Post 2

April 13, 2023 - Day 5 of (not sure how many days it takes; projecting maybe May 24th)

“Making new friends, lots of shopping, wrapping top surfaces, and getting ready to set sail for 6+ weeks across the Atlantic.”

After a great flight from the USA to Paris (Thanks again Mule!), on April 9, I worked my way to the OUI train station and found a great coffee and Nutella donut for breakfast – soooo good!

My fast train from Paris to La Rochelle left promptly at 11:19 AM and arrived at 3:30 PM.  Angus (from Atlantic Cruising Yachts in France) picked me up right on time and we headed to “Just Live” to see her waiting at the largest marina in Europe – Port des Minimes. Feel free to slide through the many pictures of “Just Live” at the marina from my first sighting of her fully rigged and in the water, prior to our preparations to wrap and cover most interior services and add chaffing protection for the sails during the crossing. We want her to look like new when Terri and the girls see her in Annapolis MD. Don’t care at all that she will look like a gift in wrapping paper to project her for the crossing. 😊

Meeting lots of new faces. Within 10 minutes I met my neighbor who also owns a new 42 Astrea Fountaine Pajot catamaran – Mitt Farmer and wife Jo, from Atlanta. Great people. Mitt plans to sail north in Europe for a couple years, before sailing back to the states.

After a mussels and fries dinner and two old fashions at a local marina restaurant, I settled in for the night and called Terri to thank her for a wonderful and blessed 35 years of marriage. Yes, our 35th wedding anniversary is April 9.  But don’t sweat it. Terri and I had a great early anniversary, while traveling through France in early March for 2+ weeks and touring the FountainePajot factory to see “Just Live” leave the factory on her way to the water.

On April 10, I woke late to Mitt knocking on the boat to offer me a cup of coffee. What a God sent. He new I had no supplies yet. Like I said, Mitt and his wife are great people from Atlanta. Around noon, I met our Captain (Anthony Richards) and crew member (Bartek Sonta) at the boat and we quickly settled in with friendly introductions and a check list of preparations for the crossing. Not the least of which was 3 to 4 trips to the market to get enough provisions for 6+ weeks at sea. If you were not shopping, we were covering surfaces inside the boat to protect against scratches during the crossing and making a short punch list of things that need to be fixed before we depart on Saturday. The least of which was the faucet to my shower. After two mornings of ice-cold showers, I realized Anthony and Bartek had plenty of hot water! What the ….! After some quick trouble shooting by Angus (from ACY) he quickly replaced the shower faucet due to a faulty part. Cold showers are okay occasionally – they build character – but glad I get hot water the rest of the trip. 😊

I am quickly finding that March through April is a great time to visit France, as the weather is generally mild with average temperatures around 15°C (59°F) during the day and 7°C (45°F) at night. We are getting pockets of rain 3 to 4 times each day now, so it's a good idea to keep a raincoat handy. Spring is a beautiful time of year in France, with flowers blooming and trees starting to turn green again after the winter months. Yes – I am now feeling the pollen in the air.

I am struck in all and amazement looking around me. La Rochelle is a historic port city located on the west coast of France. It was founded in the 10th century and has played an important role in French history ever since. The city is known for its beautiful architecture, including its stunning Gothic cathedral and the iconic towers of the Porte de la Grosse Horloge. La Rochelle is also famous for its seafood, particularly oysters and mussels, which are harvested from the nearby waters of the Atlantic Ocean. My favorite meal is mussels and fries, when I eat at a café.

I feel so young when I think about the history of this town and the marina where we have “Just Live” – Port des Minimes – the largest pleasure craft marina in Europe. The name of this marina dates back to the Middle Ages. Its name is derived from the establishment of a convent of the Freres Minimes (“Order of the Minimes Brothers”). Everything around me has a history that goes back so far in time, it is cool to think about how many centuries of travelers have passed through this port.

However, for those that want to rely on CHATgpt, it tells me “In the 20th century, the port underwent major transformation when it was decided to build a new marina to accommodate the growing number of pleasure boats and yachts. Construction began in 1966, and in 1971, the new marina was officially opened under the name "Port des Minimes." The name was chosen to reflect the fact that the marina was built on reclaimed land that had been used as a military training ground for the French Navy, where mines were once tested.”

You decide which version of the marina’s history is more interesting. Personally, I like the Convent version with the Order of the Minimes Brothers.

An what about the history of travel between the United States and France? It is incredible to think about today versus centuries ago! Centuries ago, traveling between the two countries was a long and difficult journey. In the 1700s and 1800s, travelers would have to cross the Atlantic Ocean by ship, which could take anywhere from several weeks to several months depending on the weather. The first steamship to cross the Atlantic was the SS Savannah in 1819, but it still took over a month to complete the journey. It wasn't until the early 20th century that commercial air travel became a viable option, and even then, it was still a luxury reserved for the wealthy.

So just like me to do it the hard (or old fashion) way. While it only took me 12+ travel hours to get from Annapolis MD to “Just Live” in La Rochelle, it is going to take me 6+ weeks to get home. But for me, this is the excitement of this crossing – repeating the journey sailing across the Atlantic like our ancestors, aside from our electronics.

Cheers,

Paul

P.S. Remember, once we depart La Rochelle (around April 15th 9 AM France time) you can click on this tracker link to follow us across the Atlantic on an interactive map via Iridium Go - thanks to Captain Anthony. More about Anthony and his experience and meal plan soon. For now I’ll just say, “I have never eaten so good on a boat!”