In 1972 they were students and sailors on board Statsraad Lehmkuhl. Now, they are older, reflective, and reunited, back on board the very same ship that carried them through storms and into adulthood.
The two Americans, Steve Paulus from New York and Marley Smucker from Pennsylvania, and the Dane, Peter Kjemtrup, met again for the first time in over half a century. Their voices carry laughter, nostalgia, and a quiet recognition of time’s passage.
They were part of a bold educational voyage in 1972, a seven-month sailing school aboard the Statsraad Lehmkuhl. Marley and Steve were students. Peter was the third mate - and, to the students, part of the officer class to be slightly feared.
– We were a bit scared of him because he was an officer. And now he’s just another one of the guys, another old man reminiscing about the old days, says Steve Paulus with a smile.
The reunion began at Bergen Airport, where Marley and Steve planned a surprise.
– We knew we were going to be there. He didn’t know we were going to be there. When he walked through the door, we questioned whether we would know him or not… but in a minute, I knew him, said Marley.
Peter was equally moved.
– I knew they were here in Bergen, but I did not know they would pick me up at the airport… I saw these two elderly guys, and I didn’t know who they were, he laughs.
A ship remembered
Seeing the Statsraad Lehmkuhl again for the first time in decades stirred strong emotions.
– It was fantastic. I got tears in my eyes, admits Marley.
To him, the ship looked better than he remembered, clean, polished, well-maintained. Peter, however, recalled it differently.
– I would disagree, the blocks, the tackle, the sails - all looked the same. And I went below and it smelled the same. It was pretty amazing.
They agreed on one thing: the sailing rig itself hadn’t changed much, but life aboard had. In 1972, fresh water was rationed, there was no air conditioning, and trash was tossed overboard.
– You could see a trail of garbage behind the ship, Steve recalls. Today that would be shocking. But back then, it was the norm.
Peter agrees.
– We did not do anything illegal. It was legal, and everyone did it. But horrible, seen with the eyes of today.
A different kind of school
Their memories of the voyage are full of contrast, discipline and freedom, hardship and adventure. The students worked, studied, and sailed in tight quarters. They learned the ropes, climbed the rigging, and formed a unique bond.
Steve recalled sailing through a hurricane in the Bay of Biscay, crossing the equator, and steering the helm in the moonlight.
– I remember thinking, I’m the only American teenager on the wheel of a tall ship, probably in the world. You need to remember that. Because if you forget, you lose perspective.
Peter, only 22 at the time, was a professional seaman but had no experience as a teacher.
– We should probably have been training the Americans in another way. They were not supposed to be trained as seamen, but to have an experience for their life. And I did not know how to handle a school class.
Still, the bond grew.
– I liked Peter from day one, said Marley. He was more patient than many, and I wrote often about him in my journal.
Then, and now
Safety standards have changed dramatically. In 1972, no one used harnesses in the rigging. Marley, who loved being aloft, said:
– I never felt fear of not wearing a harness because I never thought that was an option.
He was, however, once close to falling from the mast during a night watch in rough weather. He still relives the moment in his nightmares, but that doesn't stop him from climbing to the royal - the sail at the top of the mainmast. Not bad for a 72-year-old!
Now, harnesses are compulsory.
– It’s a pain, Steve admits, but a necessary pain. You could not sail this ship today without them.
They also remember a crewman named Jakobsen, reckless, fearless, and full of stories. Once, in Gambia, he climbed to the top of the mast and spread-eagled on his stomach at the very top, just for a dare.
– He was not afraid of anything, Peter said. But of course, it was not safe.
The ocean, then and now
Looking back, the voyage in 1972 developed a deeper understanding of the ocean’s importance for all three.
– This is an expedition that’s going to help, Steve said of the One Ocean Expedition. When you’re in the middle of an ocean and can’t see land, and you think about sea levels rising, it’s frightening.
Peter added:
– The ocean is more important than the forests in a way… we have treated the sea badly for many years.
Marley called the expedition’s mission “solid,” and noted how his own children, now wildlife biologists, have long reminded him of the need to change.
A message in a bottle
If they could have sent a message from 1972 to 2025, what would it be?
– I hope you had a good life and you worked hard, Steve said. And remember this memory of this experience
Marley would send an excerpt from his journal, just one day, rolled into a bottle: a little wisp of time.
Peter pauses.
– I really haven’t… I don’t have any answer to that.
But his presence here, more than fifty years later, speaks volumes on its own.