One year on board is both a little and a lot. This year represents above all a break, a complete change of life. We left a very classical existence, a small house in a suburban area, three children at school or with the nanny, two very demanding jobs, little time for us and finally a lot of frustration.
Adapt to the constraints of the boat
We have learned to live all five of us in a cramped space all the time, to do without certain comforts, to adapt continuously to our cultural and natural environment, to discover another rhythm of life, activities more connected to nature, less consumption, more patience.
We rediscovered the value of water, energy, food, silence, darkness and stars, personal space and privacy, and the clutter of ubiquitous trash. We marveled at the sea animals, the birds, the nature and the joy of the children at these spectacles. We saw them grow and open up to the world.
All of this was not done without pain. Leaving your life, your home, your friends, your family, your habits, is difficult. Adapting requires time, patience and courage. Re-learning to live together requires permanent and sometimes painful adjustments. It takes flexibility to question yourself.
Discover the joys of life on a boat
However, it is worth it. Despite the difficulties, the trials sometimes, this life is rich in emotions, in sharing, in encounters. It is a source of wonder, of discoveries and of surpassing oneself. It is life in all its splendor.
A life where every little thing can be savored: a hot coffee at sunrise after a night of vigilance, the arrival at anchor in front of a splendid beach after hours of rough sea, a troop of dolphins that accompanies us for a while, a rain shower that fills all the buckets with fresh water, a stranger who welcomes us on the shore, a laugh with the children, a good meal to share with neighbors of anchorageâeuros¦
The end of the journey?
Arthur returns to France for further work and adjustments. It is a break but not the end of the journey. He will leave in a few months for new adventures, a little more ready, a little better armed, with a more seasoned crew thanks to this year of experience.
