« A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits » Richard Nixon
November 18th 1999, only victory is worth while. I decided to start again and row across the Atlantic again, nearly 4000 km. 75 missing miles : the hardest but also the best.
I must cross the line. This new start, I dreamt about it for a year. Thanks to the US Coast Guards and the French Navy, I was able to get my boat back. It had been grounded on the Porto Rican coasts.
For my first crossing, I left my rage in my stomach, ready to start a new life, dying for the unknown, for adventure. Today I know exactly what await me. I ignore nothing of the danger, moments of discouragement, effort, fright, emotion and anxiety one feels on such a trip.
Souvenirs of my wreckage have left a scare which reminds me of the dangers at sea. Thank goodness, the light is there, with a range of blues that capture the eye on nights of the full moon.
I am more prepared for this new start, more determined, that most of all, more concentrated on one objective : Cross the line in Martinique.
It is 12h00 GMT when I leave Sao Vicente Island. In 2 months I will see the people again. For the time being, every stroke gets me closer to West Indies. A quick glance at my GPS tells me that I still have 4000 km to go…
