When off-duty, Johanes makes it a point to call his wife and daughter everyday through WhatsApp video. Although virtual, and the vast sea still separates them, his daughter can see his face and interact with him real-time.

He recalled how his then 18-month-old daughter refused to let him carry her after being away for 3 and a half months. “I could not find a reliever and had to stay at sea longer than expected. It took 2 weeks before she let me get close to her. That experience hit me very hard,” he said. No wonder he is a strong advocate of regular face to face communication with his family. Communication strengthens bonding.

With unlimited wifi onboard, no longer does he need to relive the feelings of isolation and loneliness of his cadet days when there was no Wi-Fi on board vessels and communication with loved ones could cost $18 USD for a 10-15 minute phone call. 

Johanes has never ‘lost touch’ with the ‘why’ and ‘how’ he came to join the maritime industry. He retains the sense of purpose he found, and memories of his father, Johnny Lie, bringing the young Johanes to the Lighthouse Bistro and introducing him to Capt. Robin Foo. His father also took him aboard a vessel or two to explore the bridge. Those visits as well as his father’s advice and guidance made a deep impression on him. When Wavelink Maritime Institute offered the Tripartite Nautical Training Award (TNTA) Programme, Johanes grabbed the opportunity to train for a deck career at sea.