Ancora Marina Neustadt, Holstein, Germany

While we enjoyed the morning chants of laughing seagulls on the fringes of Ancora Marina in Neustadt, it was an honor to be invited to join the flock of Sirius Yachts in the heart of the harbor. The transition was like going from an empty summer stock theatre in the country to 42nd St. and Broadway. Lights, camera, action! Here, Star Mist will get some well-deserved TLC and upgrades over the winter.

As we took care of errands and gave Star Mist a good scrub, who popped onto our boat for a surprise visit? Sirius’s CEO Torsten Schmidt! Torsten graciously ignored our scattered cleaning tools as he peppered us with questions about our experiences and regaled us with inside stories from his internationally respected boutique firm. Sirius only produces about a dozen of our beloved 35DS model per year, and the waiting list is now three years long. Running the company requires constant innovation, brilliant engineering, laser-focused attention to detail, and peerless customer service. As we described the endless parade of “oohs and ahhs” Star Mist received during our four-month, seven-country voyage this summer, Torsten smiled modestly, often spotlighting his loyal team as he shrugged off our praise. We wanted Torsten and his esteemed colleague Johannes Erdmann to know how much we have appreciated — on a daily basis — the privilege of voyaging on such a magnificent sailing craft. We enjoyed Star Mist in brilliant sunshine and thanked heavens for her sterling quality in the big waves and winds during the blackest of nights. As if sharing his time and thoughts on a busy day weren’t enough, Torsten brought us two bottles of Sirius wine (from a vineyard of the same name in France) and delicious Mandelhörnchen pastries to delight our tummies. Thank you Torsten, thank you Sirius Yachts, thank you Johannes for your brilliant craftsmanship, your dedication and support! 👍🍾🥂🇩🇪🇺🇸