Messages sent during 1999 : (All in English)

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Bayona , August 5th,
Dear all,
We have arrived in Bayona 2 days ago after several stopover in the "Rias Bajas"and an idyllic anchorage in the Islas Cies situated at the entrance of the Ria de Vigo. We passed cape Finistere with wind amd mist. Th the wind to turn!! Bayona is a nice little town in a pretty and protected bay. There plenty of restaurants with fish and seafood. We can wait... Bayona is also known as the first place to hear about Colombus discovery of America when Pinzon on board the "PINTA" arrived here on 1st of march 1493, 2 days before Columbus reached Lisboa. Bayona is the most southern place we have been with Groyabadae wind in this region is northerly in the summer, but we have southerly winds and we are waiting for. After that the "unknown world" is starting for us...
See you in Portugal!

Anton and Michou                                                                          Return to the top page

Sailing to Lisboa-12 aug
Dear all,
We are sailing downwind pushed by famous Portuguese trade winds(18 kn presently). We had to wait 3 days in our first port in Portugal:Viana Do Castelo. A very nice town of 15000 inhabitants.Typical architecture and habits. People go for dinner around 08pm, and not 11 pm as in Spain. They do not walk as many in the paseos as in Spain.Life is cheap and we go often to small restaurants we you can eat for 100FF for 2 with wine and coffee!! Since we left we have done 3 full days of sailing and hope to be in Lisboa to night.
Time is running, and we have to be in Madeira end next week to meet our visitors from France and Holland. See you.

Anton and Michou                                                                          Return to the top page

Funchal ,31st August 1999
Dear all,
After 4 hot and busy days in Lisbon,we left the practical Alcantara dock and sailed down the Tage river with our good friends from Nenya. We crossed from Cascais (entrance to Lisbon) to Porto Santo Island in 3.5 days with a beautifull wind from NW to NE between 15 and 27 knots. Just one hour of motor in total!. We stayed 3 days in this interesting volcanic and desertic Island, then we crossed to Madeira on the 24th. The Island is a beauty!.We stayed 2 nights on anchor. Unfortunately, the anchorages are very open to sea and not comfortable. In Funchal, the number of protected places for visiting yachts are very limited (less than 20 places). Since the island is very nice, yachts tend to stay rather long periods. Fortunately we got a place inside on the 26th and we are now able to enjoy the city and the Island. We did already two walks with our friends from Holland, Ireland and Toulouse who came to help Michou to celebrate her half century birthday. This was achieved yesterday with great success. We were 12, drinking Champagne in Groyabada's cockpit after a taxi tour of the north of Madeira! Laure joined us last Friday and we will stay here at least another week. All the best from Groyabada 

Anton and Michou                                                                          Return to the top page

Fuerteventura-22 sept
After 2 super-weeks in Madeira, we crossed in two days with a nice NE wind (3 to 5 Bf)to the charming and nearly desertic Graciosa island (just N of Lanzarote).We stayed there 5 days on anchor in a beutifull bay swiming and walking.We moved later to Puerto de Naos(Arreciffe) in Lanzarote.A very nice and interesting island which has benefited from the "protection" of an artist/architect Cesar Manrique.Many spectacular Volcanic sites to be visited.We stayed 4 days and rented a car.Many tourists mainly from Germany! With good timing it is acceptable. Today we are motoring south along the east coast of Fuerteventura.On port Africa is only 60 Nm away !!
Sorry for delays, but we had no radio link for 6 days....and no way to find a telephone plug for my modem!!
A bientot,
Anton and Michou                                                                          Return to the top page

San Sebastian de la Gomera, 13 Oct 1999

Dear all,
After 1 week in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 5 days in the south of Tenerife (1/2 day of rain !!), we have arrived in San Sebastian de la Gomera. Another beautiful island. We leave the boat here and return to France untill november 2nd. Please use the compuserve (or CSI) mail. All Ok on board. Nice weather with teperatures above 25.... A bientot,
Anton and Michou                                                          Return to the top page

Sal Rey, 25th November, 1999

Dear All,
Two days after our return from France, I fell on my back during a beautiful walk in the Island of La Gomera. It took 10 days to recover my mobility. Michou turned up to be a very nice nurse. Nothing broken, but a few muscles and nerves in my back damaged. Who says that sailing is dangerous?? We have left the Island of Hierro on the 17th heading towards the Island of SAL in Cabo verde(720 NM). It was blowing 25 to 30 knots from NE at the start, and the wind decreased a little during the crossing. We crossed in 5 days exactly, all under sail and with a beautifull moon at night. After a short visit to Sal for the formalities, we have sailed to Boa Vista to meet our friend Thierry .We are now anchored at Sal Rey (NW ofBoa Vista) I have completely recovered and we are enjoying this new country. We are in Africa!!!.People are poor but very kind, and this island is a beauty. A piece of Sahara detached from the continent. A bientot,

Anton and Michou                                                                            Return to the top page

Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999

Dear all,

We are now 4 days under way from Mindelo (cabo Verde isl) to Martinique.We have done 1/4 of the traject (520 out of 2080 miles).Winds are fron E or NE and around 12 to 20 knots. With Laure and Michou we do a lot of sail handling to maintain speed. Spinnaker is often up.Today we had a show from the dolphins!!!We have caught our first fish of the crossing: a Wahoo of 70cm whichwas eaten right away. Excellent.
We have not seen a single ship since departure!Our position at 2300 today is:16.36N and 34.37Wwind E 16kn-temperature 26deg-distance to go: 1522kn

A bientotyou know all now.

Groyabada, 24 dec,2300 local at 586 miles from Martinique,

Dear all,
We just had two days of hard life passing a sort of front ,with calms followed by gusts at 35 to 54
!! knots big lightning in all directions, many enormous clouds and a lot of sail and boom handling.
One night awake steering . Life is much easier with an engine!! Tonight, it is Xmas Eve. Late afternoon, this atmospheric activity has calmed down. A good windis now established at 20 knots (trade winds??) and Groyabada is running under twin boomed foresail at 6,5 knots.
We think at all these people at home celebrating Xmas.It is winter.... We are in the middle of this big ocean.
Nobody around (not seen a boat since departure), just plenty of stars and now the full moon is in our back.The big atlantic swell is passing under the boat which stays reasonably stable. Strange feelings...We had an happy hour to celebrate 3/4 of the way and a nice ratatouille d'Aubergines. Il smells good inside: Michou has baked two breads. It is my watch, Michou and Laure are sleeping. In one hourI will awake Laure for the next watch.
We hope you too had a good Xmas Eve,

All the best et a bientot,
Anton,  Michou and Laure                                                                      Return to the top page

Dear all,
We arrived safely in Martinique in the night 28/29 December after 16 days and 12 hrs.Our land fall in the south of Martinique was the bay of St Anne which we reached in he night under sail and anchored. In the afternoon, we got a tow to the "Port de Plaisance " du Marin.

All OK. Getting ready for the New Year Eve with our friends of Martinique, and " Nenya".
We wish you all "une tres bonne annee 2000".
Anton,  Michou and Laure                                                                      Return to the top page