These are obviously the first words that must be said. The first feelling that is coming to us is this everlasting gratitude for your continuous support. The hard work has been rendered real on this day, when you were all side by side around us, greeting your favourite sailors, letting tears of joy, pride and sadness roll on your cheeks turned red by hundreds of kisses.

October 11th, 2015… Day that will forever be engraved in our hearts. It is 11am when everyone is gathered on the JDLA, this old riggin docked a few meters off the Williwaw on which we will do our farewell party. One after the other, speeches from the crew itself, from Patrice Franceschi, Sail for Water’s sponsor, from Sophie and Véronique, representing Arkema which is our principal benefactor, as well as Madame Christine Pagani­Bezy the deputy mayor of Toulon have animated this moment where opposed emotions had created an ambiance that seemed to be floating around us.

After this intense moment, we have raised our glasses for a toast and the animated discussions resumed, blending with hugs, smiles, laughs and some barely contained tears. The 1pm rings, it is time to get ready and hoist the sails. The intensity of the goodbyes is hardly bearable and the intensity of the emotion floating around us is at its pinnacle. Everything is happening so fast, however it feels like time has stopped. Like if this exact spot in the Toulon harbor hold its breath during the long minutes preceding the departure. Once the mooring ropes detached, the hull, silent as a cat pulls away from the pier, and the pur of the engine is already transporting us beyond the rocks delimiting the Vieille Darse harbor.

It is then that out of nowhere, appeared a thousands sail boats, motor boats and even small rowboats, decided to accompany us outside of the bay. They might have been only a dozen boats, but for us it seemed like thousands of souls and hearts navigating next to us, sometimes close enough to give the last passionate kisses for the lovers, the last handshakes, the last hugs and even some unplanned and funny surprises.

What a moment…

Departing has never been an easy thing. But a juncture like this one, when sublimed with so much love and energy, is something that will stay encrypted in all of us for eternity. It is only when the land was only a small blurry image on the horizon that the euphoria of the moment faded little by little to let the emotion take the lead. The three of us, alone in our world have succumbed to let warm teardrops roll on our faces, proving that all unique moments, even those that are shared, require that one close himself in its own intimacy.

The end of the day approaching, we had to retake control of ourselves, look behind one last time and get ready for something that would change our lives, the first night of this extraordinary adventure. Each of us will agree on this point. It took us to go on our first “bridge watch” (not sure about this one) to finally realize that the adventure started, and that we were finally going to travel around the world!