Boarded on a cargo from Papeete in early June, Adrien finally arrived at Le Havre a few days ago.  It was with many emotions that it was fetched and returned to Port La Forêt in Brittany, it’s home port.

When the container doors swung open and the Adrien appeared, as I had left it some two months ago, I was overwhelmed by the pictures that flashed in my mind, even though I had stored them at the back of my memory, ever since I returned to France. All these moments of happiness spent on the Ocean, the incredible days, the fatigue, both physical and of morale returned in a rush and I finally realized that a page had been turned.  It won’t be long before I again start thinking and bother my brains with impossible questions.

Now, before Adrien returns to the cooler Atlantic waters,  the rudder and the keel which didn’t resist the strength of the Pacific Ocean, will be turned in for repairs as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, I doubt my finances will allow me to return it to water this summer.  While hoping for better days, I’ll have to take things in stride.  That means I’ll be sailing on more “traditional” boats, such as those that will be plying the “Baie de Morlaix” at the Festival of “Entre terre et mer” (between land and sea).  To the amateurs: Beware, there will most likely be considerable “atmosphere”!

Its with a cringe to the heart and heavy emotions, that on Saturday night we boarded Air Tahiti Nui’s flight 008 for Papeete and on to Paris.  Smothered under the seashell collars we accessed the departure zone at the airport, quite against our will, leaving behind all those who warmly welcomed us  from Tuamotu to Tahiti and passing through Moorea, thus crowning an emotional final touch for the Adrien Pacific Solo.  Jeff, Clothilda, Mareva, Oliver and all the crew from Pacific Aquaculture Services, Pierre, Pascal, Flo and Hei, Mr John’s, the Tahiti MRCC as well as all those who gave our Polynesian stay a true air of happiness. THANK YOU.  Thanks to you, I avoided the post-crossing spleen and thanks to you the first few days on land gave me the wonderful impression of being welcomed in such a pleasant environment.

After being away for four months, I again cast the anchor in Brittany and I’m awaiting the return of Adrien, on its way to France aboard a cargo vessel.  It should arrive at “Le Havre” some time in mid July.  After a complete check-up and after some restoration, I expect to try it out in “la Baie de La Forêt Fouesnant”, in early fall.

I don’t know what will happen next but a lengthy program of visits could bring it to your town or city in Western France.  You might even see it pass under your windows!

The last leg of the challenge between the atoll of Makemo and Tahiti was very difficult due to a strong low pressure zone which brought heavy rain, strong winds of 30 to 35 knots and a disorderly wake.  It’s not really the picture of French Polynesia, but according to some people, this situation is out of the ordinary.  (It’s odd to find myself in so many strange situations since my first crossing back in 2002…Maybe, I should wonder a bit?)

The arrival in the port of Papeete goes back to May 26^th, shortly before noon and it was with great relief that I set foot on firm land, albeit a bit shaky after such a lengthy trip with so many problems.

René Adrien, the President and Director-General of the Adrien group and main sponsor of the challenge had come to meet me aboard a pilot boat, while the crew from PAS (Pacific Aquaculture Services), managed by Jeff Virmaux was waiting for us, dock side. I had barely the time to answer a few questions from the media and to savour my first fruit cocktail that the kiteboat was already out of the water and on its trailer, allowing the well-wishers to have a close look.

In spite of a few scars and a badly damaged rudder, the boat still looks pretty good. It will go through a complete check-up, once back in France, but won’t touch the Atlantic waters before the end of summer, because a tour is planned for it to travel the roads of Western France, till then.

As for me, I won’t be unhappy to take a good rest and take it easy while I adapt myself to the frenetic life style.  Back in Brittany in early June.  I’ll soon be leaving the Polynesian winter for the summer of Brittany .

This morning, at the crack of dawn we caught the outgoing tide to leave the Makemo atoll with a heading on Papeete, last leg of this incredible journey on the Pacific.  We expect to arrive in  Papeete late Thursday morning. Due to an unexpected lay-over in the Tuamotu Archipelago we took the time to repair the tiller cables on the rudder of the kiteboat Adrien. If the wind conditions allow, I’ll again raise the kite during the next few days.  The trade winds seem cooperative and if the forecast is good I should be relying on a 15 to 20 knot wind till I land in Papeete.

During the lay-over in Makema it turned out to be a little “decompression chamber” a haven that allowed me to delicately set foot on the ground again.  The generosity and kindness of these people, especially Pascal and Flo were most welcome and truly precious gifts after spending two and a half months at sea, all by myself.  Suddenly, there were people all around me in an enchanted air.  It’s difficult not to be attracted by the charm of the atolls where people live at a leisurely pace and far enough from the rest of the world to just allow vague echoes of its trepidation.

“The challenge was not of leaving but rather the attraction of the unknown at the next port,

“ It’s the desire, never really satisfied to discover  something else, its tomorrow, forever” wrote Roland Dorgelès.  I’m also convinced  that all through this crossing, I often had the sensation of mapping out my days towards an unknown destination, a point where I would stop to better continue my route.

I entered the Tuamotu Archipelago during the night, from the South, along the island of Pukapuka.  Between tears and laughter it took some time to control the emotions that suddenly overtook me.  I hadn’t been this close to land in 78 days and I never could imagine at what point I had missed the soil, trees and rocks, while I was out on the big pond.

This challenge hid numerous surprises, but it’s yet too early to think of them with serenity.  It will be long to digest, but slowly, life will follow its course and resume from where I left off.

For the time being, I’m just a little off center, although happy to touch land but anxious to find the people that I hadn’t heard of since late March.

It wasn’t my first crossing and oddly everything seems new, different, full of life and colour, which didn’t appear this way before I set out.

Would it be the richness of such voyages? Leaving to better return…I will have had the privilege of getting away from the tumult of our world

Having left Lima (Peru) on March 3rd 2011, Anne Quéméré reached French Polynesia today , Wednesday May 18 2011 at 18h30 (France Time) at LON 138 50 W and LAT 15°04 S on board the Kiteboat Adrien.

After 77 days of a difficult crossing of 3 792 Nautical miles (7023kms), Anne entered the Tuamotu Archipelago, which denotes the Arrival point of this incredible adventure.

This 2 1/2 month odyssey compares well with those experienced by mariners of times past who sailed on wooden ships and crossed the oceans without any means of communication. Not unlike them, Anne relied on her experience and her intuition, while honing her senses that would detect any slight wind announcing a temperature, wind or swell change.  And this in total solitude!

From now on, Anne will be towed by the ketch which began assisting her last Sunday.  The exploit will end in Papeete (Tahiti) where friends and admirers will meet her between May 26^th and May 30^th, before returning to France.

Pacific Solo Adrien 2011,

Day and time of departure: Wednesday, March 2^nd, 2011 at 2100 (Local time) and 0300 Thursday March 3^rd, (France time)

Point of departure:  Callao, Port of Lima (Peru)

Starting line: LAT 12°04’03 S  et  LON 77° 08’ W

Total days at sea: 77 days

Arrival day and hour : Wednesday May 18 2011 at 18h30 (France Time) and 6h30 (local time)

Arrival point: Tuamotu Archipelago, in south of  the Puka Puka  atolls

Arrival line: LAT 15°04’ S and LON 138°55’ W

It won’t be easy to resume these lengthy weeks, where I was completely cut off from the rest of the world, without any means of communication.  As you can understand, there were days “with” and days “without”.  I can imagine that you’d follow my path on the “Argos” and     determine the mood I was in. Short distances meant light winds or no wind at all and that’s when I melted under a torrid sun.

Overall, this last trip was very difficult.  It’s the least that can be said! The rudder broke  on March 25^th, three weeks out of Lima, and that didn’t help the situation.  The amateurish repairs lasted for a few weeks, but, it damaged another part.  On March 26^th, the phone stopped working.  Even though it wasn’t essential, it had allowed me to stay in contact with the land based crew, keeping tabs with the weather and receiving a good flow of news from back home.

There were some fabulous days, where Adrien surfed beautifully on westerly waves that carried us effortlessly towards our destination.  I know that these days will remain in the preferred memories and will make me forget  the ones where I doubted and suffered.  God only knows how many!

Every day that passed, I’d cling to a small detail; the myriad of flying fish landing on the kiteboat and then taking off, the puffins that would nibble at the crest of waves and flying low over the Adrien, the flamboyant skies that would decorate the sky with colours never seen on the Atlantic.  Its true that the extreme solitude was devastating and I would have paid any price to hear someone’s voice, even for a few moments (No, I’m not Joan of Arc) but this isolation  allowed me to observe things at a slower pace and appreciate every angle to their finest details.

As for the kitesails, a lot more thought must go into them in order to obtain satisfactory results. But, something has to start somewhere and the true test is the road test.  Regardless, our neurons will be busy for awhile in order to improve this type of navigation.  If this dream is not utopist!

It’s 0400 and still, dawn has not pointed itself but I believe that in the next 48 hours, I won’t be able to get much rest, not till I reach Puka Puka of which I’m getting closer in great strides…this challenge is coming to an end and I’ve great difficulty in believing it.  I can look “beyond”, something that looked impossible just a few days ago.

Thanks to everyone for all the messages which were sent to me by Hervé:  they supercharged me to reach the end.  I’m not certain that I be allowed so many congratulations, because to pursue ones dreams is not really an exploit.  Let’s say that as a good Breton, my genes carry a considerable dose of obstinacy and that helped me to continue my route, regardless of the rest of the world’s feelings.

At dawn on Sunday, May 15 2011, the “Comus of Sark” a 17 metre ketch, that had set out from Papeete, (French Polynesia) on May 7^th established eye contact with Anne Quéméré at the entrance of the Tuamotu Archipelago at 14 07 S and 136 54 W.

After sailing for 74 days, of which 50 were “in communicado” as the result of a breakdown of the communications facilities, it is with emotion that Anne spoke by VHF to Ronan Quéméré, her father and technical coach who was on board the ketch.

She sailed more than 3,000 nautical miles (5,528 km) alone, without assistance or possibility of summoning her crew or her closest friends.  This solitude was amplified by the emptiness of the Pacific Ocean, where no vessel, shark or other fish were seen.

“At 110/115W I was part of a strange world, devoid of any form of life. I had no one to rely on, ecept myself  for weather forecasting or determining my trajectory.  I never could have imagined living such an experience”

Anne is well, in spite of an extreme fatigue and a considerable loss of weight.  For the past few weeks, she cut back on her meals in order to conserve as much energy as possible, allowing her to move ahead. On Sunday, her crew gave her a barrel of dried food, fresh fruit and an Iridium telephone.

Her Kiteboat also carries the wounds of this incredible adventure.  Aside from the rudder, which broke down on March 26^th, the rudder bar is useless and two kites were torn and beyond usage.

Having to deal with her ever increasing fatigue and the deterioration of the Kiteboat, Anne and her crew defined the Arrival line at the entrance of the Tuamotu Archipelago at Long 138 50 W between the Puka Puka and Napuka atolls.  For this, she must sail another 110 Nautical miles on board the Kiteboat accompanied by weak easterly trade winds.  This adventure will have been demanding to the very end.

In two or three days, Anne will cross the Arrival line of this challenge and will recount, in detail, this incredible adventure, where her tenacity, her physical and mental strength allowed her to move forward.

Courage be with you Anne, shortly you will arrive!

PACIFIC SOLO ADRIEN 2011

Day and time of departure: Wednesday, March 2^nd, 2011 at 2100 h (local time) and 0300h, March 3^rd 2011(France time)

Point of departure: Callao, port of Lima (Peru)

Position of departure point: LAT 12°04’03 S  and LON 77° 08’ W

Distance in direct line between the two continents:  4200 Nautical miles or 7 778 km

Estimated crossing time : 2 ½ and 3 months

Point of Arrival: Tuamotu Archipelago between the Puka Puka and Napuka atolls

Arrival line position: LON 138°50’ W

As planned, Ronan Quéméré and the crew of the Adrien Challenge set-off on May 7th from Tahiti, aboard a 17 metre ketch, to assist Anne in the Tuamotu Archipelago.  They should meet up on Thursday.  They are taking extra food supplies as well as an operational satellite phone.  The decision to accept or refuse help, rests with Anne.

Extract from Ronan Quéméré’s log book, of May 8^th, 2011:

“ We have just entered the Tuamotu Archipelago.  After two days of true Brittany seas and hours of driving rain and heading at approximately 8 knots , the temperature is becoming more comfortable.  This is Sunday morning, 10.00 or 22:00 , France time. We entered the archipelago by the South avoiding the Fakareva atoll by the South-East and we’re seeing the first coco trees above the horizon line.  We will now cross the archipelago in an oblique line, allowing us to reach the open sea to the North and establish contact with Anne. The link has been established between the Papeete MRCC, through an American freighter who established VHF radio contact with Anne. A visual contact of Anne will dissipate my only fear.  In what physical shape will she be in?  I don’t expect the “lei” that we’re bringing which has suffered from the heat will do much to bring her back to full shape.

The link-up with Anne is still planned for Thursday.

Ronan Quéméré (on board the “Comus of Sark”, a 17 metre Ketch which sailed two and a half times around the world at the hands of Pierre Chalot, it’s skipper).”