Ariane tells us about life aboard Maëlouna, the Sun Odyssey 39, with which the family took a long cruise. After some disappointments reported in a previous article ...they are now stranded at the port due to a health crisis. We then have to find something to occupy Louna (4 years old) and Maël who has just celebrated his first birthday. Ariane:
"We arrived in Sousse a month ago with the boat refurbished, a boat which now offers us sailing performance and guarantees us safety on board
Rached has taken care to ensure that each cabin is a cosy and comfortable little nest on a daily basis. The mattresses are new and nicely upholstered, the 220 volts installed at the bow and stern, a new shower pump installed. As for the saloon, it has been redesigned to allow us to gain space and comfort thanks to the table that we have made foldable on both sides
We were supposed to set sail again at the end of March 2020 and leave the Tunisian coast, but our plans were suspended with the containment measures. The ban on sailing in the Mediterranean is formal, so we are going to wait a little longer. It is with philosophy that we have taken this duty to stay in port, without even having the time to take the boat out to make circles in the water.
On days when the east wind blows, the marina, emptied of its visitors, deserted restaurant terraces, closed shops, and depopulated docks create a pre-apocalyptic atmosphere. Hours seem like days in this place, which is so charming in good weather. Fortunately, it doesn't last long. When the sun returns, the whole marina regains its charm, amplified by the peace and quiet offered by the period of confinement
On board Maëlouna, apart from the restrictions on travel, food purchases and food rationing, our daily routine is only slightly affected by the sanitary isolation. We are making progress on everything we can do by ourselves on the sailboat, taking the time to do the things we often put off. So the days go by at high speed. Living as a foursome in a small space, we spend a lot of time cleaning and tidying up after each activity
Louna's overflowing creativity, her thirst to learn, and Maël's boundless curiosity require our constant presence and patience. In the end, this is nothing new.
Cap sur nous is a project born from the desire to devote ourselves fully to our children, by adopting a more responsible, more sober and freer way of life. It means taking the time to learn and grow with them. Taking the time to savour daily life, to marvel, to get along with each other, and with the elements. Having a much more patient relationship with time
Home schooling is at the heart of this project. Life outside the walls is the best school for the children, as it is for us. And when we are inside, we spend hours doing activities on exercise books, tinkering, imagining, reading, singing, drawing?
We like to celebrate life, the seasons and birthdays. These are all great occasions for us to rejoice. Maël has just celebrated his 1st birthday, and it was on our sailboat that he took his first steps!
So, even if our journey comes to a standstill for a few more weeks, even if we stumble over the discoveries that await us just a few miles away, we learn once again to be patient, and to savour the joy of the moment. The question now is how things will evolve and how we will have to adapt. We are not giving up hope of being able to get back to sea as soon as possible.
