What would you do if you were stuck on a ship, far from loved ones, and you had no idea how - or when - you'd get home? A BBC podcast follows the story of how one young woman's life took an unexpectedly wild turn.
It is New Year's Eve 2019 and Giulia Baccosi is at a party with friends when her phone pings. The 31-year-old has recently accepted a new job in Sicily, but isn't sure she's made the right call.
My heart was telling me maybe I should reconsider, Giulia says. I look up at the sky and ask the universe for a sign - to let me know if I am on the right path.
The message that flashes up on Giulia's phone is from a friend. It says a cargo ship carrying rum and olive oil from Europe to Central America is about to set sail - and it needs a cook.
Giulia has previously worked as a ship's cook and decides she'll take this new job rather than the one in Sicily.
I'll come with you to Mexico, she says on the phone to the ship's owner, and then I'll leave.
It is anticipated this leg of the voyage will take about three months - after which Giulia plans to return to her life in Italy. But that's not how things work out.
In early January, excitement builds aboard the Avontuur - a 100-year-old schooner - as it sets sail from Germany and heads towards the rough waters of the North Sea. Giulia will be cooking three meals a day for the hungry crew and managing supplies. The first port of call is Santa Cruz de Tenerife and as the Avontuur approaches, the crew can hear the distant drums of the city's enormous carnival. After 36 days at sea, everyone is keen to let their hair down. Once on shore, the crew find themselves surrounded by thousands of revellers in dazzling outfits.
The following morning, slightly hungover, a rumour reaches them about some holidaymakers on the island who have fallen ill with a mystery virus and been quarantined in their hotel. But it is soon forgotten as the crew prepare to set sail again.
One morning soon after, as Giulia is chopping fruit and stirring porridge, the night watch tells her about an unusual little light that's been spotted on the horizon. The Avontuur is 45 nautical miles off the coast of Gran Canaria and the light is too far out to be a fishing boat. Suddenly commands are shouted, sails are dropped, and the engine - used only in emergencies - is turned on.
As the light comes closer, she sees a small, wooden fishing vessel with five women and 11 men on board, packed so tightly they can barely stand. They are waving, and from a distance, they can hear them shouting.
As the Avontuur approaches, the people onboard the tiny boat become increasingly distressed. The boat's occupants have been drifting at sea for more than 10 days and have run out of water, food, and fuel. Brought aboard, the exhausted migrants receive food and medical attention.
Days later, the Avontuur is back out in the Atlantic when the crew learns that ports worldwide are closing due to a growing global pandemic. The crew's only point of contact with the rest of the world is a single daily satellite email connecting the ship to its headquarters in Germany.
Over the coming months, the crew is unable to dock at most ports, dealing with food shortages and personal uncertainties while also facing the terrifying threat posed by COVID-19. Giulia reflects on the experience in her writing, ultimately finding beauty and resilience amidst the upheaval. After six months at sea, Giulia and her crew return to Germany, forever changed by their remarkable journey on the Avontuur.
It is New Year's Eve 2019 and Giulia Baccosi is at a party with friends when her phone pings. The 31-year-old has recently accepted a new job in Sicily, but isn't sure she's made the right call.
My heart was telling me maybe I should reconsider, Giulia says. I look up at the sky and ask the universe for a sign - to let me know if I am on the right path.
The message that flashes up on Giulia's phone is from a friend. It says a cargo ship carrying rum and olive oil from Europe to Central America is about to set sail - and it needs a cook.
Giulia has previously worked as a ship's cook and decides she'll take this new job rather than the one in Sicily.
I'll come with you to Mexico, she says on the phone to the ship's owner, and then I'll leave.
It is anticipated this leg of the voyage will take about three months - after which Giulia plans to return to her life in Italy. But that's not how things work out.
In early January, excitement builds aboard the Avontuur - a 100-year-old schooner - as it sets sail from Germany and heads towards the rough waters of the North Sea. Giulia will be cooking three meals a day for the hungry crew and managing supplies. The first port of call is Santa Cruz de Tenerife and as the Avontuur approaches, the crew can hear the distant drums of the city's enormous carnival. After 36 days at sea, everyone is keen to let their hair down. Once on shore, the crew find themselves surrounded by thousands of revellers in dazzling outfits.
The following morning, slightly hungover, a rumour reaches them about some holidaymakers on the island who have fallen ill with a mystery virus and been quarantined in their hotel. But it is soon forgotten as the crew prepare to set sail again.
One morning soon after, as Giulia is chopping fruit and stirring porridge, the night watch tells her about an unusual little light that's been spotted on the horizon. The Avontuur is 45 nautical miles off the coast of Gran Canaria and the light is too far out to be a fishing boat. Suddenly commands are shouted, sails are dropped, and the engine - used only in emergencies - is turned on.
As the light comes closer, she sees a small, wooden fishing vessel with five women and 11 men on board, packed so tightly they can barely stand. They are waving, and from a distance, they can hear them shouting.
As the Avontuur approaches, the people onboard the tiny boat become increasingly distressed. The boat's occupants have been drifting at sea for more than 10 days and have run out of water, food, and fuel. Brought aboard, the exhausted migrants receive food and medical attention.
Days later, the Avontuur is back out in the Atlantic when the crew learns that ports worldwide are closing due to a growing global pandemic. The crew's only point of contact with the rest of the world is a single daily satellite email connecting the ship to its headquarters in Germany.
Over the coming months, the crew is unable to dock at most ports, dealing with food shortages and personal uncertainties while also facing the terrifying threat posed by COVID-19. Giulia reflects on the experience in her writing, ultimately finding beauty and resilience amidst the upheaval. After six months at sea, Giulia and her crew return to Germany, forever changed by their remarkable journey on the Avontuur.
