<p style="text-align: justify;">Lorelei and Arnaud have dreamed about long catamaran trips. But here’s the problem: they don’t have the time or the money to live their dream. No time? No money? Maybe it’s not that simple…</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The story began with us meeting on a boat. We both enjoy watersports: Arnaud was racing on board his Surprise and I quickly caught the bug for this exciting activity. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For a long time, we have also shared the dream of going on an adventure on the water, and if possible by catamaran. But given our circumstances and whichever way we look at, we’re not in a position to buy the multihull of our dreams. So we have to just accept that this dream will take a long time to come true...</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For Arnaud, his job means that leaving for a year or even six months could be too risky at the current time. For Lorelei it would be difficult to take such a long break from her first job having recently finished her studies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In January 2017 while walking along the Port du Marin in Martinique, Arnaud decided that six months would be too long but they could potentially leave for 3 months at the end of the year. It was decided!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As soon as we got back home we started preparing our plan: to spend 3 months discovering the chain of islands that form the West Indies. For info, it was also the year that we were to get married, but we spent more time on our sailing project than on the wedding!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/01-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>THE RESEARCH</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As loyal Multihulls World readers over several years, we had seen articles about long-term charter, usually from 6 months to a year. Based on what we had read, we naively tried to work out what our costs would be. However, after contacting several charter companies, we found that the prices were twice as high as what we had budgeted. It looked as though our dreams were in tatters.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">So we decided to contact the editor of Multihulls World and let him hear about our problem. He directed us towards some other agencies and encouraged us to keep looking. He also explained that the period when we wanted to go (December, January and February), is the high season, which put the price out of our range. It would be better to look at the April to June or October to December periods if we wanted to find some more reasonable prices.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As we would prefer to miss the autumn rather than the spring in Brittany, we decided to concentrate on the October to December period. One evening in the middle of winter, with the pressure cooker working away, we received an email. It was THE quote that we had been waiting for. We had found our boat!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OUR LITTLE GEM</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">After some negotiation over the exact dates and certain options (damage waiver, cancellation insurance), we finally settled for a 10 week period from early October to the end of December.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We were over the moon! We were finally going to live our dream. Only 8 months to wait before we would set foot on Harmony, our future catamaran! This gave us the time to sort out any administrative questions (passport, Marine Radio Course…), work on the route and … our wedding! Well at least the honeymoon is sorted!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We were in contact with the person at the agency who was the intermediary between the local owner and us. He was reactive and full of good advice, as he knew the West Indies well. When we weren’t talking on the phone, we would communicate through a very good internet platform where we could post any official documents. In turn, the agency listed the details of the boat, our supplies list, payments that had been made etc… So all the details of our trip could be consulted at any time. All the rest was the pleasant part: preparing the route and booking the flights, without forgetting all the logistics involved with bringing our watersports equipment: kite surfing and paddle boards and surfing and diving equipment!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Harmony is an owner’s version Lagoon 380 S2 (3 cabins) and is practically new! It is less than a year old and had been chartered by one family for four months. It already has a paddle board and some diving equipment, which will save us some kilos on the plane.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/02-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OUR VOYAGE</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We picked our boat up at the Port du Marin in Martinique, which is where our adventure began. The agency organized the airport pick up and we were dropped directly at the harbor. The owner met us and we went straight to the boat to do the inventory. After 2 hours spent visiting the boat and going over the different technical aspects (engine, batteries, electronics), we found ourselves alone on the deck of our boat. It was time to organize our 150kg of baggage! As night fell, we were sipping on our first punch, serenaded by the croaking of the frogs. It was an emotional moment.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning we picked up the supplies that we had ordered when we were in France via the agency. Juice, local fruit jams, coconut milk, and other ingredients were stowed away, ready to spice up the results of our fishing! </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the morning the owner came by to hand over the boat. It was a chance for him to check out our sailing experience and to pass on a few tips about handling the boat. We dropped him off at the refueling pontoon where we filled up with diesel, gas and water. Our boat had been handed over in perfect condition and we did our best to maintain this throughout the trip. It was down to us now to raise the anchor and enjoy our first sortie together out into Le Marin Bay. The adventure was really beginning!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We decided to start the trip in the southern West Indies. Although October marks the end of the hurricane season, if they do arrive they tend to head north of Martinique and carry on in that direction. What’s more, the terrible Hurricane Irma had hit the region two weeks earlier, and we had had to change our program to avoid those islands that would need time to get everything cleared up.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">So we headed for Saint Lucia, where we moored in Rodney Bay, Marigot Bay and at Soufrière where we took a trip to the waterfalls and sulfur springs.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The coastline alternated between cliffs, wild palm forests and small deserted beaches, with everything being covered in lush vegetation. Despite all this, we only scratched the surface of this island where frankly we felt a little ill at ease. However, we made the most of it to pick up our parents and friends with whom we were going to head down to the Grenadines with a first stop at Bequia to do the clearance papers and to make the most of the welcoming bay. It was a good place to stock up on fruit and vegetables and we tasted our first langoustine on the terrace of a charming beachside restaurant.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Heading south we discovered Canouan, an authentic place with a fabulous lagoon on the other side of the island. Then there was Mayreau which welcomed us in a small anchorage lined with coconut palms. There is a lovely promenade and the view behind the church picked out the fifty shades of blue of the Tobago Cays archipelago.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We then anchored right in the heart of the Tobago Cays, as at this time of year it still isn’t too busy. It’s an ideal spot to get your flippers on. There’s great snorkeling and swimming with two Spotted Eagle Rays is one of our greatest diving memories. After a good lunch of lightly cooked tuna that we had bought from the fishermen we tried to do some kite surfing, but without much success as there is not much wind at this time of year.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> In the evening we treated ourselves at Romeo & Juliette’s. They are a lovely couple who fish and cook, and they served us grilled langoustines on the beach, served with a multitude of accompaniments, each one even better that the last!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/03-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sailing in the Grenadines is particularly pleasant because apart from being truly beautiful, they are quite close together which means that you can do plenty of short, interesting trips.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Palm Island is a mainly private island which has the most picture postcard beach. We made the most of it and posed for the obligatory photos under the coconut palms.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We carried on to Petit Saint Vincent, where there was just enough of an easterly breeze to allow a little kite surfing session on a strange little island called Morpion. It’s a little patch of sand, just big enough to allow for a take-off.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Our trip around the Grenadines ended at Petite Martinique, where we wandered along the little roads that zigzag across the quiet prairies, caressed by the sun and the wind. We left with a takeaway lunch that we had bought at a school festival.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Heading back north, we rediscovered Union, and visited some of our favorite haunts. And we didn’t forget our fishing rods either, catching a lovely barracuda that we shared with friends over a barbecue. This fish can be eaten here because there is no ciguatera in the southern West Indies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We were back in Martinique, stocking up on supplies and getting ready to hit the northern arc of the West Indies. Some of our journeys between islands are quite long, as we skip some of the islands. That’s exactly what we do when leaving St Pierre on Martinique at 4am and arriving at Saintes at around 4pm. Sailing close to the coast at night is strongly discouraged because of the number of fishing cages which are usually only flagged up by a half-submerged plastic bottle. So all we saw of Dominica were forests which from a distance resembled toothpicks planted on a mountain. It was a sad landscape for an island that we hold dear for its lush vegetation and its nature. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">After a few days in the Saintes we headed for the southern part of Grande Terre (the windward side of the island) on Guadeloupe and our favorite anchorage at Sainte Anne. The pace of life in the lagoon is slow. There are sailing lessons for the children, aquagym for the others, the quiet yet lively local life. We rented a car for a few days and set out to discover the hinterland of Basse Terre (the sheltered part of the island) and its numerous tracks and waterfalls. We trekked up la Soufrière, the highest point on Guadeloupe. Having a car also meant that we could get to the best surfing locations in the north of the island</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Next stop in the Guadeloupian islands was Petite Terre, a lovely reserve, where the tarpons came to shelter from the sun in the shade of the boat. It’s quite something to be in the water with them, especially as we were also swimming with little lemon sharks. In the evening there were only two boats in the anchorage between the two islands which are only inhabited by a caretaker. It was a special moment of happiness and calm.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/04-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> Next up was Marie Galante. Sailing on the leeward side of this island was just as appealing as the walks or scooter rides that allowed us to discover the charm, the calm and the serenity of this island. We met another couple of around the same age as us and we spent some fun time together. We took them out to sea for a sail and when leaving the island, promised them that we’d come back and see them and share some of the fish that we had caught.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was while sailing from Marie Galante to Bouillante on Guadeloupe’s west coast, that we caught our biggest fish: a king mackerel, about 1.20m long and weighing about 20kg. It took a good hour from the fish biting, through the catching, landing, cutting it up and cleaning the boat. When we arrived at Bouillante we went around the boats offering them some of our catch. We definitely made a few people happy.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">From Deshaies in the north west of Guadeloupe, we set a course for Montserrat, the island where a volcano suddenly awoke in 1995, condemning half of the island. It’s curious and fascinating at the same time. After a visit with a guide and his taxi to the zone that had been engulfed, we walked gingerly into the forbidden maritime zone and were astonished to discover the rest of the capital separated by a gigantic fissure, one side of which is covered in ash and on the other side you can see the roofs of houses where the vegetation had taken over again. The sulfur clouds that this giant pressure cooker was spewing out did not inspire us to carry on… It was time to head for Antigua.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/05-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We found that there was a big difference with the south of the West Indies. In the north there is much more American influence. When we headed into the interior we did start to see a more authentic side of the islands. We ended up spending a few days in English Harbour during the Yacht show because the weather prevented us from leaving via the north of the island…</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Our three months passed quickly and it was time to return to Martinique and round off our trip. On the way we stopped off at some of our favorite anchorages: Sainte Anne in Guadeloupe; Marie Galante and Les Anses d’Arlets in Martinique.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We ate our last flambéed bananas, stuffed souvenirs in our bags and stored our great adventure in our heads. We met the owner to carry out the closing inventory. We needed to shin up the mast to realign the radar reflector, but once that was done we were off to the airport. We arrived a few hours later in Paris. It was grey and rainy. It was 5°C, on December 21st. The first day of winter. A winter which would be long. Longer than others, yet our hearts were forever full of memories.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When do we leave again…?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/06-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>THE THINGS THAT WE LIKED AND DIDN’T LIKE</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The period that we were forced to choose because of our budget, worked out well for us. We were able to discover the region when it was a little less busy. For example, there were only around 30 boats in the Grand Anse (Martinique) anchorage in early October, while there were around 200 in late December, and the season was only just beginning!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The combination of a French-based client and a local owner worked like a dream because the administrative side of things had all been taken care of before we set off. The owner had been very professional and was always available. At the start of the cruise we sent details home about our whereabouts and how we were doing, just to reassure everyone. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The boat that we chartered was in excellent condition and everything had worked perfectly (great sails, reliable electronics, even the dinghy’s engine was great and started like a dream). To maintain the boat in tip-top condition we did a regular maintenance check, and immediately fixed any slight problems. We also wrote everything down in the ship’s log. Because of this we were able to give the boat back in good condition and get all of our deposit back.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Overall everything went well. The problem now is like a box of chocolates: once you’ve tried one, you want to eat the whole box.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For our next voyage we hope to be the owners of our own catamaran…</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Happy Sailing!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/07-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>3 plusses and 3 minuses… in a few words!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> <strong>+ Charter periods</strong>: Not many boats or tourists so the locals are friendlier. Air and water temperatures were very warm. One tropical rainfall event every two weeks (Ideal for washing the boat and for taking an outdoor shower)! </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>+ A reliable boat and super-serious owners: </strong>the quality and reliability of the boat were exceptional. It was practically new and had been well prepared. It just makes the journey that much more pleasant. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>+ Easy Zone To Move Around:</strong> A few French islands, and short distances between them meaning no night time sailing required. Stable weather patterns. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>- Meeting up with friends and family</strong>: Timing can be a bit tight especially in the Grenadines where plane and boat shuttle services are complicated. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>- Not a windy time of year:</strong> not great for kite surfing</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>- In some areas we didn’t feel safe</strong>: On Saint Lucia we did not feel very comfortable. When we were there we heard some quite worrying stories. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/08-catamaran-loc-longue-duree.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ID Card:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Lorelei, 28, self-employed interior architect from Brittany</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Arnaud, 35, self-employed engineering consultant, Brittany.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Charter period: 8th October 2017 to 21st December 2017</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Charter Agency: Océans Evasion</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Charter Price: 13,000 euros of which 1,000 euros was for insurance.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Text and photos : Loreleï et Arnaud Letort</em></p>
