Yachting Art Magazine

As Jona and Luka Kobler sail their Beneteau First 14 SE out to sea, their maritime challenge reveals a universal dimension: the fear of the unknown. Their adventure, part of a daring project, resonates with the experience of those who struggle daily with a disease such as pulmonary hypertension.

For these sailors, fear is never far away. It manifests itself even before departure, in the form of a deep respect for the open sea, the whims of the wind and the limitations of a small boat. "From the outset, we felt a mixture of fear and anticipation. The potential risks were very much on our minds," admits Jona. Luka draws a parallel with the distress felt by patients receiving a serious diagnosis.

Illness, like the ocean, disrupts your bearings. For Tadeja, who waited for a heart transplant, fear is mixed with hope: ‘I was afraid that the disease would progress too quickly and that I wouldn't survive the operation,’ she recalls. This fear is not always expressed through intense anxiety. Sometimes it creeps into everyday actions. Tone describes her apprehension about climbing a few flights of stairs to visit her parents, fearing she would have to stop halfway up, unable to go any further.

On their boat, Jona and Luka share this feeling of physical and mental exhaustion after hours of sailing and a sleepless night. ‘Fatigue sets in, and despite the good weather, we dread the cold of the coming night,’ they admit. Fatigue, invisible but heavy, is also familiar to patients, as Ajda points out: ‘I'm afraid people won't believe my limitations because you can't see them.’

And then there is the deeper fear: the fear of running out of air. At sea, it is the uncertainty of capricious winds; on land, it is the anxiety of running out of breath. Mojca, who lives with respiratory assistance, confides her doubts: ‘Will I be able to continue living normally with an oxygen tank?’

Yet the testimonies agree on one point: after the effort, a certain calmness sets in. Mojca recalls the satisfaction of walking, despite the medical equipment: ‘Quickly, what seemed impossible turned into pleasure.’
Ultimately, whether facing waves or illness, fear remains a silent companion.

But with determination, optimism and courage, it is possible to cross this invisible threshold, to move forward towards a new day, a new stage. And to prove that when life seems to take your breath away, the wind can still fill your sails.