Villem Reinaas says solo voyage exposed him to serious risks

Estonian sailor Villem Reinaas says he took significant risks during a four-year solo voyage around the world, including sailing through the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. He discussed the trip on ERR’s morning programme Terevisioon after returning home on Monday.

Reinaas said the final leg began shortly before Christmas last year, when he left Fiji. He encountered extremely hostile weather in the Indian Ocean, which sailors generally consider dangerous. He also chose to cross the Red Sea, a route sailors often avoid in favour of sailing around Africa. He said he would not recommend that choice to others.

Although people have warned of piracy in the Red Sea, Reinaas said he saw no pirates and faced no danger from other people. The dangerous situations he encountered were caused by the weather.

He said he sailed alone because he did not want to put anyone else in that position. He would not have taken as many risks if he had had a companion, he said.

One distinctive part of the journey was meeting communities living in isolation, Reinaas said. Many of the people he met rarely saw tourists and were very curious about why he had come to visit them.

Reinaas said he considers the round-the-world voyage complete because he has crossed all the meridians. His sailboat is now on the Greek island of Crete, and he cannot continue towards Estonia until the sea is no longer freezing. He expects to resume the journey in March or April.