"Sailing is the shortest way to yourself," Clark Stede once said. In the 1980s, he was the first western single-handed sailor to sail his first nine-metre "Asma" all the way to China, which he reached in 1985. In Australia, he met the filmmaker Michelle Poncini, with whom he continued his long voyage in the following years.
From 1990 to 1993, the pair made a spectacular crossing of the Northwest Passage in their 13-metre Aluslup "Asma", which had previously been built for them and in which they were temporarily stuck in the ice. This was followed by the complete circumnavigation of North and South America, including the rounding of Cape Horn - another first.
Before Clark Stede came to sailing, he was already a successful reporter, working for renowned magazines outside Germany in the USA, Italy, Spain and France. He photographed indigenous peoples and travelled the Nile in a canoe. His slide shows filled congress halls.
Clark Stede was born on 25 November 1949 in what was then East Berlin. When he later helped compatriots to escape to the West, he was betrayed. He spent two years in the notorious Bautzen prison before the Brandt government bought the release of political prisoners.
His imprisonment left its mark on him. It was then that his indomitable urge for freedom germinated in him. Clark Stede couldn't help himself after that, he had to go out into the world, meet people, get to know them and learn from them. He was always looking for new destinations on this planet.
He was meticulous in his preparations, unwavering in his execution, one hundred per cent reliable - but also demanding in his environment. Keeping up with his pace was not always easy for everyone involved.
A human being with rough edges
After his long voyages, Stede wrote several books about his adventures (including "Rund Amerika: Die erste Umsegelung des amerikanischen Kontinents", Delius Klasing Verlag, 1994; ISBN 3-7688-0862-9), he gave lectures - and he began to be enthusiastic about horses.
In 1994, he moved to Chile. There he met Manuela Paradeiser from Austria. Together they ran a riding farm, Campo Aventura, which became Hacienda Los Andes in 1999. In 2012, the couple returned to Europe and lived in Burgenland. There, too, horses determined Stedes' everyday life.
In recent years, Stede had to undergo a serious heart operation. Nevertheless, he wanted to return to the sea and sail again. After his recovery, he planned to buy a ship in Greece. A new illness thwarted his plans. But he also recovered and planned to travel again. But then he unexpectedly announced his imminent death to his friends and companions.
He said goodbye in style and with gratitude for the people who helped him to live such a full life. Clark Stede died on 14 June 2021 in Burgenland/Austria at the age of 71.
Manuela Paradeiser says about her time with him:"I am very grateful for every day that I was able to walk alongside him. The 25 years together seem like 50 when I think of all the travelling, adventures and experiences. Not everything was always rosy. In my heart, however, I always knew that I would never meet a more valuable person in my life for my worldly well-being and for the growth of my soul."
In an interview with YACHT, Clark Stede once said: "The happiness of experiencing the fascinating natural world has always been a huge magnet for me, whether on a horse or a sailing boat. Nature, the peoples, the people who populate this world - it's all a mix that has characterised my whole life."
His "Asma" continued its long voyage. After Stede had initially sold her to Canada, the new owner sailed the ship non-stop and single-handed around the world. In recent years, the "Asma" once again caused an international sensation when the US American Randall Reeves followed Stede's example with the now renamed "Moli" and also circumnavigated both American continents.
About the "Asma" Stede said: "She's a great boat. Really, when I sit in the saddle sometimes and remember the time when she was built, I often think about the people who helped back then - what great guys there are in this world!"
Clark Stede himself will be remembered by many people as a sailor, adventurer, role model, person with character and clear ideas of a meaningful life.
