Expedition Drenchedvideo
SYLFIA: The Untold Story of a One-of-a-Kind Expedition Vessel ⛵️
16 December 2024 · 17 min · 31K views · Fremantle
What this video covers
Sophie and Sylvan, the adult children of Polish-born boat builder Bernard, sail his last vessel — a steel sailboat named Sylvia — along the Western Australia coast, joined by their mother Nadine.2:30 Bernard escaped communist Poland in his 20s with forged documents and a single kilogram of ID photos, eventually building six boats over his lifetime, the last of them Sylvia, constructed in two and a half years in his backyard while in his 60s, working 14-hour days.2:52 Sophie and Sylvan grew up aboard an earlier family boat, doing correspondence school until age 14, sailing the Pacific, and crewing alongside up to eight rotating crew members who shared costs and responsibilities.1:07 After the family sold Sylvia, Expedition Drenched acquired her five years ago.3:17 Bernard disappeared at sea from a dinghy, found 12 miles offshore with no explanation; Sophie stepped away from the ocean afterward before returning.16:08 The reunion voyage aboard Sylvia is framed as a healing journey.8:21 The crew performs Bernard's tradition of toasting Neptune with Polish vodka before departure.4:12 Sophie describes working on superyachts and research ships before reconnecting with ocean life, and both siblings reflect on the independence and natural-risk assessment their upbringing instilled.14:33 A loose rudder requiring tightening is the one mechanical issue mentioned.8:51
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