Former UKZN economics lecturer Hans Hamre (on the boat) has sailed to many parts of the world and his journey finally led him back to Durban. His long-time friend John Hart gave him a warm welcome on his return recently. Picture: SUPPLIED
There is no place like home and this rings true for Hans Hamre. Mr Hamre, an alumnus and former University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) economics lecturer, who swapped his career as an investment analyst for a life of adventure. After retiring he set sail to see the world.
He lived in London for over 32 years. He was inspired to take up sailing as he reflected on how to make the most of his life. Driven by the sobering reality of friends experiencing premature deaths or uninspiring retirements, he decided he was going to do things differently.
At 57, Mr Hamre purchased a 40-foot Dufour yacht, named Manuka, resigned from his job, and rented out his house before setting sail across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Islands. Little did he know that his journey would eventually bring him back to his hometown of Durban three years later.
“I initially spent two years in the Caribbean exploring the different islands, including a five-month stint where I visited Columbia, Panama and Costa Rica,” he said.
After reaching Central America in mid-2023, Mr Hamre sailed through the Pacific, making it as far as Fiji. Toward the end of the year, he continued to New Zealand, where he spent six months. By July 2024, his voyage took him to Australia, across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, the Réunion Islands, and finally back home to Durban.
“The journey from Réunion to Durban was particularly gruelling,” Mr Hamre said. “It took 12 days to cover 1 450 nautical miles. It was fairly slow, and after sailing so much over the past four months, I was eager to get home, which made it frustrating.”
Mr Hamre faced several challenges during the 12-day voyage, including malfunctioning sliders and a failed water pump. Fortunately, the wind picked up enough for the foresail alone to be sufficient, so he didn’t need the mainsail sliders, he said. He added that he relied on five litre plastic bottles refilled from 20 litre Jerry cans because the water tanks were out of service.
“I come from a lineage of seafarers. My father, Erik, was a whaler, captain and gunner for the Union Whaling Company, operating out of Durban until it closed in 1975. My grandfather, Hans, served as a war sailor. Reflecting on my journey, I never imagined I would one day follow in their footsteps, sailing solo across the Indian Ocean and into the Port of Durban,” said Mr Hamre.
His arrival in Durban was made even more special by the welcoming party of old friends. He said he was looking forward to a break from the sea with a vacation in the Drakensberg mountains. “ I’ve had enough of water to last me a while,” he said.