Ariane, her husband Rached and their two children Louna (4 years old) and Maël (1 year old) undertook a long sailing trip aboard their Sun Odyssey 39. After a confinement in Tunisia, and a few unexpected events - a dinghy engine to be revised, tank problems, a boom brake to be installed... - the family set sail again. Ariane tells us about the return to the ocean:
That's est?! We've taken over mer?! After 7 months on Tunisian soil, between work, confinement and border closures, we are back on the waves and have set sail for Malta.
The crossing was a nice way to get back on the stirrup, and to test our new voiles?!!!!
A big tight upwind tack made us feel the happiness of a constant and stable lodge. Nothing better for the children, they readapted to the sailing conditions with incredible speed.
The excitement of departure made us euphoric. The joy of the wind and the sea air accompanied us in this surge of newfound freedom. Night fell and the wind with it. The children fell asleep without difficulty and we started our watches.
We sailed in the moonlight, then when the moon in turn set, a sky full of stars appeared. What a splendeur?! What we saw shimmering on the water was no longer the reflection of the moon, but the light of étoiles?! When Rached came to wake me up for my last shift, daylight had returned. The wind, almost absent, was pushing the boat silently on a flat sea.
Life resumed its course with the awakening of the children. And to our great joy, we pulled up our fishing line with a nice bonite?!
We took a break on the island of Linosa, halfway between Lampedusa and Malta.
Then the wind shifted, and we found ourselves abeam and dropped. Other sensations, other conditions especially when the swell formed.
The second night was less fun, the boat wasn't running very well, the jolts of the boom and the winch bearings were constantly waking little Maël up. Louna accompanied us on deck almost until dawn. In the early morning, we passed the southern tip of the island of Malta to reach the port of Valletta.
Once there, what a joy to dive into the water at the foot of bateau?! We've been waiting for this for so long longtemps?!
We have chosen a great navigation to give a good boost to our trip, and we do not regret it pas?! We will stay in Malta for about ten days and then set sail for Sicily.
