Sunday, August 31, 2014

vacuum

I have now been back on Papy Jovial for more than a month. But I have very little to write about. Basically, nothing is happening. I am impatiently waiting to set sails. Thi is likely to happen on October 15th at the latest. We plan to make a first stop in Camaret to check on the weather across the bay of biscay, then jump to Vigo in spain to reprovision if needed and assess my condition after this first multi days trip since the strokes. We would then move on to Funchal in Madeira that I have wanted to visit again for a long time. My previous visit was in 1962 with the Navy. We are aiming to reach Lanzarote not earlier than November and not later than November 16th, when the Atlantic Odyssey that I signed up with leaves for Martinique. We will make a short stop there, as I will have to resupply my medecine. Then it will be sailing on towards Grand Bahamas where my two crews are planning to leave me and fly back to France. Which means that I am going to need help for the trip back to Norfolk and get there late April. My doctor here insists that I do not sail solo and for once I intend to follow orders.
By the way the link on the left "Where is Papy Jovial ?" still works. I won't be posting much until we start the journey back home. As weird as it may look, I feel very much home sick and I miss my friends back there in Norfolk.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Restart

Back on Papy Jovial and back on the water. We even sailed ! All of 37 miles to Granville from Saint Malo with a stop for the night in the Chausey Islands. Mostly upwind as usual for Papy Jovial. Wonderful sail with mostly less than 10 knots of wind. And I was able to hoist the main. This was one micro step in the long road back to Norfolk. The plan is to sail to Vigo then Madeira then Lanzarote to the Canarias before crossing to Martinique with Jean-Paul and Denis with me. Lots of hurdles still to jump. Stay tuned !