PETALING JAYA: Steering a yacht across treacherous waters is not for the faint-hearted.
But for Fabian Fernandez, it is a test of courage, grit and an abiding love for the sea, one that has taken him around the world.
The 54-year-old sailor is on the verge of circumnavigating the globe single-handedly, a feat he is expected to complete by the end of this month or early next month.
Sailing aboard his vessel Destiny 12, his three-year voyage has spanned more than 35,000 nautical miles (about 64,820km), with stops in the Maldives, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and scores of islands in between.
What makes his journey even more remarkable is that he left behind a comfortable corporate career as a marine engineer and plantation manager to chase a childhood dream.
“What inspired me to attempt this (journey) was a mix of curiosity, challenge and a love for the sea. From the beginning, I knew this was not going to be just another voyage, it had to be something unique and meaningful.”
Fernandez, now in the final leg of his journey, recently departed Indonesia and is about 1,100 nautical miles away from Port Klang. If all goes according to plan, he will return two years ahead of his original five-year schedule.
When he sails home, he will be welcomed by the Raja Muda of Selangor, a patron of his club, the Royal Selangor Yacht Club, and a supporter of his journey since day one.
The voyage has not been without peril. He counts sailing past the Cape of Good Hope and through the Mozambique Channel as his most harrowing test.
No Malaysian has attempted that passage from east to west because of the Cape’s fearsome reputation, where storms, unpredictable seas and currents converge.
“It demanded every bit of planning, seamanship and mental strength I had. Successfully making it through was both a relief and one of the most defining moments of the entire circumnavigation.”
When he completes his journey, he will be the fourth Malaysian to sail around the world.
Above all, he feels privileged to carry Malaysia’s name to distant shores.
“Knowing I’m nearing the end of this journey fills me with a mixture of humility, relief and gratitude.
“There is pride, not the boastful kind, but the quiet satisfaction of having followed a vision I set for myself and seeing it come true.
“I feel thankful, for the moments at sea that took my breath away, for the people such as those at Point Yacht Club Durban who lifted me up and showed me my story mattered and even for the hardships that made the triumphs sweeter.
“There is also a sense of responsibility. I’m coming home with lessons to share, a message about persistence and faith and a desire to use this experience to inspire others through speaking and writing. Ending this journey does not close a chapter so much as it opens a new one.”
Fernandez chronicles his odyssey on his website, destinydawnsailing.com and through social media updates, hoping to remind Malaysians to embrace boldness, persistence and the spirit of discovery.