After a month on land, it was time to return to the boat. We returned to Golfito with our Costa Rican friends to spend a night on board the valiant Noddi.
When we arrive, emotions are present: joy, wonder, pride... We can finally share our life so different to Christopher and Lorena. We must realize that the experience is exceptional for them; Lorena can't even swim! So we spend the day with them explaining how we live with three people in 25m². We also put the coffee in a protected corner in the boat, under my bed.
In the evening, Lorena cooks us delicious fish. Like what, whether it is on the land or at sea, a great cook remains a great cook. The next day, they leave again in the morning and we find ourselves alone with Lucas.
So we are getting down to business. Crossing the Pacific is a different matter than the Atlantic and cannot be improvised. Already, the crossing is done in two parts : a first trip to the Marquesas Islands and a second one to New Caledonia.
Why in two steps?
Because the Pacific Ocean is three times bigger than the Atlantic Ocean and otherwise we would not have enough food and water to cross. It is also because the total time of crossing is two and a half months and that to make a first break in the Marquesas Islands, after a month and a half of sea seems to us obligatory.
So, how do you prepare for a crossing? For us, it will have started with scoop the water out of the boat... Indeed, when we were on land, we had left the portholes open and unfortunately, a tropical storm broke out. So we are on land, helpless, to see the boat being filled. After 4 hours of intense rain, we realize the extent of the damage... All the bilges are filled, the stuff is soaked, the food is wet... We are depressed! We spend one evening and the next morning to clean everything. The good thing is that the boat is clean!
With this experience, we will not get caught. Every day we go ashore to work on Jybe and we seal everything up and every day a very heavy rain falls on Golfito.
The lightning falls right next to the city, the wind is so strong that the restaurant's umbrellas are blown away and we can't see what's behind the water curtain. This also means that every time we have to bail out the dinghy that is not sheltered in the harbor.
But let's get back to the facts: how do you prepare for a Pacific crossing? It's done in three big blocks:
- Technical preparation of the sailboat;
- Provisioning;
- Associative work.
We start with the associative part with Lucas. We contact New Caledonia, we revive the French contacts, Lucas works on the website and the partnerships to come... It takes us all the same a few days. By going to the Marina restaurant to work, we have the impression that we are part of the decor: they call us by our first names, the waiters know our habits, ...
Then, we start the supply by making jars. Because pâté is good, we turn into a pork butcher and make the first pork and beef liver pâtés!
April 3, Emilien finally returns to the boat. Quelle joie ! Nous sommes comme des enfants heureux. Ça fait du bien de se retrouver à trois après autant de temps séparé. L’équipe est au complet et les choses sérieuses commencent.
Lucas continues the administrative work and the partnerships for Jybe, while Emilien prepares the sailboat while I install some electrical equipment. We are also taking inventory of the food present in order to make an efficient provisioning.
The departure is getting closer but we are more and more ready. The Atlantic experience served us well and we avoid the traps into which we had fallen.
The desire to leave is also felt. We know what is waiting for us on the other side and we can't wait to get there. We know this will be the longest and most challenging crossing but we are ready. We have downloaded tons of music, podcasts and movies of all kinds. I want this journey to be over like when you have to do something unpleasant; I can't wait for it to be over.
We are now leaving in a few days, time for adventure! Thanks to Lucas, we will normally be able to continue to send weeklies at sea, so see you soon! In the middle of the Pacific.