moving piem

Sunset on the Sea of Cortez

At 7:30 I went to listen to the net on channel 22 at the Club de Cruceros next to the Malecon. I tried to wait for my turn and announced I was looking for a boat for me and my bike. A few minutes later, I was meeting Dave and Lyn on board Lady Lexi, a beautiful 50 feet ketch.

And just a pair of days later, I was sailing with them! First to spend the night at an anchorage back at Isla Espiritu Sancto, then across the sea for 24 hours. We spotted two whales. I will always remember that night, sailing towards Orion, with dolphins dancing around the boat in the dark.

We stayed a few days in Mazatlan, had a great time with Dave and Lyn. I helped with a few tasks on the boat, and spent time writing in the cafés of Mazatlan. On the 24th, we shared a nice Christmas diner. ... more

Approaching La Lobera

After two weeks of work in the cafés of La Paz, I got on to set up a kayaking trip to Isla Espiritu Santo! The sea of Cortez is a sea kayak paradise, and Isla Espiritu Santo, the island North of the town where we went diving with sea lions was just too beautiful not to go back.

Julio, who I met through Miguel, has a kayak and was ready to rent it to me and show me a few basics. Thanks Julio! Jesse would have been interested to join me, but in the end couldn't match the dates, so I ended up going alone.

I spent five days on the island, almost without seeing anyone. Some six months after my solo hike in Greenland, it was surprisingly nice to be alone again! I chatted a bit with the sailing vessels, asking their weather forecast, and slept on beautiful desert beaches of white sand. ... more

Leaving Reykjavik

Eshamy, a 15 meters ketch, will try to sail both North West and North East Passages this year, and was looking for a crew in Reykjavik. So I thought I would join them for a bit. Jeffrey, the captain, is from Yorkshire and in his seventies. Kathrine is from Australia and Alex is also from Yorkshire. Both of them are in their twenties.

We left Reykjavik to sail to Nuuk on Thursday. We had a beautiful sun on the first day, could spot a couple of whale fins, and even a few dolphins. The wind and the sea were pretty nice all the way to the Cape Farewell, from which we kept South to prevent any icy encounters. We had a lot of fog and a bit of strong wind around the Cape, then a calm sea all the way to Nuuk, which we reached after 10 days sailing. ... more

Sisimiut old centre

After ten days hiking, I took a few days in Sisimiut. I pitched my tent in the camping, at the end of the road where hundreds of sledge dogs are chained for the summer. Back in town, I found a place to do my laundry and met with two French lads who had been on the trail about a week before me. I had read all of their messages in the guest books of the huts before meeting them, and it was great to be able to exchange about this trip.

I also met with Sabrina, from Switzerland, who is travelling on her own in West Greenland. The four of us went to try and climb Nasaasaaq again, but we stopped at 500 meters under a thick lid of clouds.

Johann, 71 years old, from Sisimiut, hosted me for a couple of nights. He is a great man, generous and sensible, and sings and plays organ and guitar like I wish I could. He was happy to have a visitor and showed me the harpoons he carved in the traditional way.

Then I boarded on the coastal ferry to reach Nuuk, where I spent a short week. Frans, friend of Carlos, gave me the keys of the beautiful studio flat of his sister. It felt nice but strange to have my own little house again for a short while.

Vagabond in Kangerlussuaq

Lea and Vincent stayed in Nuuk waiting for their return flight as we were sailing North towards Kangerlussuaq. With only four of adults and two little girls, the boat suddenly felt really empty.

The fjords in this region are magnificent, with mountains raising more than a thousand meter above sea level. We passed the city of Maniitsoq and entered the 180 km long fjord. We had the currents and the wind with us and sailed it in half a day at 11 knots, twice faster than our usual speed.

After one month living on board, these were my last hours with Vagabond. I spent the night getting my things together and preparing my backpack. The crew of scientists landed in the morning, and embarked on the boat, while Carlos and I disembarked.

The tide was emptying the fjord, so it was a good time for Vagabond to leave. I shed a few tears hugging my brother, France, and my nieces, untied the boat and watched them leaving the little pontoon in this desolated harbour.