new A chapter

Jaques Marslund from Esvagt

After seven months at the Seamen’s Home in Aasiaat, Greenland, Erwan Jaques Marslund now sails as OS at Esvagt Supply Team in Esbjerg, Denmark. Over the coming 18 months, he will be adding experience to his record, and he enjoys the combination of physical work and mental challenges.

“After attending the maritime college, I went to Greenland. I knew one of the leaders there from my church back home. She contacted me and asked if I wanted to try something new. And after fifteen years of school, there was no doubt in my mind,” Erwan says. Among other things, Erwan worked as a guide and took visitors sailing in the Disco Bay. He spent a hundred hours in the boat, and he now navigates confidently past whales as well as icebergs –even in rough weather with waves three meters tall and a wind blowing at 20 m/s. However, his experience back then didn’t count in his official record because you have to sail on a 500 BT ship or larger.

The edge of the world

“Living on the island of Aasiaat is a unique experience. You pass through town in fifteen minutes, and then you feel like you’re on the edge of the world with nowhere to go. For a part of the year, it’s constantly dark. The darkness and isolation is a mental challenge. To me, it became a formative journey where the importance of my Christian faith grew. I didn’t grow up with it, so it was a great privilege to spend time with the Danish youth workers who were also there. We had lots of great experiences and were able to reflect on them together. I especially had a lot of conversations about faith with a young Danish woman who had a way of thinking about faith that was very different from my own.” In addition, the locals taught him a lot about patience and how to take one day at the time.

Working on a rescue vessel at Esvagt fits the young seafarer perfectly. “When something happens, we are out there to save lives. Therefore, it is crucial that we are able to work together efficiently and stay focused at all times. I think I’m pretty good at that.”

When asked why he deals so well with this type of pressure, Erwan points to his upbringing. His father was a French elite soldier who raised him to be disciplined and take responsibility. He guided him and let him try all kinds of sports so he could learn that you can always do more than you think at first. “Since the second grade, I’ve made my own lunch and had chores around the house. The purpose was to teach me independence and to give me a strong self-esteem.”

A childhood dream

When asked what fascinates him about the maritime life, Erwan says: “I fell free. My childhood dream is to become master and sail some of the largest containerships that have engines the size of a house.” But right now, it is all about building up his time of sailing. Erwan is out for 26 days and home for 28. He is excited to try different types of vessels at Esvagt, especially those that service the drilling rigs and the ones that are built to attend the large offshore windmills.

“I take all the experience I can gather, and I look forward to working at sea and sharing the experience with my co-workers. My best friend also sails for Esvagt, and we often talk. Having someone close to you is important. Trying to be macho and not show any emotions is not my style. My friend is like a brother to me. We both have a lot of qualities that we can give to each other, and we have each other’s back,” Erwan says. In addition, Erwan has a lot of good co-workers that he can go to for help and advice.

As a former elite swimmer, being physically active helps him relax, and he works out a lot when not spending time with friends. Life is exciting. •