TransOcean Guests: Jürgen and Claudia Kirchberger

 

A few weeks ago, Alex received a message from Austrian members of the TransOcean Club, of which he is a member and Port Officer for Ireland. Sailors from the continent were heading our way and needed a place to deliver a package. Could we receive it for them? Of course, that's what we do as POs. 

The package arrived the day before they did. It was apparently tyres. What were they going to do with tyres aboard a boat?

Alex delivered the package after they picked up a mooring at Rosmoney and did a fuel run for them. It turns out that the tyres are for motocross bikes that they carry on board their steel ketch, "La Belle Époque". That was Thursday, and we had a wedding to attend; our nephew was getting married that weekend in Tipperary, so we'd be away. But Alex invited them over for lunch on Monday. He'd make pizza.

They arrived on their motocross bikes. Very cool. Seconds later, Willie called, telling Alex there are suspicious characters on motorbikes heading our way. Alex told him they were visiting us. What we didn't know was that these two are extraordinarily accomplished global sailors, especially well known for their high-latitude adventures. 

Claudia and Jürgen Kirchberger, 48 and 52 years old, have been travelling together for over 28 years - initially in a camper van and since 1998 in boats. The couple are from Stroheim in Upper Austria. The trained metalworker and nutritionist give talks about their sailing adventures and publish their experiences in books on long-distance travelling. Best known for their high-latitude adventures,  Jürgen and Claudia have traversed the Northwest Passage and explored the Arctic and Antarctic regions together. They have circumnavigated North and South America.  In 2022, Claudia and Jürgen were awarded the “Trans Ocean Medal” by the Trans-Ocean eV offshore sailing club for their journey from the Baltic Sea across the North Atlantic to Scoresby Sound on Greenland’s east coast.

Claudia & Jürgen took a couple of years off from cruising to become skippers on an Antarctic expedition boat. This was a very different experience for them. They continued their journey into the South Pacific but found that it wasn’t challenging enough. They were fortunate to be caught near home when Covid restrictions were imposed, during which time they refitted their boat and discovered off-road motocross riding.  Claudia had the idea that they could continue cruising but see more of the places they visited if they took their motorbikes along, so they outfitted their boat to hold two bikes. They are currently on a world cruise, visiting places they would like to see more of, unpacking their bikes in remote places. 

We met them in Clew Bay when they asked if they could have a package delivered to our home (Alex is a Port Officer for Trans-Ocean). We spent a delightful afternoon with them when they rode their bikes to our home, touring the vineyard while doing laundry, making and eating pizza, and taking showers. They are totally unassuming and amazing personalities.  The package contained two motocross bike tyres, which we pondered for several days before we learned their story. 

The couple have now explored Iceland, the Shetlands and Ireland while sailing between the points of interest. They didn't actually ride the bikes in Greenland due to the risk of polar bear encounter.

https://blauwassersegeln.at/ueber-uns/ 

https://www.yacht.de/en/worldwide/claudia-and-juergen-kirchberger-with-sailing-yacht-and-motorbike-to-greenland/

https://www.yacht.de/en/special/people/interview-claudia-and-juergen-kirchberger-as-charter-skippers-in-the-antarctic/

https://fortgeblasen.at/

https://blauwassersegeln.at/