July 29, 2011
July 26, 2011
caen, france
We left Cherbourg Sunday morning at 8 AM for a favorable tide (http://www.previmer.org/) and arrived at the West Lock of Ouistreham at 6 PM. It was our first time in the canal. We entered the lock at 7:30, a bit nervous about tying up to the concrete wall. Unfortunately our big red balls were in our 20' sea container next to Manuel Mendes' workshop in South Africa. Anasazi Girl only had two tiny fenders for our Transatlantic voyage.
We side-tied to a friendly French fishing boat. They helped us with our lines, showed us their catch of the day, offered us fish, wine, and calvadose - an intense apple brandy from the région of Basse-Normandie - guaranteed to make you breathe fire. With calvadose on our tongues, we waited for the water to rise, and entered Napolean's canal in easier spirits.
Motored gently to the famous Pegasus Bridge, which was closed for the night. We met a family with 5 children on board, en route to the Channel Islands. They helped us dock the boat and gave us information about the canal.
More local hospitality as we were invited on board for wine, bread, cheese, ravioli, and dessert. With us and their friends on board, there were a total of 6 adults and 10 children! Tormentina in heaven to be with so many other kids. We spent the night there, ready for the bridge to open the next morning (http://www.yachtpilot.net/ouistreham.html).
We are now in Caen at the Nouveau Basin, tied up near V1D2. Our firend Jean-Francois Lilti (owner of the Avocet 50) hooked us up with our location, a flat, and a car to use while in Caen.
We side-tied to a friendly French fishing boat. They helped us with our lines, showed us their catch of the day, offered us fish, wine, and calvadose - an intense apple brandy from the région of Basse-Normandie - guaranteed to make you breathe fire. With calvadose on our tongues, we waited for the water to rise, and entered Napolean's canal in easier spirits.
Motored gently to the famous Pegasus Bridge, which was closed for the night. We met a family with 5 children on board, en route to the Channel Islands. They helped us dock the boat and gave us information about the canal.
More local hospitality as we were invited on board for wine, bread, cheese, ravioli, and dessert. With us and their friends on board, there were a total of 6 adults and 10 children! Tormentina in heaven to be with so many other kids. We spent the night there, ready for the bridge to open the next morning (http://www.yachtpilot.net/ouistreham.html).
We are now in Caen at the Nouveau Basin, tied up near V1D2. Our firend Jean-Francois Lilti (owner of the Avocet 50) hooked us up with our location, a flat, and a car to use while in Caen.
July 23, 2011
normandy galley
We are leaving Cherbourg in the early AM with the tide providing us favorable current, 80 miles to Caen.
Finally feeling rested, and pleasantly surprised by all the positive feedback about our voyage.
The wheels of thought are turning for our next adventure on the boat.Met my Cambodian relatives living in France for the first time: Putry Tot, husband Mum, and their son Saang. They brought us fresh local strawberries, plums, raspberries, pineapple and a Bloc de Foie Gras d'Oie and took us out for a Normandy dinner complete with Cidre.
We have been enjoying fresh food again here in Normandy, esp. the cheese. Here is what our galley looked like yesterday.
July 21, 2011
port of chantereyne
We are tied up to Pontoon G, at the Cherbourg Marina, Port of Chantereyne. Easy to find us, as we are the only boat in the marina with red and white stripes at the top of the mast. Very peaceful here, and everything in town is within easy walking distance from the port. Today the sun finally came out after several days of rain, and we were able to dry out the boat and the sails.
Tormentina and Raivo visited their first castle this afternoon - Chateau des Ravalet - with our friend Matthieu Feron (designed of the Avocet 50: http://www.grandlarguecomposites.com/Avocet%2050/Avocet%2050.html) and his beautiful children Issac and Ana.
We are enjoying the fresh bread and cheese, working on the boat list, and starting to get through the footage of HD photo and video we shot for 21 days.
Here is a teaser that James uploaded:
July 20, 2011
cherbourg, france
Arrived at the Port of Cherbourg, France on 17 July 2011 around 5:30 am UTC.
21 days at sea with James and my two beautiful babies.
Absolutely exhausted + elated, floating on the land now as we wake up slowly from our dream life across the North Atlantic on a 40' sailboat powered only by the wind.
Lots of video footage and stills.
More soon to come...
21 days at sea with James and my two beautiful babies.
Absolutely exhausted + elated, floating on the land now as we wake up slowly from our dream life across the North Atlantic on a 40' sailboat powered only by the wind.
Lots of video footage and stills.
More soon to come...
June 26, 2011
green light
After three rain-soaked days, things finally shifted.
For days now, James has been studying the weather files on Metvuw, Meteo France, NOAA, and listening to all the local reports, trying to get us into the westerly flow. He talked to Ken Campbell at Commanders' Weather this morning.
We've got the green light from all directions to go!
Everything on the boat has been topped off: water, provisions, fuel.
All the safety equipment serviced and updated.
The last two months exhausting, but completely worth it.
It's a huge stress relief to know that James did all the preparation on Anasazi Girl, down to even the tiniest details.
Everything tested and operational.
Anasazi Girl is perfect. Just Perfect.
She is the safest boat I could imagine taking my family on an ocean crossing in.
Huge pressure on both of us to make this voyage successful and safe, with our precious cargo on board.
James the best person to drive her with the family on board after practicing for 30,000 miles solo.
A wild mixture of emotions inside making my insides flip: excited, nervous, anxious.
Difficult and challenging to say goodbye to my family and friends.
I can't believe we get to go Transatlantic with our two babies!
We get to give our kids the gift of experiencing power and peacefulness of the ocean.
We leave Sunday 26 June at first light.
Our blog will be updated with video and photos when we arrive in France.
Please check our media links for current updates while we are sailing:
For days now, James has been studying the weather files on Metvuw, Meteo France, NOAA, and listening to all the local reports, trying to get us into the westerly flow. He talked to Ken Campbell at Commanders' Weather this morning.
We've got the green light from all directions to go!
Everything on the boat has been topped off: water, provisions, fuel.
All the safety equipment serviced and updated.
The last two months exhausting, but completely worth it.
It's a huge stress relief to know that James did all the preparation on Anasazi Girl, down to even the tiniest details.
Everything tested and operational.
Anasazi Girl is perfect. Just Perfect.
She is the safest boat I could imagine taking my family on an ocean crossing in.
Huge pressure on both of us to make this voyage successful and safe, with our precious cargo on board.
James the best person to drive her with the family on board after practicing for 30,000 miles solo.
A wild mixture of emotions inside making my insides flip: excited, nervous, anxious.
Difficult and challenging to say goodbye to my family and friends.
I can't believe we get to go Transatlantic with our two babies!
We get to give our kids the gift of experiencing power and peacefulness of the ocean.
We leave Sunday 26 June at first light.
Our blog will be updated with video and photos when we arrive in France.
Please check our media links for current updates while we are sailing:
Sailing Anarchy: http://www.sailinganarchy.com
Explorersweb: http://explorersweb.com
Sail World: http://www.sail-world.com/cruising
June 22, 2011
waiting for wind
The last time I waited with James for a weather window was winter, in Wellington, New Zealand. We had just sailed Anasazi Girl from Nelson - a smooth squeeze through French Pass in the moonlight and across Cook Strait - to tie up at Chaffer's Marina. Four weeks in the rain and four farmer's markets later, we were able to piece together a 3-day window to Tauranga.
For the last three summer seasons, we watched all the alpinists in El Chalten wait for "La Ventana." Now we wait.
Only this time, we have our two kids Tormentina and Raivo on board. We are in Portland, Maine, waiting for a nice high pressure system to develop. We want to make a fast clean passage past Cape Sable and the Grand Banks, out into the open ocean.
Thanks to Richard and Keegan at Hallett Canvas & Sails for making Raivo's sea-bed: http://www.hallettcanvasandsails.com/
We are on stand-by, ready to start our non-stop voyage 3000nm +/- to Caen, France.
For the last three summer seasons, we watched all the alpinists in El Chalten wait for "La Ventana." Now we wait.
Only this time, we have our two kids Tormentina and Raivo on board. We are in Portland, Maine, waiting for a nice high pressure system to develop. We want to make a fast clean passage past Cape Sable and the Grand Banks, out into the open ocean.
Thanks to Richard and Keegan at Hallett Canvas & Sails for making Raivo's sea-bed: http://www.hallettcanvasandsails.com/
We are on stand-by, ready to start our non-stop voyage 3000nm +/- to Caen, France.
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