Intercultural sailing ethnography: methodological challenges and reflexivity across the North Sea

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper presents an ethnography study that explores the formulation of interculturality from the unique experiences of sail trainees who were bound by space and time during a sailing voyage across the North Sea. The author immersed herself as a mentor-researcher into a 107-year-old tall ship’s expedition, sailing across 1000 nautical miles. Empirical data were collected and analysed, ranging from interviews, observations, fieldnotes, to the participants’ diaries and logbooks. The study reveals that situated in a confined space largely shaped by the unpredictable conditions at sea, both the researcher and the participants confront challenges due to various factors, driving them out of their comfort zones and prompting them to co-create fluid communicative approaches in the sailing ethnography. Given the uniqueness of the research site, this study provides methodological insights for intercultural or adventure ethnographic research design.