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Hold Fast!: 2. I didn’t know the sea was so big

After docking in Tenerife, The Avontuur sets out to cross the Atlantic. But on their first night at sea, the crew keep seeing an unusual little light, far away on the horizon.

15 people, 188 days at sea, one extraordinary ship: how the Avontuur was locked down at sea during the Covid-19 pandemic.

What would you do if your world shrunk to 300 square metres, and you had no say over who you shared it with? If you were on a ship, at sea, far from loved ones - and didn’t know when you’d be able to set foot on land again, and get home?

In this episode: The Avontuur begins the second leg of its journey, setting out from Tenerife to cross the Atlantic. At work in the galley preparing breakfast, ship’s cook Giulia Baccosi learns that the night watch noticed an unusual little light, far off on the horizon. It’s been there through the night. It’s too far from shore to be a fishing boat, so what is it?

Narrated by Siobhán McSweeney
Produced by Christina Hardinge
Sound and music by Noémie Ducimetière
Narration written by Laura Thomas

For Lives Less Ordinary, the series producer is Laura Thomas and editor, Munazza Khan.

Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected.

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