Paris (AFP)
For three months and until her arrival on Friday at 12:57 am, the Englishwoman Pip Hare (Medallia) shared with AFP her experience of round-the-world solo, the Vendée Globe "which she has dreamed of all her life" , by delivering logbooks of which here are selected pieces:
.
November 10
Sunday, "I left friends, family, my crew and the land behind. I left my home and went out to sea to sail alone, non-stop around the world. And yet it has been 24 hours now. that I'm on this epic journey, and all I can say is that on my 60-foot boat, Medallia, I feel at home. "
.
November 20
“Fear, frustration and fabulous times on the water. I always thought all of these things would sum up my whole race well but I never imagined I would experience them in just a week. After facing a small mighty front, Medallia had a few glitches. It was at the top of the mast. I hate climbing the sea, it's absolutely terrifying (...) My hands were shaking, my breathing was fast, my mouth was dry. But I did it ".
.
November 26
"I'm so tired. It would be easy to assume that the Doldrums, an area known for its light winds, would give a lone sailor like me some breathing space and time to rest, fix things and prepare for. the next big storm. But in reality it is the other way around. (...) It was a few days ago and now I am passing the equator. I have already crossed this important mark seven times, but doing it for the Vendée Globe is special ”.
.
December 3
"Now I'm flying our first southern low pressure system, it makes my head spin and I have knots in my stomach when I think of all the things that could happen wrong with a boat hurtling down in the dark with waves crashing violently on the bridge (...) My anxiety level is somewhat high (...) I imagine that I am still shaken by the mishap of Kevin (Escoffier). imagined how I would feel in those first few days of sailing in the southern seas. It will be the start of six or seven weeks of the roughest sailing of my life (...) Here we are, this is the unknown and I will take the plunge ".
.
December 16
"Complete darkness. No moon, a rising breeze. And then a loud noise. The edge (the part along the mast, editor's note) of my front sail broke (...) My mind was galloping. 'was able to lower the sail low enough that I could reach it safely, then I could put my spare edge and hoist it that way (...) I succeeded (...) I I sat there for a moment and thought about how lucky I had been. "
.
December 25th
"It's Christmas and I am at the bottom of the southern seas, running past the last low pressure system (...) And there is nowhere else where I would prefer to be (...) At the height of the last storm I experienced - and which lasted 36 hours - Medallia and I were under pressure. The boat leaps and beats in huge waves and the water spurting over the boat means that I cannot go on the bridge unless absolutely necessary. It's an uplifting feeling - and intimidating. "
.
December 31st
"I've been at sea for 51 days. I really don't have the impression that it's been all this time, it's incredible to think that I've sailed so far (...) I lost quite a bit weight - between 4 and 5 kilos (...) I feel strong, the back pain I had at the start of the race has completely disappeared, my hands are strong and my energy level is good (... ) I do not count the days that separate me from the finish. I am happy, where I am ".
.
January 8
"Until then, I had had an exhilarating, surprising, brilliant race, with only a few small hitches. But for the past few days, I have had serious technical damage, heavy weather to manage and I am fighting against fatigue every moment. . A few days ago, the anemometer stopped working. It seems like nothing, but this data is vital for Medallia to navigate quickly and safely (...) And to complicate matters , this happened as a big storm was approaching. This is probably the worst time of my race so far (...) But it's amazing what food, sleep and a few perspectives can do for you (...) I managed to collect some wind data, enough to alleviate my stress. I was also able to take a nap, feed myself and I taught myself. It was time to behave like a grown-up girl (...) When I see the world confined, I am incredibly lucky to be where I am ".
.
January 15th
“I knew, coming into this race, that there would be some tough times to go through. But nothing prepares you for that mix of fatigue, disappointment and frustration when things start to go wrong. But, so too. way a patch of blue sky and a sunrise can be incredibly gentle (...) If that wasn't a sign of hope - that things are getting better - then I really don't know what it could be. to be other. And I remembered how lucky I was to be there, participating in the race that I have dreamed of all my life.
.
23 january
"There is clearly a change aboard Medallia. The days are warmer, the weather is less terrible and I can feel like a little air coming home. And I have finally extricated myself from this hellish cycle in which I I was and where I was constantly preparing for a storm, facing a storm, recovering from a storm, and repairing storm damage. "
.
29 january
"A huge congratulations to Yannick (Bestaven) for winning what is probably the tightest final in the history of the Vendée Globe (...) It is an honor for me to be in the same fleet as these legends sailing (...) And for me, this race is a real inner journey. I want to do better (...) And maybe, be on one of these boats competing for the honor of passing the finish line first, in the next edition ".
Interview by Sabine COLPART
© 2021 AFP