Des cadeaux dans le cockpit pour les navigateurs du vendée Globe.
“We would like to be with our family, with the Christmas tree flashing next to it, decorated by the children”, some admit. Christmas at sea, bitter Christmas ? Make way for the Roaring Forties or the Furious Fifties.
Are they worried about celebrating Christmas far from their family? ? Launched around the world, the sailors of the 10th Vendée Globe are preparing to experience the end-of-year holidays alone in the Roaring Forties or the Furious Fifties.
From gifts hidden in boats to leisure activities planned between two maneuvers, several of these sea adventurers have recounted their plans, festive or not, to stay on course whatever the situation. With three participations in the Vendée Globe under her belt, the British sailor Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur) has “very good memories” of her Christmases at sea. “Despite the conditions which are often harsh and everything that happens on board, I try to keep a sort of normal life because otherwise it is too tiring. This is all the more true at Christmas”, explains the 50-year-old sailor.
When I see all my family together, I might feel a bit down
“I will of course call my son, as well than my sister and my niece”, she says simply. Thirteenth in the ranking on Sunday, she will be at New Year's Eve near Point Nemo, the most isolated place on the planet, but plans to watch movies and listen to seasonal music… if the weather permits.
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For others, the holidays are looking a bit more difficult. “When I see my whole family together, I might feel a bit down”, fears Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane). Mother of a two-year-old child, she will however be able to call her partner, the sailor Tanguy le Turquais, also engaged in a round-the-world trip. “Of course, I also want to have news of my little girl, they will be in the mountains”, reassures Crémer who, because of the lack of temporal reference points at sea, has difficulty imagining decorated Christmas trees and fireplaces.
The Frenchman Damien Seguin (Apicil), is well prepared this year:“I'm going to spend my second New Year's Eve at sea. Four years ago I realised that I hadn't planned enough festive things, I was a bit frustrated”, explains this double gold medallist at the Paralympic Games.
“This year, I'm going to make myself an improved meal, I'm not the one who took care of it but given the size of the bag I'm not too worried […] I just hope to have a good time and above all that the weather conditions are good at that time”, he adds.
Christmas stew
Sam Davies also has “a bag special” with a meal, prepared by her team. “On Christmas Day, I'm going to eat a good pot-au-feu prepared by a chef friend and drink a beer that I really like, made in a brewery near my home in Brittany”, she enjoys herself in advance.
Foie gras, guinea fowl with chestnuts, lobster, several skippers have also called on starred chefs to prepare meals for them that are a little more refined than usual. But even with a full stomach, New Year's Eve at sea often has a special taste. “Christmas is really the marker of solitude on a Vendée Globe”, admits Romain Attanasio (Fortinet – Best Western).
If I could have passed Cape Horn, that would be nice
“We would like to be with family, with the Christmas tree flashing next to it, decorated by the children“, he admits. To get into the mood a little, accessories will be out in most cockpits. Attanasio has put a mini-fir tree on his chart table, Damien Seguin has put up garlands and Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) has planned to put on his best Christmas jumper.
Skipper Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) has planned a video call with his dog Chiffon, who he “misses a lot” since the start on 10 November. As a gift, he has been discovering photos of his pet in his food bags for several days. Leader of the Vendée Globe with Charlie Dalin (Macif), Varois Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea) will be mainly focused on the race. But he still dreams of a very specific gift: “If I could have passed Cape Horn, that would be nice”, he hopes.