article so many times you just don’t see the words any more. If you edit the article backward, starting at the end, this is where you can see things in a different way and can catch the mistakes.
Soon, everything was black.
When you are floating on the water, you don’t really see the world around you fade to black. For a while, you see all the colors left over from the sunset—orange, pink, red, yellow. The water changes color, too. At first, it’s a brilliant blue. Then it softly fades to a silvery grey.
At some point it becomes black as coal—like the sky. It is so black that sometimes it’s difficult to see where the sky stops, and the water begins. But you can still hear the waves. On this night, there were millions of stars lighting the way. I saw a formation I recognized. I think it was the Big Dipper. Or, perhaps, it was the Little Dipper. Anyway, I’m pretty sure it was one of the Dippers.
It was so quiet and peaceful I could barely remember why I had been so afraid.
At times, Seefalke would talk to me. A sail would flap. Her bones would creak a little, a sound kind of like when someone steps on a loose, wooden floorboard. I could hear the waves splashing against her body and echoing throughout her steel hull. I like to think she was letting me know I wasn’t alone. She is here to protect us—our bright orange bodyguard. I felt as safe as a baby in her mother’s womb.
“Don’t be afraid,” she tells me. “I’ve got this.”
In return for her protection, we keep her in deep waters. We steer her away from obstacles. We show her the way home, and she takes us there—safely and securely.
Surviving a Difficult Sailing PassageDAY 4 – 3 SEPTEMBER 2018
The captain took over at midnight and brought us into the morning. He had a tough night with hundreds of obstacles to maneuver around. I wished I could help more. But this was the plan, and it was working.
As the sun began to rise after our last night shift in the North Sea, we made our approach and safely moored at Dunkirk. Then I understood what the captain had told me about earning this experience. To get it, you must face the bully head on.
I didn’t know it at the time, but the beating I took from the North Sea bully would later help me through even tougher battles in the Bay of Biscay and on a three-week Atlantic Ocean crossing. I can look back now and thank her for the lessons, the experience, and the scars that will stay with me forever.
You just need experience. And this is how you get it.
READ MORE HIGH-ADVENTURE VOYAGESBattling Seasickness and The Baltic - First Week at Sea
Sailing the Baltic Sea - She's a Mean Girl
Bumper Cars with an Offshore Buoy in the North Sea
Sailing Through The English Channel (Part 1)
Life on a 20-Degree Tilt - English Channel (Part 2)
Fearing the Bay of Biscay – (Focus on the Destination . . . not the Journey)
If you like this article about Sailing the North Sea at Night, please PIN IT!This story was selected as the Bronze prize winner among 200 entries in the 14th Annual SOLAS Awards for Travel Writing in the Cruise Story category (the best account of a trip on the water in any vessel, from the smallest kayak to the largest ship).
Read more Sailing Adventures
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What is Geocaching? How it Works and What You Find
Geocaches are found all over the world and provide a free, fun family treasure hunt and hours of entertainment, but what is it, how does it work, and what do you find? This article tells you everything you need to know!
By Michelle Segrest - Navigate Travel Adventures
It’s all about the hunt.
We are not in search of the Holy Grail or some ridiculously expensive historic stash of golden artifacts. Geocaching is a virtual treasure hunt that meets somewhere at the corner of Indiana Jones and National Treasure. It is free entertainment and totally addictive!
People still ask me, “What did you find?” They always think we find diamonds or money or gold or something.
What geocachers find is much more valuable. An amazing view. A hidden landmark. Insight into a piece of history. An unexpected surprise that is not on the tourist map. The greatest treasures are found in the adventure, and the rewards are measured in the lasting memories.
I try to find at least one geocache everywhere I travel in the world and it always provides me with a great story to tell. It is a fun way to explore a new city and venture off the beaten tourist path. Geocaching always leads to something amazing that you would not have seen or experienced otherwise. Of course, it’s also great for just exploring your own neighborhood or hometown to find adventure and unexpected surprises you didn’t know were there!
No matter where you are, these little hidden boxes are lurking all around you. They are disguised as bison tubes, film cannisters, plastic boxes, ammo boxes and tiny magnets. Some look like tree bark, or mushrooms, or tree stumps, or fake rocks. Some are disguised as metal bolts or outlet covers…some even look like dog poo.
They are hidden in the trees—at the highest branches, in the roots and inside the knotholes. You can find them in bushes, in the pavement cracks, underneath window seals and park benches. Geocaches can be found at the bottom of the ocean or at the highest peak of a large mountain.
They can be found at every major landmark in the world. Some require special tools to retrieve, like a screwdriver or tweezers. There are increasing levels of difficulty and some require diving equipment, or a boat, or climbing tools. For mystery caches, you must solve some sort of puzzle or riddle. For multi-caches, the first find will leave a clue to the next one...and so on…and so on.
Some are super easy and great for kids. Others can take all day to hunt down and are specially designed and crafted for hardcore adventurers.
There are currently more than 6 million geocachers who right now are hunting for 2,687,072 active geocaches all over the globe. Each one offers a unique and special experience.
All you need to join the sport is a Geocaching account, a cell phone app with GPS or other GPS device, and an adventurous spirit.
The hiders of the geocache will leave clues and hints and provide the GPS coordinates to get you to “ground zero.” Then it’s up to you to find the cache, sign the log, and perhaps leave another clue to help the next treasure hunter.
I found my first geocache in July 2013 in Forest Park in Queens, N.Y. After a long hike through the woods, we found it at the end of a fallen tree, guarded by an active hornet nest. It was in the form of an old mason jar wrapped with camouflage duct tape. In it is the logbook where I first signed “TennisAces,” my geocaching handle.
It was just a jar containing a piece of paper with hundreds of names from around the world. And yet it’s difficult to describe the thrill of finding it. We found 10 other geocaches that day, and I was officially hooked!
What do I need to go Geocaching? Top 5 Must-Have Tools for GeocachersAll you really need to enjoy geocaching is a cell phone with the official Geocaching App downloaded and an adventurous spirit. But these very cool tools will greatly enhance the geocaching experience.
The Garmin eTrex 10 Worldwide Handheld GPS Navigator — I love this because it usually works when your cell phone signal is low or nonexistent. It is rugged, waterproof, and preloaded with a worldwide basemap and 2.2-inch monochrome display. It provides fast positioning and a reliable signal. It uses two AA batteries that last up to 20 hours (works best with Polaroid AA batteries). With high and low elevation points you can store waypoints along a track to estimate time and distance between points.
Self-Inking Stamp — This allows you to sign geocaches without having to worry about having a pen.
UV Flashlight — Night geocaching is super fun so invest in a great UV flashlight so you can continue to hunt even when the sun goes down!
Multi-Tool Knife — Some geocaches require tools to get into small spaces or to unscrew a bolt or pick a lock to find the treasure inside. This tool will most definitely come in handy, I can assure you!
Sling Bag Shoulder Backpack — This is simply for convenience to keep all your other supplies handy for efficient treasure hunting.
These are just a few more fun things you may want to have . . .
Some of My Most Memorable Geocache ExperiencesI travel often for business and for fun, and now geocaching is the first thing on my “to-do” list, especially when I visit a new place. I have found geocaches in more than 40 countries on six continents. I’ve also found many great ones less than 10 miles from my home in Alabama.
These are three of my favorite geocaching adventures! Please share some of your most incredible geocaching experiences.
An Amazing View Discovered While Geocaching in Germany
Stolberg Blick | Stolberg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
I had a full day to explore the quaint little town of Stolberg, Germany. I strolled briefly through the city center and then decided to search for a geocache. The GPS led me quickly to a back alley, something I would never have explored without the geocache compass leading the way.
Around a small bend there were stone steps that began an incline up a small mountain. I could see where this was leading and welcomed the exercise as well as the adventure. Up, up, up more and more stairs and steep hills I climbed.
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At the top, I quickly spotted the glass tube hidden within a tree root. I was expecting to simply sign the log and then climb back down. Inside the cache was a note. “Turn around and take a photo of what you see.”
What an amazing surprise! From this spot, I could see a spectacular aerial view of the entire city of Stolberg. It was such a treat. There was a bench, so I sat and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and clear mountain air. It was incredible - something I would have missed had I not been chasing the geocache.
Searching for Geocaches and Camels in the Dubai Desert
Sharjah’s Jungle | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
For business, I have visited the U.A.E. four times. Each time, I stayed inside the large metropolitan cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
These cities are incredibly glitzy and are famous for superlatives. The biggest, the most expensive, the most ornate, the fastest, the tallest, the most everything is found there. I think of Dubai as the “Las Vegas of the Middle East” because it is very shiny and bedazzled and man-made. Yet the well-developed city sits in the middle of a gorgeous desert.
We had a free day, so my best friend and favorite co-cacher decided to take me away from all the sparkle and shine and show me what Dubai looked like 20 years ago. And I wanted to see wild camels roaming the desert.
We rented a car and headed out in search of a traditional cache hidden in a Ghaf tree “forest” in the Emirate of Sharjah.
Between Falaj al Moalla and the Rafee'a area there runs an underground water stream which can be recognized by the copses of Ghaf trees amidst the sand dunes. Many farms have been established in this broad swath of land.
We drove as close as we could, then parked and took off on foot through the beautiful soft sand dunes. Some say there are seven colors of sand in this part of the world, each attributed to one of the seven Emirates of the United Arab Emirates. But in fact, there are around 30 colors of sand throughout these deserts. It is truly breathtakingly natural beauty.
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We hiked about a mile up and down the sand dunes, and then quickly found the cache.
It was a standard plastic lunchbox camouflaged by a brown sock. It was hidden in a particularly dense copse of trees.
We signed the log, replaced the cache and then enjoyed an amazing desert sunset that we will never forget. Again, an unexpected surprise.
We went back to the car, and I realized we had not yet found any camels. We drove a little and saw a “Camel Crossing” sign.
We looked to the right and there they were! A bonus treasure that we would never have found inside the glitzy city limits!
Read about The Cost of Clean Water
Standing in Two Countries at Once — A Geocaching Adventure at Zugspitze
Zugspitze Top of Germany | Bayern, Germany
At 2,962 meters above sea level, Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany, home to three glaciers and Germany’s highest ski resort. At the top is an impressive 360-degree panoramic view over 400 mountain peaks and four countries.
Zugspitze also marks the border between Germany and Austria. Before Europe united, you had to show your passport just to walk across the mountaintop. Today, lifts from both countries meet at the top.
I had always wanted to be in two places at once, and the hunt for this cool mystery cache put us directly on that spot. So we straddled the border, and I was able to check the seemingly impossible feat off my bucket list.
Restaurants, shops, and telescopes are available for tourists at the summit. The day we were there it was incredibly cold and foggy, so we didn’t get to see much of the view. But what we could see was fantastic!
There are two separate terraces—Bavarian and Tirolian—connected by a narrow walk, which was previously the border station. At one time, crossing was a big deal—you would get your passport stamped at the little blue house and shift your currency from shillings to marks. The border formalities are long gone, but the unique history remains.
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The mountain railways of Bayerische Zugspitzbahn make it possible for anyone to enjoy the snow covered Zugspitze. You can take the cog wheel train from Zugspitze station Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the idyllic Lake Eibsee. The ascent with the Eibsee cable car offers spectacular views down to the lake, and more spectacular views can be seen from Zugspitze Peak.
Zugspitze is part of Wettersteingebirge, a small but important group of limestone mountains on the Austrian-German border, immediately South of the ski resort of Garmish-Partenkirchen.
The German side has the oldest building—the rustic, tin-and-wood weather tower, erected by the Deutscher Wetterdienst (German weather service) in 1900. The first mountaineers’ hut was built in 1897, but it didn’t last. The existing one dates from 1914. In 1985, observers clocked 200 mph winds up there.
The German side still features a golden cross that marks the country’s highest point. The historic original was destroyed by American soldiers who used it for target practice in the late 1940s. A modern replacement resides there today.
World War II left its mark on the summit as well. The Austrian side was higher until the Germans blew its top off during the war (to make a flak tower that targeted Allied airplanes).
Both Germany and Austria use this rocky pinnacle for communication purposes. A square box on the Tirolean Terrace provides data for Innsbruck Airport’s air traffic control system. A tower nearby is for the Katastrophenfunk (civil defense network), dating back to the Cold War.
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If you like this article about Geocaching, please PIN IT!Post Script: Follow this link for a very cool account of the History of Geocaching,
This page contains affiliate links. If you click on the product links and make a purchase, it allows me to make a small commission at no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support and I hope you find value in this content!
What is Geocaching? A Perfect Free Family Activity to Try While Social Distancing
During the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to stay at home, but if you need to go outside for a short time and want fun, free, family entertainment while you are social distancing, try geocaching — a worldwide treasure hunt for the adventurous spirit.By Michelle Segrest - Travel Adventures from #myofficetoday
It’s all about the hunt.
We are not in search of the Holy Grail or some ridiculously expensive historic stash of golden artifacts. Geocaching is a virtual treasure hunt that meets somewhere at the corner of Indiana Jones and National Treasure. It is free entertainment and totally addictive!
People still ask me, “What did you find?” They always think we find diamonds or money or gold or something.
What geocachers find is much more valuable. An amazing view. A hidden landmark. Insight into a piece of history. An unexpected surprise that is not on the tourist map. The greatest treasures are found in the adventure, and the rewards are measured in the lasting memories.
I try to find at least one geocache everywhere I travel in the world and it always provides me with a great story to tell. It is a fun way to explore a new city and venture off the beaten tourist path. Geocaching always leads to something amazing that you would not have seen or experienced otherwise. Of course, it’s also great for just exploring your own neighborhood or hometown to find adventure and unexpected surprises you didn’t know were there!
No matter where you are, these little hidden boxes are lurking all around you. They are disguised as bison tubes, film cannisters, plastic boxes, ammo boxes and tiny magnets. Some look like tree bark, or mushrooms, or tree stumps, or fake rocks. Some are disguised as metal bolts or outlet covers…some even look like dog poo.
They are hidden in the trees—at the highest branches, in the roots and inside the knotholes. You can find them in bushes, in the pavement cracks, underneath window seals and park benches. Geocaches can be found at the bottom of the ocean or at the highest peak of a large mountain.
They can be found at every major landmark in the world. Some require special tools to retrieve, like a screwdriver or tweezers. There are increasing levels of difficulty and some require diving equipment, or a boat, or climbing tools. For mystery caches, you must solve some sort of puzzle or riddle. For multi-caches, the first find will leave a clue to the next one...and so on…and so on.
Some are super easy and great for kids. Others can take all day to hunt down and are specially designed and crafted for hardcore adventurers.
There are currently more than 6 million geocachers who right now are hunting for 2,687,072 active geocaches all over the globe. Each one offers a unique and special experience.
All you need to join the sport is a Geocaching account, a cell phone app with GPS or other GPS device, and an adventurous spirit.
The hiders of the geocache will leave clues and hints and provide the GPS coordinates to get you to “ground zero.” Then it’s up to you to find the cache, sign the log, and perhaps leave another clue to help the next treasure hunter.
I found my first geocache in July 2013 in Forest Park in Queens, N.Y. After a long hike through the woods, we found it at the end of a fallen tree, guarded by an active hornet nest. It was in the form of an old mason jar wrapped with camouflage duct tape. In it is the logbook where I first signed “TennisAces,” my geocaching handle.
It was just a jar containing a piece of paper with hundreds of names from around the world. And yet it’s difficult to describe the thrill of finding it. We found 10 other geocaches that day, and I was officially hooked!
I travel often for business and for fun, and now geocaching is the first thing on my “to-do” list, especially when I visit a new place. I have found geocaches in more than 40 countries on six continents. I’ve also found many great ones less than 10 miles from my home in Alabama.
These are three of my favorite geocaching adventures! Please share some of your most incredible geocaching experiences.
An Amazing View Discovered While Geocaching
Stolberg Blick | Stolberg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
I had a full day to explore the quaint little town of Stolberg, Germany. I strolled briefly through the city center and then decided to search for a geocache. The GPS led me quickly to a back alley, something I would never have explored without the geocache compass leading the way.
Around a small bend there were stone steps that began an incline up a small mountain. I could see where this was leading and welcomed the exercise as well as the adventure. Up, up, up more and more stairs and steep hills I climbed.
At the top, I quickly spotted the glass tube hidden within a tree root. I was expecting to simply sign the log and then climb back down. Inside the cache was a note. “Turn around and take a photo of what you see.”
What an amazing surprise! From this spot, I could see a spectacular aerial view of the entire city of Stolberg. It was such a treat. There was a bench, so I sat and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and clear mountain air. It was incredible - something I would have missed had I not been chasing the geocache.
Searching for Geocaches and Camels in the Dubai Desert
Sharjah’s Jungle | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
For business, I have visited the U.A.E. four times. Each time, I stayed inside the large metropolitan cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
These cities are incredibly glitzy and are famous for superlatives. The biggest, the most expensive, the most ornate, the fastest, the tallest, the most everything is found there. I think of Dubai as the “Las Vegas of the Middle East” because it is very shiny and bedazzled and man-made. Yet the well-developed city sits in the middle of a gorgeous desert.
We had a free day, so my best friend and favorite co-cacher decided to take me away from all the sparkle and shine and show me what Dubai looked like 20 years ago. And I wanted to see wild camels roaming the desert.
We rented a car and headed out in search of a traditional cache hidden in a Ghaf tree “forest” in the Emirate of Sharjah.
Between Falaj al Moalla and the Rafee'a area there runs an underground water stream which can be recognized by the copses of Ghaf trees amidst the sand dunes. Many farms have been established in this broad swath of land.
We drove as close as we could, then parked and took off on foot through the beautiful soft sand dunes. Some say there are seven colors of sand in this part of the world, each attributed to one of the seven Emirates of the United Arab Emirates. But in fact, there are around 30 colors of sand throughout these deserts. It is truly breathtakingly natural beauty.
We hiked about a mile up and down the sand dunes, and then quickly found the cache.
It was a standard plastic lunchbox camouflaged by a brown sock. It was hidden in a particularly dense copse of trees.
We signed the log, replaced the cache and then enjoyed an amazing desert sunset that we will never forget. Again, an unexpected surprise.
We went back to the car, and I realized we had not yet found any camels. We drove a little and saw a “Camel Crossing” sign.
We looked to the right and there they were! A bonus treasure that we would never have found inside the glitzy city limits!
Read about The Cost of Clean Water
Standing in Two Countries at Once — A Geocaching Adventure
Zugspitze Top of Germany | Bayern, Germany
At 2,962 meters above sea level, Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany, home to three glaciers and Germany’s highest ski resort. At the top is an impressive 360-degree panoramic view over 400 mountain peaks and four countries.
Zugspitze also marks the border between Germany and Austria. Before Europe united, you had to show your passport just to walk across the mountaintop. Today, lifts from both countries meet at the top.
I had always wanted to be in two places at once, and the hunt for this cool mystery cache put us directly on that spot. So we straddled the border, and I was able to check the seemingly impossible feat off my bucket list.
Restaurants, shops, and telescopes are available for tourists at the summit. The day we were there it was incredibly cold and foggy, so we didn’t get to see much of the view. But what we could see was fantastic!
There are two separate terraces—Bavarian and Tirolian—connected by a narrow walk, which was previously the border station. At one time, crossing was a big deal—you would get your passport stamped at the little blue house and shift your currency from shillings to marks. The border formalities are long gone, but the unique history remains.
The mountain railways of Bayerische Zugspitzbahn make it possible for anyone to enjoy the snow covered Zugspitze. You can take the cog wheel train from Zugspitze station Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the idyllic Lake Eibsee. The ascent with the Eibsee cable car offers spectacular views down to the lake, and more spectacular views can be seen from Zugspitze Peak.
Zugspitze is part of Wettersteingebirge, a small but important group of limestone mountains on the Austrian-German border, immediately South of the ski resort of Garmish-Partenkirchen.
The German side has the oldest building—the rustic, tin-and-wood weather tower, erected by the Deutscher Wetterdienst (German weather service) in 1900. The first mountaineers’ hut was built in 1897, but it didn’t last. The existing one dates from 1914. In 1985, observers clocked 200 mph winds up there.
The German side still features a golden cross that marks the country’s highest point. The historic original was destroyed by American soldiers who used it for target practice in the late 1940s. A modern replacement resides there today.
World War II left its mark on the summit as well. The Austrian side was higher until the Germans blew its top off during the war (to make a flak tower that targeted Allied airplanes).
Both Germany and Austria use this rocky pinnacle for communication purposes. A square box on the Tirolean Terrace provides data for Innsbruck Airport’s air traffic control system. A tower nearby is for the Katastrophenfunk (civil defense network), dating back to the Cold War.
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If you like this article about Geocaching, please PIN IT!Post Script: Follow this link for a very cool account of the History of Geocaching,
This page contains affiliate links. If you click on the product links and make a purchase, it allows me to make a small commission at no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support and I hope you find value in this content!
Use coupon code MICHELLE SEGREST for 10% off everything in the store!
March 16, 2020
The Most Awesome Sailing Destinations in the World
While sailing the world for a year, I was lucky enough to explore some of the most awesome sailing destinations on the planet! I created a page with links to all my favorites so that you can come along on the adventure, see all the spectacular photos, watch the videos, and read about the incredible journeys and challenges that it took to get there.
Of course, you don’t have to be traveling on a sailboat to see some of these remarkable places, but some are so remote you can only get there by sea. This page will continuously be updated, so please feel free to visit often! Just click the images to read about the amazing sailing destinations that look interesting to you!
CLICK HERE TO BEGIN EXPLORING MY FAVORITE SAILING DESTINATIONS!March 14, 2020
Best Private Beaches on the Spanish Atlantic Coast
Adventure comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be dramatic or poetic—heart pounding or profound. It can be all of the above or something totally and completely unexpected.
And sometimes, it’s just the simple things.
We found adventure far away from the heavy offshore blue water sailing that we had been experiencing since we set sail from Stralsund, Germany. This week, it was the peaceful, easy feeling of cruising along the unbelievably picturesque Spanish coastline that provided the adrenaline rush we needed.
We found adventure by just sitting at anchorage . . . rowing to private beaches . . . watching the dogs play on some of the world’s most beautiful private beaches as the sun set over the brilliant blue Atlantic Ocean . . . listening to the sound of nothing—nothing but the hypnotic waves and the wind.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORYMarch 9, 2020
The World's Best Travel Destinations
Michelle Segrest firmly believes in living life by a compass, not a clock! Her home office is on Plash Island in Gulf Shores, AL, but you won't find her there very often. She travels wherever there is an interesting story to be told, which could be anywhere on the planet. Read about the amazing travel destinations she has explored while tracking down compelling stories for her clients. Just follow the link below.
Travel Destinations from #myofficetoday
March 7, 2020
Playa de Rodas - The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
On our way from Vigo, Spain to Porto, Portugal, we decided to take a little detour and check out Playa de Rodas, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
It did not disappoint.
Playa de Rodas is a slightly curved beach about 700 meters long on the Spanish Cies Islands, which is now a national park. The British newspaper, The Guardian, chose it as the most beautiful beach in the world in 2007.
We anchored about 50 meters from the shore and enjoyed the spectacular scenery! We didn’t have time to get out and explore the island, but we captured some amazing Drone footage and spectacular photos.
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