imagine you are on deck of a pretty 25
meter white wooden vault in the flora
Sea of Indonesia prepared to make a
four-night boat trip to dive relax and
explore several idyllic islands you are
enjoying the company of the twenty or
other tourists on board and are excited
about the journey ahead and then during
the second night in the midst of
Darkness you get alarmed by the crew
because the boat is making water and it
doesn’t take long until a big wave comes
in and you are smashed into black ocean
I experienced this in 2014 and I would
like to share my story the boat trip was
a perfect way to conclude my solo
3-month backpack time in Indonesia after
first great day of chatting with the
others on board snorkeling and
sunbathing it was time for 16 hours
overnight journey to Komodo the water
grew rougher and rougher with the white
wooden boat bouncing on the waves
I felt really sick and couldn’t stop
throwing up
in a dark night the boat kept rolling
from side to side which made me feel
very anxious I put my lifejacket on just
in case everybody awake hauling boat
very dangerous thoughts kept spinning to
my mind what happened what can we do to
fix this did they alarm people on land
what do I have to take with me my
questions were answered soon the crew
couldn’t make contact with anyone there
was no equipment for this and all
passenger phones were out of service
I took my passport for identification of
my body
when I would die I also took the memory
card for my photo camera just in case I
would survive I also drank a whole
bottle of water to be hydrated for a
while we all had different emotions
people got anxious angry petrified I
blocked my emotions and switched on my
survival mode
I applied what I learned during my
medical studies to stay calm and focused
on what’s important in that moment the
water was pouring in quickly and I
realized that this was serious and
suddenly an enormous wave was coming in
a moment of panic in a moment that I was
going to drown oh I could feel and see
he was black water panicking I fought
for air but then I felt a pair of arms
grabbing me and pulling me out I found
myself in a tiny lifeboat I’m alive we
had to wait for the rest of the night
with half of the people on the roof of
the sinking boat six people crowded in
the little lifeboats and the rest
swimming in a black ocean we barely
spoke to each other the temperature
dropped and the wind and waves made me
feel very cold with my background as a
medical student I was very worried about
my body temperature and the risk of
hypothermia all I was wearing was a
t-shirt and underwear I was sleeping in
I was also worried about dehydration and
losing energy without eating at 6 a.m.
in the morning the Sun became to rise
although surrounded by a
powerful ocean a mountain shaped island
became visible in the distance where we
just had one option during the night
waiting at the boat
another option occurred at this moment
swimming for sure as soon as I saw that
Island I suggested to swim but I
couldn’t convince the others and people
warned me of the sea is strong and has
changeable currents we need the lifeboat
to stay afloat people who stay at the
wreck are often the ones who survive and
we have to stay in one big group I
understood what they said however a
second night in sea losing more energy
and waiting for nothing is not what I
want either and I couldn’t think about
anything else than that Island we
started arguing but nothing happened in
the next hour it frustrated me I rather
die fighting for my life then die not
even trying in a split second I took my
decision I was going to swim and four
others came with me we started swimming
on our back arms folded across our life
jackets and making powerful leg strokes
meter high waves crossed over our heads
causing us to lose sight of each other
we decided with the survival whistles
attached to our life jackets we kept
back together as soon as I had left I
felt better I was still sure about the
fact that I was going to die however I
was fighting for my life and I’ve
followed my own instinct instead of
doing what the other people wanted
now I was with people who had the same
mindset we got more motivated because
geylang a lady from New Zealand and I
swim faster we became separated she was
a strong fit an adventurous woman I
trusted her and I wanted to stay with
her focus and swim until you can’t swim
anymore when my thoughts drifted away to
the idea that my parents would get news
that their daughter wouldn’t come back I
[Music]
but as soon as these walls popped up I
blocked them swim swim swim about five
hours into the swim we suddenly realized
that we could see individual trees on
the hillside of the island we’re getting
somewhere
we also saw in lava streams rinsing down
the sea there’s an erupting volcano and
then we were about 500 meters from shore
there was I could smell the island but
there was still a huge offshore Riptide
we had to get through we roll over from
our back and started swimming with a
powerful crow against the waves we
fought hard a few metres forwards and a
few minutes backwards but we broke
through the current and came into common
waters and then my feet touched the
beach I was so relieved and in high
spirit I survived is powerful enormous
and unpredictable ocean I’m out of the
water it didn’t take long until Galen
brought me down to earth the swim is
just step one we are on a volcanic
island with no food no shelter no water
we took off our wet clothes to dry in
the last rays of the Sun set naked on
the deserted beach I was walking on
rocks and through bushes to find water
we couldn’t find anything and so before
we found a shelter place to sleep we
drank our own urine
I laid down and looked at the amazing
carpet of stars as a city girl this
place felt so unreal but I felt safe in
we woke up by sunrise and I felt a
horribly sunburnt I had blisters all
over my face it could take days before a
rescue would come since nobody was
looking for us we discussed what we had
to do and the Greek that water was high
priority also with objects that had
washed in with the tide
we made fighters to protect our faces
and then in the early morning we spotted
the boat and started waving with our
life jackets on a long stick is this our
rescue but the boat passed away and
wasn’t visible anymore
it took a few more hours before this the
same boat reappeared and was motoring
towards us I couldn’t believe that
rescue was coming but I realized that my
life continued later the day about 40
hours after the sinking the lifeboat
with the others was spotted in sea
drifted away from shore everyone
survived apart from two Spanish
passengers who swam for the island as
we’re two of the speccing years passed
away I survived to tell the story and
this changed my life I experienced the
power of the human body and our
capability and therefore I wanted to set
a challenging goal for myself
to test my limits and to see what’s
possible to achieve I wanted to raise an
Ironman an extreme trial a long race
consisting of a three point eight
kilometers swim 180 kilometers ride on a
bike and a full marathon 42 kilometer
I was on the start and I was excited and
ready to race and whilst I enjoyed it
I surprised myself and others with the
performance I showed where I am a doctor
and I want to develop myself as a great
surgeon for the world after this race I
I decided to step into the total unknown
as of last year I make living as a
professional triathlete and even though
I don’t know my potential I will only
get one chance for it and I will give it
a shot and this is how I try every time
to test and improve my limits so I can
become the best that I can be and I hope
that I can inspire you to do as well so
you can achieve where you are capable of
and I hope that with met with my story
another shipwreck is not needed to
you [Music]
meter white wooden vault in the flora
Sea of Indonesia prepared to make a
four-night boat trip to dive relax and
explore several idyllic islands you are
enjoying the company of the twenty or
other tourists on board and are excited
about the journey ahead and then during
the second night in the midst of
Darkness you get alarmed by the crew
because the boat is making water and it
doesn’t take long until a big wave comes
in and you are smashed into black ocean
I experienced this in 2014 and I would
like to share my story the boat trip was
a perfect way to conclude my solo
3-month backpack time in Indonesia after
first great day of chatting with the
others on board snorkeling and
sunbathing it was time for 16 hours
overnight journey to Komodo the water
grew rougher and rougher with the white
wooden boat bouncing on the waves
I felt really sick and couldn’t stop
throwing up
in a dark night the boat kept rolling
from side to side which made me feel
very anxious I put my lifejacket on just
in case everybody awake hauling boat
very dangerous thoughts kept spinning to
my mind what happened what can we do to
fix this did they alarm people on land
what do I have to take with me my
questions were answered soon the crew
couldn’t make contact with anyone there
was no equipment for this and all
passenger phones were out of service
I took my passport for identification of
my body
when I would die I also took the memory
card for my photo camera just in case I
would survive I also drank a whole
bottle of water to be hydrated for a
while we all had different emotions
people got anxious angry petrified I
blocked my emotions and switched on my
survival mode
I applied what I learned during my
medical studies to stay calm and focused
on what’s important in that moment the
water was pouring in quickly and I
realized that this was serious and
suddenly an enormous wave was coming in
a moment of panic in a moment that I was
going to drown oh I could feel and see
he was black water panicking I fought
for air but then I felt a pair of arms
grabbing me and pulling me out I found
myself in a tiny lifeboat I’m alive we
had to wait for the rest of the night
with half of the people on the roof of
the sinking boat six people crowded in
the little lifeboats and the rest
swimming in a black ocean we barely
spoke to each other the temperature
dropped and the wind and waves made me
feel very cold with my background as a
medical student I was very worried about
my body temperature and the risk of
hypothermia all I was wearing was a
t-shirt and underwear I was sleeping in
I was also worried about dehydration and
losing energy without eating at 6 a.m.
in the morning the Sun became to rise
although surrounded by a
powerful ocean a mountain shaped island
became visible in the distance where we
just had one option during the night
waiting at the boat
another option occurred at this moment
swimming for sure as soon as I saw that
Island I suggested to swim but I
couldn’t convince the others and people
warned me of the sea is strong and has
changeable currents we need the lifeboat
to stay afloat people who stay at the
wreck are often the ones who survive and
we have to stay in one big group I
understood what they said however a
second night in sea losing more energy
and waiting for nothing is not what I
want either and I couldn’t think about
anything else than that Island we
started arguing but nothing happened in
the next hour it frustrated me I rather
die fighting for my life then die not
even trying in a split second I took my
decision I was going to swim and four
others came with me we started swimming
on our back arms folded across our life
jackets and making powerful leg strokes
meter high waves crossed over our heads
causing us to lose sight of each other
we decided with the survival whistles
attached to our life jackets we kept
back together as soon as I had left I
felt better I was still sure about the
fact that I was going to die however I
was fighting for my life and I’ve
followed my own instinct instead of
doing what the other people wanted
now I was with people who had the same
mindset we got more motivated because
geylang a lady from New Zealand and I
swim faster we became separated she was
a strong fit an adventurous woman I
trusted her and I wanted to stay with
her focus and swim until you can’t swim
anymore when my thoughts drifted away to
the idea that my parents would get news
that their daughter wouldn’t come back I
[Music]
but as soon as these walls popped up I
blocked them swim swim swim about five
hours into the swim we suddenly realized
that we could see individual trees on
the hillside of the island we’re getting
somewhere
we also saw in lava streams rinsing down
the sea there’s an erupting volcano and
then we were about 500 meters from shore
there was I could smell the island but
there was still a huge offshore Riptide
we had to get through we roll over from
our back and started swimming with a
powerful crow against the waves we
fought hard a few metres forwards and a
few minutes backwards but we broke
through the current and came into common
waters and then my feet touched the
beach I was so relieved and in high
spirit I survived is powerful enormous
and unpredictable ocean I’m out of the
water it didn’t take long until Galen
brought me down to earth the swim is
just step one we are on a volcanic
island with no food no shelter no water
we took off our wet clothes to dry in
the last rays of the Sun set naked on
the deserted beach I was walking on
rocks and through bushes to find water
we couldn’t find anything and so before
we found a shelter place to sleep we
drank our own urine
I laid down and looked at the amazing
carpet of stars as a city girl this
place felt so unreal but I felt safe in
we woke up by sunrise and I felt a
horribly sunburnt I had blisters all
over my face it could take days before a
rescue would come since nobody was
looking for us we discussed what we had
to do and the Greek that water was high
priority also with objects that had
washed in with the tide
we made fighters to protect our faces
and then in the early morning we spotted
the boat and started waving with our
life jackets on a long stick is this our
rescue but the boat passed away and
wasn’t visible anymore
it took a few more hours before this the
same boat reappeared and was motoring
towards us I couldn’t believe that
rescue was coming but I realized that my
life continued later the day about 40
hours after the sinking the lifeboat
with the others was spotted in sea
drifted away from shore everyone
survived apart from two Spanish
passengers who swam for the island as
we’re two of the speccing years passed
away I survived to tell the story and
this changed my life I experienced the
power of the human body and our
capability and therefore I wanted to set
a challenging goal for myself
to test my limits and to see what’s
possible to achieve I wanted to raise an
Ironman an extreme trial a long race
consisting of a three point eight
kilometers swim 180 kilometers ride on a
bike and a full marathon 42 kilometer
I was on the start and I was excited and
ready to race and whilst I enjoyed it
I surprised myself and others with the
performance I showed where I am a doctor
and I want to develop myself as a great
surgeon for the world after this race I
I decided to step into the total unknown
as of last year I make living as a
professional triathlete and even though
I don’t know my potential I will only
get one chance for it and I will give it
a shot and this is how I try every time
to test and improve my limits so I can
become the best that I can be and I hope
that I can inspire you to do as well so
you can achieve where you are capable of
and I hope that with met with my story
another shipwreck is not needed to
you [Music]
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