A sailboat can be part of nature, a living state that no motorboat can never accomplish. This makes intellectual sense, but you feel it on the sea especially in a wooden boat under sail. The relationship between a human being and the sea is intimate and deep. It is also the basis of the current revival of sail transport.

But in this Oil Age, even during its recent decline as cheaply extracted oil has peaked globally, sail transport needs all the help it can get. Fortunately, interest is rising faster and faster. At the Sail Transport Network we see more projects than ever. The proof of this movement's rise and manifestation of its global destiny is in the Tres Hombres, a modern but traditional cargo ship of the schooner-brig rig.

I joined the ship on June 1 for the annual celebration of its return from the Caribbean to its home port of Den Helder, a significant harbor two easy days' sail north of Amsterdam. Laden with rum, molasses, cacao and chocolate, the ship's large community of supporters and volunteers were excited to compare notes and introduce new members of the public to the adventures of the Tres Hombres.

Named after its three captains and founders of Fair Transport, the 32-meter ship has completed four main voyages for cargo to the Caribbean and many others in northern European waters. I had last been aboard the wine run to Copenhagen last summer, when 8,000 bottles of biodynamic wine were delivered with a jolly crew of 13.

My next trip had to wait until last week. On June 3 we sailed for Enkhuizen, a lovely old town that is home to the world's preeminent sailing-captain school. After a short stay we sailed on to Amsterdam.