can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Dala - Merci, Bernard!



Hi, all,

Oui, merci, Bernard!
Yes, thank you, Bernard!

Who is this Bernard I am talking to in the middle of a quiet night? Some of you may have guessed: I'm talking (in my imagination) to Bernard Moitessier. This guy is one of the best seamen France has ever produced. I thank him because if I am sitting right now in my boat sailing bound Horta, I owe this to him. Forty years ago, I was 22 years old and I read some of his books, among them "La longue route" (I think it was translated in English under the title "The long way"). When I finished that book, while closing it I promised to myself to sail around the world some day in my life time. Apparently this day has arrived, in spite of the fact that this crossing is only a sub-project for me and my Lady Joelle. The real project is a 3 to 6 years circumnavigation that we hope to initiate within 1 year or two.
And I feel now the need to say thank you to Bernard because at this very moment, I am experiencing a deeply satisfying harmony with the sea around me: I am in the middle of the night, it is one of my two night watches. The sea is calm, we have enough wind to sail, about 9 knots, and we are silently gliding on the sea at a moderate speed, about 5.4 knots, our VMG is not so good, about 5 knots, because we are on a close reach and not directly on track to Horta.
But, you know what: I don't care. Because I feel so good! I am alone at the helm, Joelle is probably reading a good book in our cabin (she loves reading and I am fortunate to have her as my private literature adviser!), Richard is surely sleeping, gathering strength for his upcoming watch.
But I am not really alone, I have a beautiful two-third moon, I can clearly see the horizon line 360 degrees around me, I can feel the infinite and quiet power of the sea, I imagine the dolphins are not far away, we've seen many today, we even observed a whale but it was too far.
And this feeling of deep quietness and harmony takes me back to "La longue route".
I recommend you read it. But, you know, those days I should probably add a disclaimer. Something like: "DANGER: Read this book at you own risks. This book is dangerous: You may very well end circumnavigating".
OK, I'm not sure this disclaimer is well written. I probably should take some legal advice...

In the meantime, I wish to my fellow sailors the same harmony and to all of you, sweet dreams!

Albert

Previous | Next