I am prepared for the unexpected thing which can happen, but prevention is the key.

In The Netherlands I am a GP and normally I take care of 2000 patients. On the Bark Europa there are around 55 people on board with an ocean crossing. What am I doing the whole day? Setting sails, climbing aloft, sanding, doing dishes, cleaning toilets, baking cookies… And helping in de galley with chopping onions, prevent them rolling around the galley and knives in our fingers. I help where I can. It’s a good thing then I don’t have anything to do as a doctor.

But when I am working as a doctor I try to prevent getting more people sick, prevent wounds getting infected and prevent people getting too tired to work. I keep my eyes open and talk to people. Normally people come to me with a problem/health issue, now I come to them just for a chat.

The best thing of being a ships doctor on the Atlantic Ocean is that I can work every day in shorts and flipflops…