The Blog ECCO #OCEAN

Marcel Bardiaux recounts his long solo voyage aboard his cutter, Les 4 Vents, or at least the first part of his journey, the part that took him to Tahiti, for the immense voyage, which began in Le Havre in February 1950, provides ample material for adventures. When one knows that the author designed and built his boat himself, that he rounded Cape Horn in the dead of winter, that he explored the Patagonian channels, that he navigated treacherous passes with a frozen leg, it's easy to imagine...

This book tells the story of a happy and determined life, that of a math teacher who devotes his free time to a demanding passion, and who maintains all his modesty. "I'm a normal guy," says this man who, at an age when others are planning their retirement, has retained the enthusiasm and audacity of youth.

Damien is the story of a voyage that has become legendary. This 10-meter wooden cutter, which set sail from La Rochelle on May 25, 1969, crisscrossed the globe for five years. Its 55,000-mile journey was marked by major firsts: Spitsbergen, the ascent of the Amazon, Cape Horn, the Southern Islands, Antarctica...