While many of us will be enjoying Christmas this year (hopefully) spending time with our families and loved ones at home, there are many people who keep the world turning in our absence. Doctors, nurses, retail workers, delivery drivers – and delivery skippers!

Spending the Holidays working at sea is a unique experience, away from family, without gifts and no guarantee of an extravagant meal. But that does not mean its not one worth having!

We spoke to delivery skipper Captain Hanna Golebiewska about her experiences sailing on delivery during Christmas, and how much she loves it.

Have you ever sailed at Christmas before? If so, when and where?

I have sailed at Christmas at least 5 times:

• • 2013 crossing the Atlantic with Zvi Dor-Ner
  • 2014 preparing the boat for charter just after ARC (St.Marteen)
  • 2015 crossing for Reliance from La Rochelle to Fort Lauderdale on the Lagoon 450 s.v. Freedom
  • 2016 crossing for Reliance – L450 s.v.Solicitude from LSdO to Tortola
  • 2018 crossing for Halcyon from Tenerife to Trinidad Lagoon 40

How do you prepare for Christmas at sea?

I would take some traditional Polish ingredients to cook that day like dried mushrooms with sauerkraut, a poppyseed cake, beetroot borsch with little pierogi.

How do you make the day different from the rest of your time spent at sea?

Weather depending… Except for a meal the day is not much different – everyday is Sunday in the middle of the ocean. Some decided to make laundry, the main halyard decided to chafe on Xmas day, etc.

How does your family feel about you working during this time?

They think I am crazy anyway so my absence for this occasion is only one of the symptoms. I think they preferred I would stay at home.

Are you looking forward to it, how do you feel about it? [Hanna was supposed to be on delivery this Christmas but the delivery has been delayed]

I am very unhappy NOT being on the sea this year. I thing all of contemporary Xmas is far too commercialized and I’d like to keep far from it.