Maxi Biewer (57) and her husband have been exploring the Baltic Sea on their boat, a Valiant 40, for the past few years. They know their sturdy long-distance vessel inside out. Now Maxi Biewer has ended her professional life and is planning a cruise to the Caribbean - and perhaps further afield - to mark her retirement.
YACHT: Mrs Biewer, who is responsible for the weather on board?
Maxi Biewer: My husband and I take care of it together. Even though I was involved in weather forecasting for a very long time, he simply has a very good instinct. Over the last 20 years, it has become clear that he is usually right. So if he says we're not going out today, then that's the way it is.
After 30 years as a TV weather presenter, you now want to spend your retirement on the water. Where are you travelling to?
We want to sail towards the Canary Islands and then across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Then we'll see what life has in store.
Don't you have a dream destination or perhaps even a round-the-world trip in mind?
I don't want to rule out sailing around the world. But I don't want to commit myself. My life used to be timed down to the minute, I only really realise that now that it's no longer like that. I really enjoy dawdling around and not always having the clock breathing down my neck. That's why we don't plan too far in advance.
Does your previous job affect your cruise planning or life on board in any other way?
After a working life with an early shift at three o'clock, I am definitely predestined for the night watches. I'm still up early and have my most productive hours in the morning. What I do, I do completely - and so far my job has always come first. But I also love being out in the mountains and on the sea. It just takes time. That's where all this comes from now.
You've had your boat for a long time - will this be your first big trip with it?
Yes, because up to now long journeys were hardly possible due to my tight work schedule. It wasn't unusual for me to be called back to the station in Cologne on the first day of my holiday. But the dream of sailing away for a longer period of time has been around since we bought the boat 20 years ago.
How did you prepare yourself and your ship for the upcoming voyage?
At that time, after a first year in the Caribbean, we had the boat brought to Europe on a freighter. Since then, it has been moored in the Baltic Sea. We have always repaired everything on the boat ourselves, so we know every washer by its first name. The last few months have been a real upheaval: clearing out the house, packing boxes, storing things, deciding what to take on board. So there wasn't much time to prepare. But we have already thought about a few destination harbours in the Canary Islands. Everything else will come now.
What role does the weather forecast play for you on board?
I'm as relaxed about it as I am about the whole journey. Of course, we consult GRIB files and have weather software on board. But we also like to look outside and check the barometer often.
Your husband is Canadian. Is his home country also on the itinerary?
No - too cold! Where we're sailing to, it can be a bit warmer.
