Ah, flights. Nothing like a Trans-Atlantic flight to get our team bonding in before training days. Mostly the travelling and train connections went off without a hitch with thanks to Seth and his expert Navigating-France skills and we arrived at our hotel in La Rochelle looking, let us say... travel wearied. Seventeen hours of travelling, but oh, was it worth it.
Team Canada is skilled at navigation
La Rochelle is just beautiful and the weather is nice too, which really helps offset jet lag, more or less. The old architecture and character of the city is beautifully preserved and the marinas are... well, prolific. At every turn there is another marina with thousands of sailboats tucked inside. A sailor's haven. It becomes very obvious why so many mariners have started their epic journeys from here. Jacques Cartier had the right idea
. We are seeing quite a few similarities between La Rochelle and Kingston. They are both 'Limestone Cities' built on and of local limestone, they both have universities located within the city, as well as having old, old prisons and are of a similar size with an outlying island. Almost feels like home!
The team gazing out onto La Rochelle's endless fields of masts
For the most part our french is improving rapidly and we are finding the people are very kind and hilarious. Good boat people. The team can't wait to get started with the regatta and meeting all the countries' representatives. A report on our first training day in the Grand Surprise is soon to come.
Big Thanks to Musto for our wonderful foul weather gear(we are tickled pink!) Also a big thanks to Prof. George Lovell for being so accommodating!
Bien fait getting there!
ReplyDeleteNow enjoy the sailing and the pains au chocolat