Hull and high water
Born in 1985 in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Han graduated from the Sichuan International Studies University. Daring to chase his dream, he opened a bar in Chengdu, ran a hotel in Mauritius and was a tour guide in Europe. In 2018, he got his American Sailing Association 106 advanced coastal cruising certificate after six months of training.
At 34, he decided to put his career on hold, say goodbye to his family and his newborn baby girl, and go sailing around the world for the next three years. He sold his house in Chengdu and bought a monolithic sailboat Deep Blue in Stockholm for over 2 million yuan ($280,400), starting his around-world adventure in April last year.
"As a man born inland, sailing is my dream. It provides a totally different view of life and a new lifestyle," Han says.
His parents and wife supported his dream and told him to just "come back alive".
Nicknamed as Captain Han, he has been recording his experiences on Xigua and has attracted more than 3 million followers.
Sailing over 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers), Han has explored more than 20 countries so far.
As the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic has led to governments across the world shutting down their borders and putting up travel restrictions, like numerous travelers stuck on road, Han was also affected when harbors and ports closed. Without setting foot on shore for more than 50 days, he is still floating, waiting for permission to go into a port near Sudan.
