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Karsten Petersen was born in Kolding, at 09:50 AM,- on March 06.1946.
Kolding is a medium size city on the east coast of Denmark, where  the landscape is dominated  by beautiful forest lined fjords, and the narrow sound,- Lillebaelt-, which separates the Jutland peninsula from the island Fyn - - - -

Nature is very generous in this area around Lillebaelt, with it's water, islands, deep forests and soft rolling hills.
A lot of  special plants and  animals can be found here, as well as geological specialties and numerous interesting historical- and cultural sites from stone age settlements to wreck sites of sunken WW2 German U-boats, - and much more

This is the northern part of Lillebaelt,- the area the Webmaster calls "home".
Kolding Fjord cannot be seen on the following map,- but the entrance to the fjord is just visible to the left.

Later the Webmaster moved away from Kolding, and now lives on the nearby island Fyn, in-between the forests on the Hindsgavl peninsula, at the small town of Middelfart,- which can all be seen on the map.

This area is a paradise for sailors, divers, fishermen, history buffs,- and nature lovers.
The deepest sounding in the inner danish waters,- an impressive 81 meters -, can be found here at the "narrows" , - Snaevringen -, just to the south-west of island Fænø.
 
 

Being a true descendant of his viking  ancestors,- tall, blond and with blue eyes-, Karsten Petersen very early developed his natural instincts for water, travel, exploring and adventure.
The forests and most of the coast lines around Lillebaelt could be easily explored, but to get out on the water to explore the small, beautiful islands, was much more of a challenge due to the very dangerous and strong currents, that are quite common in the narrow water between Jylland and island Fyn.
Often the current forms white caps on the waves, and creates huge whirlpools where control of a small boat is not only very dangerous,- but sometimes impossible.
But all this, - and the alluring small islands -, only strengthened the sense of adventure and stimulated the imagination and urge to explore.

But to navigate these waters was indeed a very risky game for a bunch of boys, since their "boats" were mainly very fragile vessels made from whatever available components, - like  pieces of wood, rope and empty tin cans in any combination and shape.
One of the more imaginative vessels was actually made from an old bathtub.
(Most likely that bathtub is still resting out there at the sea bottom, where it was finally sunk on purpose, in order to prevent other "explorers" from finding it and using it!)

But what an exiting and truly fascinating world that old bathtub had opened up in the minds and imagination of young boys!
Just imagine, - if they really managed to construct a seaworthy vessel, it would be perfectly  possible,- at least in their minds -, to leave Kolding Fjord and via the World's great oceans and rivers to end up in the center of China,- without never, ever having to cross any land based borderlines, - or even touching land!

It was "just" to sail out of Kolding Fjord! Then via the World's "blue path" , sail halfway around the globe, and up the mighty Yellow River, - and straight into the very heart of China!!!
WoW!!  That's adventure!

Karsten Petersen did eventually pursue a professional career at sea, and has done so from he started in the Royal Danish Navy way back in 1967.
 
 

Later came the merchant ships , - dry cargo ships and container ships -, and he soon ended up as Chief Engineer on state of the art chemical tankers trading on all oceans.
Those service periods at sea was followed by equal periods of freedom, which were partly spent at home, and partly somewhere around the world, traveling as an adventurer and explorer, in order to see more and learn more about life and "how things are"!

That exotic lifestyle has resulted in lots of trips to beautiful, exiting places .  Numerous volcanoes and mountains have been conquered, - jungles penetrated,- deserts crossed, - interesting cultures have been studied, - oceans have been dived,- historical events have been checked out, - and there have been heavy struggles with the Arctic ice, - and of course -, with the great oceans themselves.

Although it is possible to find beautiful and exiting places all over planet Earth, the preferred area eventually became the Far East, which is also quite evident when looking at the following pages. The reason for this is, that Asia is quite possibly the only place on Earth where well educated and sophisticated people from the Western World really can learn something important about life and "how things are".

After living in 6 years in Hong Kong, - which was used as base for numerous expeditions to mainly Asian countries-, he decided to return to his native country,- Denmark.
This return to European soil was not in any way triggered by dissatisfaction by living in Asia.
On the contrary - - - -
Those years on the China coast were actually a truly great time, but year 1997 was looming in the future,- the year when Hong Kong would be reunited with China -, and nobody really knew what would happen then, so better get out and play safe instead of settling too tight with prospects of an uncertain future.

Therefore he eventually settled permanently on the island Fyn,- on the protected sanctuary called the "Hindsgavl Peninsula".  The peninsula protrudes straight into the narrow sound "Lillebaelt"-, at the small, cozy sea port of Middelfart, surrounded by a magnificent area where nature reigns supreme.

From this base he also has been working closely with a museum, - the "Aabenraa Maritime Museum" -, supplying numerous photographs from China and the China trade during the "Cultural Revolution",- as well as giving written records about life on a  China trader during that particular time of China's long history.

Being disappointed with the way modern shipping has developed, he has now finally decided to quit life at sea after 36 years on the great oceans of the world.
Instead he will be closer to his wife, - a gifted Chinese artist -, and has decided to get more into "artists life" himself, by more intensively using his own talents as an artist, writer and photographer.
This change of lifestyle will also give much more time for enjoying family life, gardening and, - not at least -, for enjoying nature around the coasts of Lillebaelt with his small boat named "Wobbegong",- a fast, high powered open boat that is easy to put on a trailer, - and take anywhere!
 
 

"Wobbegong" is used for diving expeditions and for pleasure trips to the smaller islands and the numerous good beaches in the area.
 
 

His wife , - Tao Kit Yu ,- is a highly creative and adventurous Chinese artist and designer, who seems to fit in perfectly with the soft, peaceful Danish landscapes with its old, colorful towns and many small, beautiful islands, so far away and so different from her native China.
Kit Yu is very close nature, and loves to be "on the road", climbing mountains, exploring scenic places,- and enjoying cultural- and historical sites of any kind.
She shares this interest with her husband, whom she has joined on several expeditions.
 
 

She is the perfect companion when "on the road".
(And, - indeed -, also when not!)
When in the mountains,- or elsewhere-, she can go all day long without food, and she will never complain about heat, cold, hunger, fatigue, thirst or feeling bored - - -
Instead she seems to fully absorb every moment of beauty, joy and excitement, - always looking at the world with highly alert and open eyes.  She can "feel" what it is all about, and her mind seems to be very much concentrated on "here and now", when she experiences the "real" life and the "real" world.
She does indeed have an artists mind - - - -

Her Chinese name, - Kit Yu -, means "Clear Jade".
 
 
 

For samples of Kit Yu's art work, - click  HERE
 
 

Updated:  Dec.18.2002
               Oct.28.2003
               Jan.17.2004
               May 23.2004
               Oct.17.2004
               Feb.14.2007