GEARING UP ANGELIQUE II IN TANCARVILLE

Finally on Board. The first 4 days, as expected were elbow grease, elbow grease, and finally elbow grease!

I did not think I would be able to get in the boat all I had brought from home, but Angelique II was more "roomy" than I imagined.

Of course I had prepared the move always having in mind the need to keep the weight low to avoid to compromise on sailing performance which is the strength point of this cat. But the day of departure, when I barely managed to make everything fit into the van, I had some doubts.

Instead, all right!

In North of France, the real problem is the weather, rain, wind and cold!

To be honest thinking of having in front of me 2 years of full summer I was not prepared to handle this weather pattern.

Luckily I had brought with me a small heater which is doing its job very well, in the saloon during the day and in the cabin at night.

I hope in the next two days at least the wind will drop, otherwise putting on the sails will be very a bit of a project.

I had no idea how heavy could be a sail of a boat of this size.

Moreover, the wind is abeam and if this continues it will be really funny man the boat.

However I'm confident that Aeolus looks after me and he will give me a chance before Saturday.

In fact my departure is planned for Saturday night.

Right now I'm in the shipyard in Tancarville, a small suburb of Le Havre on the Seine.

To exit the site must pass through a closed and low tide. So, even according to the arrival of my crew, I will start between 20:30 and 2 am on Sunday.

The crew for this first transfer is truly historic.

On board there will be veterans of Angelique who have shared with me many regattas and blue cruises. Honor to Fabio Azzini, Michele Cangiano and Luca De Bartolo who have joined me for what will be the maiden voyage of The Lifetime Cruise.