Emmanuelle and Christophe spent over ten years sailing in the cold waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, exceptional environments where they were able to experiment with sailing and skiing cruises. Aboard their LifeSong sailboat, a Garcia 68 specially designed to cope with these environments, they had to adapt to the unforeseen challenges of these wild territories. In this first episode, mountain guide Emmanuelle looks back at some of the highlights of their adventure.
Life on a boat is full of the unexpected
Emmanuelle and Christophe's backgrounds are somewhat unusual. Before they met, Emmanuelle was a mountain guide: a regular on trips and expeditions to remote territories.
However, a completely different adventure awaited her when she crossed paths with Christophe, with his 18 years of sailing experience. '' I knew nothing about the boat before I met him. I'd already crossed the Drake Passage to Antarctica on a sailboat as part of a ski expedition, but I hadn't done much on the boat. Even though these were two major crossings, I hadn't played an active role on board. After that, I started sailing with Christophe and learned everything from him she confides.
It's said that the best teachers don't just pass on knowledge, they open up horizons... It would seem that Christophe was an excellent teacher, for from the moment she set sail with her future husband, the young woman, curious and persevering, became fascinated by this existence punctuated by freedom, the unexpected and encounters.
Discover sailing and life at sea
Her first sailings were full of surprises, as she recounts: '' What surprised me about life on a boat were all the unexpected encounters. Like the fishermen who come alongside us and throw us Centollas, those crabs from Patagonia... Or the sailings that were supposed to last two hours, but ended up lasting eight. Or sailing for 2 hours but ending up taking 8. It's full of the unexpected. I immediately fell in love with life on a boat. Not so much the sailing itself, with its sometimes difficult conditions, although the adrenalin rush is interesting. It's more the whole of this type of life that fascinated me. ''
A life at sea, enriched by the birth of two children, which the couple also describe on their website Lifesongsailing as an ongoing adventure in which each day brings its own new discoveries.
Fog and icebergs in Antarctica
Sailing in Antarctica is like diving into a breathtakingly beautiful landscape: '' It's always a magical moment. You go from the rocky, verdant environment of Patagonia to a white immensity emmanuelle describes. Behind this enchanting landscape, however, reality is much harsher: violent winds, drifting icebergs and freezing temperatures complicate every maneuver.
For the navigator, one of her most vivid memories is sailing in thick fog: '' We could see the icebergs on radar, but not with the naked eye. When the fog lifted and the sky turned blue, we found ourselves surrounded by gigantic blocks of ice, so much bigger than the boat. Blocks over 500 metres wide. It was immense. It makes you feel microscopic. What was crazy was that I'd often seen icebergs, but in calm water. Here, the sea was raging over the icebergs. In fact, it was quite panic-inducing she recalls. A suspended moment, between ecstasy and anxiety.
Boat and crew ready for icy waters
Aboard LifeSong, a 20.40 m Garcia 68, Emmanuelle, Christophe and their two children, Raphaël and Jade, sail through icy waters from Greenland (in the north) to Antarctica (in the south). Designed to withstand the harshest conditions, this reinforced aluminum sailboat, with full insulation and heaters in every cabin, is a veritable refuge from freezing temperatures.
Essential preparation
Before taking command of this boat, the couple proved themselves aboard a Baltic 51, a fiberglass sailboat that withstood two crossings to Antarctica, but these expeditions to the polar regions are never without their share of challenges. The storms, high winds and freezing temperatures with which they are familiar are elements with which they have learned to cope: '' When you're at Cape Horn and you have to change a sail, your hands freezing under the waves, you ask yourself: Wow, what's this storm? We've had some big storms in Patagonia. It's notoriously inhospitable, and 70 knots of wind is not uncommon.. emmanuelle, who sees these trials more as challenges to be overcome.
Despite the violence of the elements encountered, she emphasizes the importance of meticulous equipment preparation and mutual trust with her husband Christophe, the boat's captain, who is always in full possession of his means. These values, she insists, ensure the safety of the whole family on board, as well as that of the crew.
Strange sailing conditions
'' It certainly makes a change from sailing in the heat. I've been to the Caribbean and Polynesia, and there you don't ask yourself any questions. You go outside, you can be barefoot, in a bathing suit, it's not that important. In the cold, if something happens in the middle of the night, you can't go out like that. You have to have your overalls and boots ready. My partner often sleeps in a full wet suit so that he's ready in two seconds, because you're putting yourself in danger if you don't go out properly dressed. On the boat, on the other hand, we're warm. It's always 21 degrees inside. But like all boats, it's always a battle against humidity and condensation '', she continues.
The importance of sailors' equipment
As for equipment, the two adventurers tested several brands: Musto, Gill, Helly Hansen, Guy Cotten... '' Guy Cotten, it's really waterproof but it's really rigid and therefore not very comfortable emmanuelle comments. On the other hand, although all these brands agree on quality, she considers the Helly Hansen oilskin to be a better alternative than the Musto, particularly in terms of value for money. Their priority remains hard-wearing, flexible equipment, and although they are currently looking for a sponsor for their new boat, they make sure before each departure that their sailing and hiking gear is always suited to the extreme conditions they face.
The call of the cold and solitude
After years spent sailing in warmer latitudes, the couple have no doubts about their preference. '' It's obvious that we prefer the cold, because that's what we choose says Emmanuelle. Between the Arctic Pole and Antarctica, she believes these two regions offer an incomparable experience. Although Polynesia has its charms, with the opportunity to launch yourself into the water from the deck of the boat, she finds these areas lacking in wilderness character. They're too crowded for her taste. For her, '' the cold and the polar regions have a unique appeal. Arriving after several days on a boat, feeling the land. This is the real adventure. The immensity, the solitude, the raw beauty of the icy landscapes, it's incomparable. Especially to experience it as a family with our children, Jade and Raphaël ''.
Ski and sail cruises
Not just for the family. Far off the beaten track, Emmanuelle and Christophe also invite passengers aboard LifeSong for a similar experience. Each stopover on land is an opportunity to explore exceptional environments through a series of well-established activities combining sport, discovery and immersion in the wilderness. For example, Emmanuelle and Christophe have set up ski-sailing trips, an activity that accounts for only 30% of their trips, but which combines off-piste skiing and sailing. Passengers climb into sealskins to tackle the snow-covered slopes and ski downhill before returning each evening to warm up aboard the sailboat.
When conditions prevent skiing, the captain and his wife offer a range of alternative activities such as hiking, kayaking and glacier walking.
Accessible to beginners
These activities, while accessible, are never too long, allowing everyone to enjoy direct contact with nature without overexerting themselves. Emmanuelle has no hesitation in taking novices out on the glaciers and guiding them through learning how to use crampons, or introducing beginners to kayaking for a unique and intimate experience. According to the mountain guide, '' the idea is above all to mix sailing and land-based activities to offer a complete experience ''.
It's also a chance for everyone on board to test their drawing skills and take home some great memories!
Even after years of sailing in these latitudes, the "LifeSong" couple remain humbled by the hazards imposed by the polar environment. In an upcoming episode, Emmanuelle will tell us about their future sailboat, tailor-made for these extreme navigations. A boat that will enable them to explore even further and take on board new adventurers ready to discover with them the raw beauty and solitude of these fascinating territories.
