Leaving Hamburg that evening two nights ago felt surprisingly smooth. The forecast warned us about gusts of up to 25 knots, but during departure we only experienced around 16 knots — just enough to comfortably maneuver the ship out of the berth. With two pilots and the captain on the bridge, everything felt controlled, calm, and exactly how a proper sail-away should be.
We had two pilots onboard: the harbour pilot who guided us off the berth and disembarked about a mile out, and the river pilot who stayed with us for the transit down the channel. Nothing unusual at first — until the river pilot suddenly spoke in Filipino.
For a second, I thought I misheard him. But nope, his Tagalog was solid. That’s when he shared his story: before becoming a pilot, he worked as a captain in Hapag-Lloyd’s cruise ships, sailing with mostly Filipino crew. No wonder he picked up the language so naturally.
And then came the biggest surprise — he once lived in Parañaque. He said it like someone reminiscing fondly about home. He only returned to Germany because of his current job, but he plans to retire in the Philippines for good. According to him, he loves the culture, the warmth of the people, and of course, the much lower cost of living compared to Germany.
It’s not every day you meet a German river pilot who knows how to say “kumusta” better than some of my kababayans onboard. Encounters like these make long transits along the river feel a little lighter.
Seafarer and Family Man
I'm Dexter— a seafarer by profession, a traveler by passion, and a homebody by choice.
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