Accessible travel: Stories of boundaries, freedom and the power of the wind

There are moments when freedom suddenly bursts upon you. You can feel it, smell it, taste it – and sometimes just hear it. For many people, this moment is when the water beats against the bow, the wind tightens the sails and the boat dances on the waves. For others, it's when they can look out over an untouched landscape in the middle of a national park. But what if your own body doesn't want to play along? What if traveling becomes a challenge due to a disability? Some people with disabilities show that traveling is definitely possible and that it's worth giving it a try.

The Dutch organization SailWise has been enabling people with disabilities to take part in water sports activities since 1974. What sets SailWise apart is not only its technical accessibility with adapted boats and aids such as lifts and jetties. Above all, it is its inclusive spirit. Here, the freedom of sailing is open to everyone. 

Michiel Meijers, Manager of SailWise, observes time and again how sailing activities change the lives of participants: "People feel stronger and more self-confident. You learn to think in terms of possibilities instead of limitations. Everyone can experience that the wind doesn’t distinguish."

Athlete Angela Maas felt this first-hand. After an accident in her youth that left her partially paraplegic, the former wheelchair tennis player found her way back to sailing with SailWise. "It took a lot of skill to work out how I would be able to sit in a boat with my limitations. [...] Now, thanks to SailWise, I'm sailing in an open competition boat like I used to. A feeling of freedom and victory that can hardly be described in words."

Daniela Möller, also known as Daniela Düsewind (English: ‘Jet Wind') on Instagram, is just as positive and full of energy. Daniela Möller lives in Hamburg, Germany, has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and is the German runner-up in wheelchair fencing. Her name says it all – because she lives with momentum! Anyone who meets Daniela Möller is immediately swept away by her charisma and positive energy. Whether traveling or doing sports, she always stays active and doesn't let anything stop her. 

Daniela Möller is also a big fan of SailWise. She is particularly enthusiastic about the professional support on-site: "The great thing about SailWise is that aids are always on site. No matter how severely disabled you are, there are always people to help you." She learned to sail at SailWise, water-skied and rowed – everything was possible. "It's no problem at all – they always say that themselves. You laugh a lot and have no worries."

But SailWise is just one part of Daniela Möller's adventurous life. She has discovered the world on her own and traveled around the globe in three months – from Germany, Canada and the USA to the Fiji Islands, Australia and Sri Lanka.

One highlight of her trip was Fiji, where she met very helpful people: "There were a lot of muscular rugby players there. When I couldn't get any further in my wheelchair, they simply threw me over their shoulder and carried me! That was adventurous, but I let them do that to me." This positive attitude runs through all her experiences. In many countries, she has found that people often help spontaneously when there is no accessibility. "As different as the countries and cultures were, I can actually say that people helped me everywhere when I didn't know what to do."

Daniela Möller was particularly impressed by the accessibility in Australia: "I cruised along the coast and really enjoyed it. Everything was accessible, and I even took the train into the jungle – with ramps and a perfect toilet for wheelchair users. Everything was totally easy, even though I hadn't even registered beforehand."

Daniela Möller also has exciting plans for the future: her next trip will take her to Portugal, where she will be surfing with the Open Ocean association. "I love Open Ocean. I would recommend everyone to do it," she says enthusiastically. Surfing with MS? No problem for Daniela Möller – she tackles it with her typical "Düsewind" mentality, full of joy, energy and the certainty that you can do anything with the right attitude. 

This is also demonstrated by Amelie Ohren and Björn Reinsch from Halle an der Saale in Germany, who are also known on Instagram as "We Roll The World". They have traveled the world together. And Björn Reinsch, who lives with spina bifida, travels in a wheelchair. But for the two of them, this is by no means a limitation – quite the opposite: they love discovering the world in their own way. 

They plan their trips indepedently, without specialized platforms. "We use Google Maps and click through the images to assess for ourselves whether Björn can get around in his wheelchair," they say. The fun of traveling always remains at the forefront, because for Amelie Ohren and Björn Reinsch it's all about the adventure and the joy of discovering the world together. 

Despite minor challenges, they never let the wind leave their sails. Their trip around the world took them through twelve countries and despite challenging moments that sapped their strength, the positives outweighed the negatives: "We both love being out and about in nature. We knew beforehand that it wouldn't always be accessible. Nevertheless, we struggled quite a bit in one region or another, but were always rewarded with wonderful experiences."

Despite the many positive experiences, there are also challenges: Daniela Möller, for example, talks about her experiences with airlines, which often make things unnecessarily difficult for wheelchair users. “It's getting more and more complicated with the airlines,” she says, recounting an incident in which she was denied boarding despite having a ticket and having registered. In the end, she was able to board, but had no access to the toilet for the entire 12-hour flight – a bitter experience. 

For Daniela, accessible toilets are a key issue when traveling. “I would like to see standardized regulations. Every town should have an accessible toilet in the market square and at the tourist information office.” 

Another idea from Daniela Möller: an emergency repair network for wheelchair users – simply an emergency number where you can reach someone in every city if your wheelchair breaks down. 

Amelie Ohren and Björn Reinsch also see room for improvement in the tourism industry. There is often a lack of clear and reliable information on accessibility. They would like to see the industry develop more sensitivity for people with disabilities and consider their needs from the outset. “When it comes to accessibility in tourism, people with various disabilities should be involved from planning to implementation to ensure that information on accessibility is presented authentically and accurately.” 

In the end, accessible travel is not just about technical solutions or overcoming obstacles – it's about enabling people with disabilities to experience the same joy and freedom of travel as everyone else. People like Angela Maas, Daniela Möller, Amelie Ohren and Björn Reinsch show that a thirst for adventure and a zest for life know no bounds. 

As an association, SailWise is always on the lookout for volunteers to help with care work, take on tasks in the accessible accommodation and support the water sports activities. Interested parties can find more information on the SailWise website. 

Jennifer Meyer
REHACARE.com