Hello everyone,
On the navigation side, I am now more than 400 m from the most south-west point I have reached on this journey (Tuesday noon) – but still 630 m from Nieuport on direct route.
I was therefore quite slow on this large edge of 400 m, having crossed several areas of very weak wind – we had to cross a well-established anticyclonic ridge..
Praise of long time
The forecasts for the coming days foreshadow that I should have continuous wind to Nieuwpoort – I cross my fingers that it is as favorable in the direction as possible! But a priori I should stay on the same edge with more or less the same settings until the end of the afternoon of August 25, i.e. in more than 72 hours.
A very long ‘speed-test’ as they say: not much else to do than to regularly retouch the settings of the sails, shock a few cm of listening, resume them a little later, according to the variations of the wind.
It’s a hell of a difference compared to all the rest of this route until now, where I finally had to maneuver quite frequently, change the headsail (trinquette, genoa, gennaker…), take a reef in the mainsail, drop it, etc..
It gives me time to rest, prepare the rest of the navigation, exchange with my family and friends, and just contemplate the sea!
I realize how lucky I am to be able to take this long time, and I try to make the most of it – because I know that in a few days it will be the return to earthling life and its hectic pace.
Choose where to put your attention
On a more intimate personal level, this journey allows me every day to learn more about who I am, how I work, especially outside my comfort zone (Ah well it’s not too early, as you approach your fifties).
I have a very deep tendency to want to control everything, control everything, and on the ground I have quite a lot of confidence that any problem has a solution and that I will undoubtedly be able to find one. And this without having to stress in advance, most of the time.
At sea, the first few days solo I was really not very well, stressed by the fact that too many parameters risked escaping my control and failing me without being able to find a solution easily. For example, after having done 2 hours of engine to try to cross a zone of soft far too wide, I had a doubt about this famous engine and I spent a lot of energy checking what I could on it – without finding anything worrying in the end. I also have the main wear parts in several spare copies on board, as well as oil and coolant. So, on that I’m good – but I still developed a lot of unnecessary stress… Trust!!
At that time I received a perfectly adapted answer to my question. I’m in a flat calm, what am I doing? that I had sent to my friend Nicolas (who crossed all the great oceans of the world on a boat much slower than mine): well You are in ocean nav and you will not be able to do everything on the engine »
It was so true, I laughed about it and I thought I was a little ridiculous with my anxieties!! Thank you Nico for putting me in my place!!
By re-reflecting on it, I believe that this solo oceanic adventure gives me a unique opportunity to work under strong constraint on one of my weaknesses: I clearly tend to focus on considerations on which I have little or no hold, impact. Those who know me on the personal or professional levels will certainly understand with specific examples.
And all capable in there?
When I thought about this project, and when I chose to support the cause of non-oralizing children (who have difficulty speaking), I had in mind to choose a cause on which I could have, on my scale, a significant impact all the same.
You know all my commitments, my positions in favor of the climate (with for example Animation of climate fresco workshops), of the protection of the oceans: I could of course have navigated under these colors – but what would then have been my impact in the face of the excessiveness of these issues.
If I have chosen to set myself the goal of raising awareness of as many people as possible about the cause of the imperative to assume the skills of these children who have so much difficulty in showing their skills, it is because I have the feeling that it is more a need broader awareness of this issue in society: the solutions are known and existing, it is a question of implementing them, and that everyone is aware of them. We all have a family around us who are touched directly or indirectly by this type of disability, however invisible…
Each person sensitized thanks to the powerful vector of the offshore race alone becomes an ambassador of this cause.
So yes, I hope I have chosen a cause for which I could have a significant impact – put my attention on a problem that I can have control over. Of course on my humble scale. And with all my respect for these children who deserve our attention, their families, and the professionals who try to help them, with always insufficient means.
Thank you for your support and encouragement!