Belonging is a difficult thing to understand. Land generates egoisms that many struggle to jettison from their routine. On the other hand, on sea one does not distinguish borders. It is as if the Mediterranean were the homeland and utopia untested to gulls, fish and crew.

Today we are in Porto colom, on the island of Mallorca (Spain). This time tomorrow my thoughts will be floating on a boat that has been working for 32 years, researching for the conservation of Mediterranean turtles, whales and dolphins. Seen from here it is just a pile of wood with a rudder. Tomorrow it will be my home.

We have not set sail, but the journey has begun. Rick has raised the flag. In the stern, the Mednight flag was flown while I revel in the idea of sleeping without swaying to and fro.

Written by Jon López