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Boat Life

Repairs

Yacht Haven Marina

Three months have passed since our last entry… We’ve been busy.

No major repairs had been undertaken on Dali since November 2011. After 6 months of sailing up and down the coasts of Malaysia and Thailand, the boat needed some love and care to fix its injuries. We headed to Yacht Haven Marina in the North of Phuket for a month of work.

The biggest job would be fixing the leaks at the hull/deck junction at the back of the boat as well as on the bow. While the hull is solid fiberglass and most of the deck is a fiber/balsa wood sandwich, the sections around the cockpit and on the bow are just plywood covered with fiberglass. Due to bad isolation, some of the plywood was rotten and needed to be changed. Both storage areas at the back of the boat were leaking water !

Beginning of Deck Repairs

Deck repairs being finished

The diesel tank was completely clogged up from not having been cleaned for years. The only way was to take it out, cut a hatch into it, clean it and put it back.

Diesel Tank Repairs

Tank Repaired, Aft Cabin Painted & Organized

Our cushions covers were old and tired, and we were excited to replace them with the fabric we had purchased in KL’s Little India a few months back.

Curtains to match the cushions

As you start working on the boat it is hard to stop. You keep on taking things apart, finding new areas that can be improved or repaired. The toilet needed a major servicing, the anchor chain and anchor could do with a galvanizing, the anchor winch needed maintenance, one of the chain plates had cracked and a replacement had to be ordered from Bangkok, the water tanks were leaking and needed repairs, a new main sail was in order…the list is long.

Replacing the Chain Plate

Quick Nap Between Jobs

Beautiful New Main Sail !

And the weather didn’t help. As soon as we docked, it basically started raining for a month, a very unusual thing for May-June in Phuket. This made everything more complicated as we tried to protect the working areas from the rain so that the resins used in the repairs could dry properly. And during this time we were still living on the boat, moving it’s contents from one area to the other as the jobs moved on, sleeping in the middle, with very little living space.

Luckily, we ran into Chris, an Australian sailor aboard Lady Bubbles, whom we had met in Koh Tachai a few months back and happened to be doing repairs on the opposite dock ! He was leaving his boat for a month in Phuket while going back to Australia, had rented a room nearby, and offered us to stay in it for two weeks while he was gone ! Thanks mate ! This enabled us to start on a brand new paint job inside the boat, while the rain kept pouring and a lot of other jobs where on hold.

Bathroom Before & After

Storage Space Revamped

After enjoying the freedom we had in the past months sailing the gorgeous waters of the Andaman Sea, it is not easy being stuck in a marina for weeks. No more virgin beaches, crystal clear waters and outrageous sunsets. Just work all day. Trying to figure out the best ways to fix complicated systems. Driving around Phuket town trying to find the spare part that’s missing, or the greasy machine shop that will do the welding job you need… before heading back to the dull Marina life where every boat just floats there, sadly tied to its pontoon. And then, slowly but surely, you start to move on. You’re not taking things apart anymore, but putting them back together. The boat starts looking less like a workshop and more like a living space. The exit is near…

Shop in Phuket Town

Second-hand Bookstore, Phuket Town

Interesting Architecture of Phuket Town

Freaky life-like monks

Yacht Haven Marina Parking Lot
Trees grow as we work

Then there are administrative issues. Our Thai visa was only valid for a month. We needed to get out of the country. The fastest and cheapest solution when you are in Phuket is to do a visa run to Myanmar, 300km to the north. It turned out to be a lovely trip under the rain. We decided to rent a car and drive up the West coast to Ranong. From Ranong you can take a long tail boat for an hour, crossing the estuary that separates Thailand from Burma. On the other side of the boat trip you really are in a different world ! A much poorer world; with hundreds of boats living of border trading activities. Dozens of cute children jumping from boat to boat. Very chilled custom officers in a little hut that only accept brand new or ironed US dollar bills. Buddhist temples everywhere. An intriguing country where I would have loved to spend more than half an hour.

Ranong Pier

Approaching Kawthaung, Myanmar

Back in Thailand, we stopped at the impressive Ngao waterfall. It felt great to be on the move again. The green hills of South West Thailand in the rain really soothed us after a long month of work…

Ngao Waterfall

Ngao National Park

A month and a half had passed and we were almost ready to move back onto the boat and finish all the jobs. The leaking was fixed, the serviced diesel tank was installed, the cushions were ready everything had been freshly painted and we were putting the last finishing touches when the phone rang…

That’s another story.

Philippe

Boat Life, Thus Far…

Difícil describir semejante cambio de estilo. De vida. Dormía en la casa de mis padres, en la ciudad donde pasé la mayor parte de mis veinte-y-cinco años. No había pasado mucho tiempo pero algo de rutina tenía, y todo lo familiar. Mis horarios parecían organizarse independientemente, según factores ajenos que me interesaban pero no me pertenecían.  Y aunque tengo padres jóvenes, que con su entusiasmo, energía e insistencia siempre nos acercaron a ella, nunca me sentí muy afín con la naturaleza.

And then you wake up. And though the sun has only been up an hour it’s enough to lure you out and into the water. My favourite thing about the boat is what it sits on. A sapphire blue, an electric, a pastel, a stunning, stunning blue, a turquoise, a cyan, a whole world of crystal hues where you can float suspended in a different reality.  The freedom to jump in whenever you want; however you want. With no one but the fish watching.

I have discovered mornings, which never seemed to last this long in the city and for the first time in my life my body deems breakfast a necessity as everything falls into a more natural routine. Mornings spent chasing fish hovering over coral reaching the beaches touching the trees.

Tiene otro ritmo el día que se pausa a la mitad cuando la tierra lleva como corona al sol. La hora de un almuerzo hecho con las manos, con lo que hay o con lo que queda. Un rato de descanso sin culpas con la tranquilidad de saber que todavía te queda toda la tarde por delante y toda la isla, todo el mar.

As with everything else, afternoons are also determined by the weather. Postcard perfect afternoons taking the dinghy to explore more and more beaches. Underwater afternoons swimming in our private aquarium. Afternoons when it’s too hot to move and we lay belly up reading and dozing. Productive, cloudy afternoons working on things here and there on the boat. Rainy afternoons graciously enjoying the temperature drop inside with a movie.

Of course it’s not always idyllic surroundings and fair weather. As of late, more often than not we are running around gathering materials and hoping for less rain so repairs can move forward. But even the hard work seems more rewarding when it’s physical, and it’s a nice feeling doing something for no one other than yourself, the other person and the boat.

El mejor momento de descanso viene teñido de violeta y nunca dura lo suficiente. Un juego de cartas, algo de música, las preparaciones para la cena y de repente termino el día.

Being on the boat has taught me a lot in these short months. I am braver than I was. Though braver is much too robust a word and it’s more accurate to say I am learning to prioritize my fears. It is a relief in a sense to be thrust into a squall and feel dwarfed by the power of the wind and the waves.

And everywhere is as impressive. Vegetation dripping off limestone walls disappearing into green water mirroring the clouds pass. The crystal water black under a sky with no moon but littered with stars. The same black water lighting up with bioluminescence with every drop that stirs. A jet stream of glittery bubbles behind the dinghy on our way back home.

De las comodidades urbanas extraño pocas, aunque seguramente eso cambie con el tiempo. Por ahora mis mayores preocupaciones están relacionadas con el higiene y el cuidado femenino que tan cuidado lo tenia. Lo peor hasta ahora ha sido tener que ir cortando principios de rastas, mientras mi pelo lucha contra la sal, el mar y el sol.

Thus, life on the boat has been a welcome change for me. I hope it will continue to give me opportunities to grow; learn more about myself, about my surroundings, about it all.

Iva

Cities, Squalls & Caves

We’ve been busy and the blog is slowing down a bit. It’s hard to express how busy our life feels after posting beautiful stories and the corresponding pictures in the past few months.

Everyday there’s something to fix. When we’re not fixing we’re cleaning or gathering supplies. Looking for a spare part, a tool that’s missing. Everyday we also add an item on the list of things to do during the next “workshop” in Phuket, where we will take care of bigger repairs, such as fixing a small leak in the hull/deck junction or cutting a cleaning hatch in the diesel tank. And when we’re on the move, the navigation requires constant efforts and concentration.

We often smile when we hear the feedbacks on our endless holiday in tropical paradise. We do enjoy the moments of bliss that we try to share on our blog. But we really feel we paid the price for them every time they reward us with their appearances…

There’s also the unusual freak incident, such as the tsunami alert that came with the 8.6 quake that struck west of Sumatra early April. With very little time to think, I decided to take the boat as far from shore as possible. In more than 10 meters of water, there’s little chance that the wave will break, it’s actually the safest place to be during a tsunami. We sailed 5 miles out to sea and drifted for a few hours until we heard the news that the quake hadn’t generated a tsunami. Excellent drill.

Anyways, we were tired. We felt we needed a change, a rest. So we decided to go to KL for 10 days. I lived in KL for 6 years. Iva for 12. We both love and cherish the city. It’s a small capital for Asia, only 1,5M people.  It’s green, a lot of the ancient jungle has been preserved, except for the construction. Kuala Lumpur enjoys a slow paced, relaxed mood that no resident can escape.

However, going back to any major city after a couple of month sailing the islands is always a challenge. The cars, the people, the noise, the smells, the fumes, the busy roads, the malls, the signs, the construction can be overwhelming. The first day I got there, sitting in a mamak sipping on my teh tarik on the side of the road at peak hour, I really missed my boat.

Shopping for fabric in Little India

You quickly forget the fumes and the pace of the city with all the friends and the parties. Thanks to all of you guys.

Our time there turned out to be as busy as our life on the boat. Besides embracing a social life we had forgotten about in the past months, we did a lot of shopping…stuff for the boat !

We came back more tired than we left.

We were ready for our next trip to Phuket, where my brother was going to visit us early May. Julien already visited me last year in Phuket. Unfortunately, at that time, the boat was out of the water for an osmosis treatment that turned out to last 6 months. This time I really wanted to have the boat in the water and ready for sailing in Phuket, in time for my brother’s arrival.

We didn’t lose anytime and as soon as Iva joined me in Langkawi we were off again. What a delight to be out of the marina ! The first anchorage in the Butang group felt like we were right were we belonged again… But the 3 days sailing up to Phuket were exhausting. Constant 20 knots of wind in the nose, motoring against the wind with the help of the main sail. Not my cup of tea.

But we went through with it, and on the last day, after an overnight stop in our beloved Koh Rok, just after rounding a little island, 5 miles from our destination, the engine stopped. Thank God we have a sailboat. We were quickly able to get out of the heavy swell pushing us towards the reef and tacked our way towards Ao Yon Bay in Phuket, which we reached at sunset. Dropped the anchor and 50m of chain. We made it.

The following days were spent doing our administrative check in, gathering groceries for the 6 days Julien would be on board and of course, fixing the engine. When you barely know anything about a diesel engine it can be a bit stressful to work on. But every time something breaks down you know you will learn how to fix that problem. The experience accumulated makes up for the stress…I always try to think “Nice, another thing I know how to fix on the engine”. This time we quickly realized there was a problem with the fuel intake. We had gotten to the bottom of the diesel tank, where a lot of residue gathers over the years, and the tank was simply clogged up. Not that simple. After changing the fuel filters, still nothing. Turns out the tank is too clogged up to pump anything out of it, and I have no hatch to open it and clean it. How to go around the problem until fixing it permanently (remember, I really want to take my brother sailing this year) ? Just use a diesel jerrican and pump directly out of it. Oh, don’t forget to also connect the return hose to the container, if not your engine’s gonna stop again in a few days when your tank is full…

So we got the airport in time to pick up Julien and bring to a fully supplied, operational boat. We had five days in front of us. Enough to share our lifestyle with him. He quickly felt at ease on the boat and slept like a baby in his front cabin. Julien is the first real guest we had living and sailing on the boat with us. A lot of fun. Even though the weather wasn’t at its best, we were able to sail everyday to the next welcoming island.

Everyday had its surprise squalls carrying their fare share of wind and rain. We used the wind for sailing and the rain for endless games of shithead and Monopoly inside. For once we were not sweating too intensively. A welcomed change for Iva and I. Julien was so happy to be on the boat that he just didn’t care…

Rang Yai Island

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Making the most of all the rain to shower!

Jungle Trekking in Na Ka Island

Our last stop brought us to the north of Phang Nga Bay. Thailand is gorgeous and Phang Nga is one of it’s jewels…especially for a boat…the shallow and protected anchorages make it is very easy to anchor and spend quiet nights with absolutely no rocking nor rolling. The downside is muddy water but the scenery makes up for it… We anchored close to the beautiful Koh Phanak, a gorgeous limestone island with epic cliffs dropping straight into the water. We spent an adventurous afternoon exploring its little beaches and huge caves. Back on the boat, we celebrated the full moon with a party none of us will forget…

Phang Nga Bay

Dali next to Koh Phanak

Limestone cliffs dripping with vegetation

Enjoying the mud at low tide !

Exploring the caves of Koh Phanak

Julien’s trip was too short. The next day we left the boat in a marina and dropped him off at the airport. It was clear he didn’t want to leave and we wanted him to stay… But Julien had to fly back to Paris and work… The good news is he will be back with his girlfriend Sabine in September !

So in the meantime we finally had our first real rest since Iva joined me on the boat in February. We anchored in a very quiet bay in Phang Nga and relaxed for 4 days. What a great feeling. Now it’s time to head to a marina in the north of Phuket for 2 weeks of repairs. As work on boats go, these 2 weeks will probably turn into 4. After that job, we plan to head south and around Singapore for new adventures on the east coast of Malaysia and Thailand ! Until then…

Philippe

Surin Islands

Our first night in Surin was just as bumpy as our arrival. The wind and rain that sped us to our destination had some considerable consequences on the swell and despite our best efforts, we didn’t get much rest. As it was my first experience with such brusque movements, I quickly found the humour in clumsily climbing my way around the boat and feeling my stomach rise and fall with the water. Phil, not so much.

Captain Philippe et son ciré

The next day we moved from the West side, went around the Northern islands and anchored on the East. Though unfortunately we don’t have a lens that can do it justice, you can see parts of the large bay that encompasses the beautiful clear water. At the end of the bay and around small inlets on the sides, the low tide reveals some gorgeous beaches.

Our days on that side of Surin were spent relaxing, enjoying each other and some rest after the busy journey North, both of us very happy to have reached our destination. It’s a great feeling to wake up early naturally – no alarm clocks or hassling pressing matters – just the heat of the sun on the deck and a glimmer of it through the hatch is enough to wake you, rested, and invite you out. We spent the mornings snorkelling and spearfishing, had lunch while the sun was highest and wandered the beaches in the afternoon for new spots to enjoy our sundowners.

Varicose Wart Slug – yucky name but beautiful colours

On Monday we decided to take a day trip to the nearby Richelieu Rock. The description in the cruising guides spoke of whale sharks so it was hard not to be disappointed when we didn’t find any. Luckily though, we weren’t too let down as the spot provided the best snorkelling we’ve had on the trip. After a trying morning getting there (no wind and difficulty actually finding the rock under a few meters of water!) our frustrations quickly dissipated in the stunning blue. Richelieu Rock, as we saw it in high tide, was a few meters under the water and teeming with all sorts of marine life.

Lovely Pufferfish

The coral was bright and healthy and patches of bright green made it look like a beautiful underwater hillside. We saw a school of barracuda, which needless to say was more than slightly intimidating. While I left Phil to swim back and grab my camera – a group of them followed me and although I realise the ridiculous nature of my train of thought: I was convinced that they were only pretending to swim parallel to me while they carefully planned their collective attack! Naturally I was mistaken and made it back alive and with a few good pictures.

OoooOOooh,Barracuuuudaaa

J’ai l’appétit d’un barracuda !

Blue Sea Star

After our day at Richelieu Rock, we came back to Surin and decided to explore what is deemed the main beach of the National Park. Like Koh Rok and Koh Miang, the beach plays host to a campsite for tourists and in this case also includes some small bungalows in the jungle and a canteen of sorts. The atmosphere on the beach was peculiar to say the least, from the minute we pulled the dinghy up; we felt the blank and not altogether friendly stares following us. Odd-looking foreign tent-dwellers seemed displeased with our presence and even asked, “What are you going to do with the water?” when we inquired if there was a fresh water spring nearby. In short, we were much relieved to return to the boat after our quick dinner at the Dharma Initiative-inspired campground.*

Beach Bound

Iva’s new favourite activity – reading old French magazines before sunset..

We made the most of our days in Surin, knowing that as well as reaching our destination we have also come to the ‘end’ of our first trip together. As our families are visiting us soon, we need to make a speedy return to Phuket and finally Langkawi. Although we could have easily stayed around these islands for weeks, we know how lucky we are just to have caught such a beautiful glimpse.

Still in awe of the water…

*We gave the beach a second try on our last evening in Surin and as some boats carried away the white Others, we were greeted with a much friendlier atmosphere and had a lovely afternoon!

Pas facile de quitter un endroit aussi magique…après 6 jours aux Iles Surin, nous devons reprendre la mer, direction Phuket, puis Langkawi. La tête toute bleue et pleine de poissons, on repart vers le sud…quelques belles surprises devraient nous attendre sur la route. Nous prévoyons un arrêt a Koh Tachai, petite ile qu’il nous reste a explorer, puis a nouveau les Similans, avant de retrouver un mode plus urbain a Phuket… On rêve déjà d’un bon steak, d’une bonne douche a débit illimite et de soirées mémorables entre amis… A bientôt pour de nouvelles aventures…

Langkawi to Phuket

As you can see from the previous post, we are now in Phuket, spending one more night here before continuing our journey north. It’s been a little over two weeks since we left Langkawi, and we now find ourselves about halfway to our final destination, the Surin Islands.

Though it makes me feel slightly old and out of the loop to admit it: we are new to this blogging business and finding it somewhat of a struggle. Nevertheless, we started this project with the hope of sharing our experiences and thus will keep insisting.

In Langkawi our days went by quickly between settling me in and preparing the boat for the trip. This mostly consisted of checking that everything was in running order, filling up water and petrol tanks and a fair bit of grocery shopping.

Second Day on the Boat

Small Repairs

Koh Lipe was the setting of my first visit to the boat so I was very happy to be sailing back there a year later. Who could have imagined it? Phil and I enjoyed a few quiet nights there, me getting reacquainted with the boat and the two of us with each other.

We stopped overnight in Koh Adang where the beach is interrupted by beautiful rock installations.

Koh Adang before sunset

We arrived in Koh Rok after a ten-hour sailing day. At the moment, on days we have to move, we have been waking up early in the morning to make the most of the last of the Northeasterly wind. It usually dies at around noon and we find ourselves motoring the rest of the way.

Koh Rok Nai from afar

Happy to have arrived

The Water at Koh Rok

Thank you Steph for the lovely present!

Watching the sun set

Koh Rok is comprised of two small islands, Rok Nok and Rok Nai – both equally beautiful in different ways. Rok Nai is the main island, hosting a small campsite and a makeshift restaurant. Opposite lies Rok Nok which has dense jungle fringed by orange sand.

View of the water from Koh Rok Nok

We had a few days of great snorkeling at Koh Rok. The water is stunning at every hour of the day and I was lucky enough to celebrate my 25th birthday there – cake and all!

My Delicious Birthday Cake & Presents!

Phil caught a fish!

Koh Rok Nai

Enjoying the shade a little…

Beautiful Snorkeling Point

Life on the boat thus far has been ‘smooth sailing’ (couldn’t help myself!) and Phil and I are forced, in the nicest of ways, to know more and more about each other.

My 25th Birthday

After Koh Rok we made our way to Koh Lanta. Arriving just in time to see the sunset from the beach, we enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere of the evening on the island.

Everyone enjoying their ice creams at sundown

Sunset at Lanta

In the morning, we left for Koh Phi Phi. Arriving in the southern bay of Koh Phi Phi Don at midday is not something we would recommend. After the relaxed pace of our previous stops, we found ourselves thrust into the loud reality of the popular tourist destination. Boats of all kinds, shapes and sizes sped in and out of the pier, teeming with tourists – also all shapes and sizes. It felt like being anchored in the middle of a highway in big city during rush hour.

Despite the noisy start to the day, we had a great night out (as Phi Phi promises). In true Thai style, we enjoyed some of the most agile fire dancers I have seen as well as cheap alcohol and a bit of rain.

Iva LED-Rope Jumping

After a night to recover on the northern bay of Phi Phi, we made our way to Phuket. Here we have been re-stocking the boat and catching up with some of Phil’s sailing friends. After four days here we are excited for the next leg of our trip.

Anchorage at Ao Yang, Phuket

Taking a break from the beach and visiting Chalong Temple in Phuket

Goodbye Phuket

Iva & Phil

Itinerary Part 1

So far we’ve sailed from Langkawi to Phuket. With a few stops on the way.

We made our administrative exit from Malaysia in Langkawi. Our first stop on the way to our entry port Phuket was Koh Lipe, in the Butang group, where we spent a couple of days.

We then spent a night on the west coast of Adang, the largest island of the group.

The next day we sailed to Koh Rok, two small islands 20 miles offshore, where we spent 3 nigths and celebrated Iva’s 25th birthday !

Next stop was Koh Lanta where we spent a night.

We then sailed to Koh Phi Phi and anchored one night in the south bay and the next in the northern bay.
We then finally reached Phuket and spent 4 nights in Ao Yon Bay south of the island. We made our admistrative entry in Chalong bay.

We are now anchored in front of Bang Tao beach on the west coast of Phuket, our last stop on this island before heading for The Similan and Surin islands 35 miles offshore, close to the Myanmar border…

A Brief Introduction

What better way to start than to show you all around the boat!

As Phil mentioned some of the technical details, I won’t pretend to know them and instead aim to give you a better idea of how we live onboard.

Our Home

Overview

This is the layout of the boat, which you see as soon as you go in from the cockpit. On the immediate left is the kitchen sink, opposite that on the right (not within view) is the chart table. Further forward is the galley. On the left is a double bed where Phil and I sleep, which can also be changed into a table with U-shaped seats and on the far right is another bed/lounge area which is very comfortable for reading.

Behind the far wooden wall is another double cabin which we soon hope to use for guests and down the main corridor all the way at the front of the boat is the bathroom.

The Captain at his chart table

Here is the chart table, it’s on the right as soon as you descend from the cockpit and it’s function is more or less self-explanatory. A space for Phil to map our course and dump all his stuff.

Bathroom sink

This is a partial view of the bathroom – I will write a separate post soon regarding hygiene habits onboard but in the meantime you can see the cabinets (which I recently re-organised) as well as the cute soap holder!

My Beautiful Wardrobe

Believe it or not, this is the totality of what I brought with me. Thanks in part to my sisters’ aggressive editing, and mostly due to my superb packing abilities, I was able to bring my favourite boat-ready beach apparel. In the laundry bag are bikinis, behind that bras & undies, two rows of t-shirts and shorts and a little jewelry for special occasions!

Phil’s Clothes

After graciously giving up one of his cabinets, here is the state of Phil’s clothes. I hope to get my hands in there soon and do some much needed folding.

Chill Area

I like to call this the Lounge Area. It was Phil’s bed when he was alone and now we use it mostly to chill. I know you love the décor.

Some of the things I like most about the boat can be seen in these pictures. I’m happy to say I’ve been very warmly welcomed.

Iva

Phil’s First Entry

Let’s BLOG then.

What more to say ? That I’m very lucky ? I’m grateful to admit that I live with my beautiful girlfriend on my beautiful boat…

The girlfriend is called Iva. She is 25 years old and from Mendoza in Argentina. She spent most her life living in Kuala Lumpur and Buenos Aires. We have been together for a year. I was giving my boat a nice refit in Phuket, 6 months out of the water, and Iva was working in KL. We have been living on the boat together since February.

The boat is called CHRIOD, soon to be renamed DALI. It was built in 1980 in France at the DUFOUR boatyard, designed by the architect Michel Dufour. It is 35 feet long. The Dufour 35 has become a classic over the years. It’s simple, it’s solid (in the early 80s the fiberglass boats were still strongly built) and for a cruising boat, it’s pretty fast.

We started in Langkawi, a large island NW of Malaysia. Iva already spent some time on the boat last year, but for very short periods of time. We are excited about this real test.
On a small sailboat like Dali you share all of your time. You are never apart, unless one person takes the dinghy alone to shore and leaves the other person on board.
Life on a boat is thrilling but most of the time it is not only pleasure. It’s always moving. There’s not much space. There’s a limited amount of energy and water that mainly depends on the elements : sun for power and rain for water. Things break. They need to be fixed. Most of the time nobody’s there to help. In this region, close to the equator, the weather is very unpredictable. Stuck in between the two tropics, it gets hot. Very hot. Most of the time there’s no wind. And then squalls out of nowhere brining 40 knots of wind followed by a incredible downpour of heavy drops.
And sometimes everything works. You are sailing on calm water with 15 knots of wind from the NE. You are going NW. All the sails are out. The scent of land not far away tickles your nose. And you breathe in. The boat is singing in the waves and you can even share the moment with another smiling individual…it’s almost hard to believe things can get that perfect. Over the years I have learned to recognize these moments of bliss, accept the short time they last, and live them throughout, like the wind momentarily filling the sails and pushing the boat a bit further…

Philippe