Around the Atlantic aboard Chap's

Preparations and first anchorages in the Canaries

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"In November 2010, Chap's leaves Bayonne for an Atlantic crossing. The journey begins with a stopover in Port Mogan, on the southern island of Grand Canaria, to refuel Chap's before setting sail for Guadeloupe.

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Sailors beware: a little devil makes a wonderful crew member when provisioning, and takes up very little space on board.

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55 miles away, we head for Tenerife, whose summit rises to 3,717 m. A pleasant downwind crossing, marked by a sumptuous sunset. First night at anchor south of Tenerife. Sea 24°C, Air 18°C at night and 26°C during the day, a clement weather pattern that allows us to take our first bath.

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An intimate stopover in Hierro, the island of origins

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75 miles is the distance we covered to reach Hierro, a small island, the most south-westerly of the Canaries. It's less well-known because it's less touristy, yet Christopher Columbus set sail from this island on his second crossing. At the time, it was the most westerly island in the known world! We're beginning to get a definite taste for life on board: no more planes, no more stress, the sea as an eternal restart, the sea that humbles us and the sea that gives of itself. We're enjoying every moment.

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First major crossing: from the Canaries to Cape Verde

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We then set off on our first major crossing, a 750-mile stretch between the Canaries and Cape Verde in a variety of weather conditions: from flat calm to 15 knots of wind from the east, north and west. The rhythm of the watches is quite quick to pick up. We live with the sun, especially as just after sunset there's a period of total darkness with an extraordinarily starry sky. Then, around midnight, the moon rises, lighting up the sea and making sailing timeless.

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Life at sea: watches, stars and offshore routines

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This Atlantic crossing convinced us of our choice of boat. Chap's is remarkably reliable. Life on board: we tinker, optimize and tidy up the sailboat that enables us to make these long voyages.

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This Atlantic crossing convinced us of our choice of boat. Chap's is remarkably reliable.

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We make the most of these moments by leading a life on board filled with various activities: crafts, reading, swimming and fishing.

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Cape Verdean stopovers: Tarrafal, Mindelo and world music

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After 750 miles, we reach Cape Verde with our first stopover on the island of Sao Nicolau, where we anchor at Porto de Tarrafal. The black sand on these beaches is famous for its high iodine and titanium content and its medicinal properties. We then head for Mindelo, capital of the island of Sao Vicente, one of the nine main islands of Cape Verde.

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We meet a very endearing people [...]. The Cap Verdians have music in their blood and a taste for celebration.

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Here, we meet a very endearing population and meet up with some of the sailors taking part in the Transat des Iles du Soleil. They introduce us to the island's colorful, musical evenings. Cape Verdeans have music in their blood and a taste for partying. The ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) is also in port due to lack of wind. The result is a very cosmopolitan evening, with some twenty different nationalities trying their hand at Cape Verdean dancing.

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The Atlantic crossing: 15 days of absolute immersion

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2,350 miles, or over 4,200 km without seeing land, is the distance we covered in 15 days to reach the other side of the Atlantic. We covered a little more than the normal distance, as we were forced to sail further south than planned to pick up some wind and avoid a windless bubble on the direct course.

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2,350 miles, or more than 4,200 km without seeing land, is the distance we covered in 15 days.

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The Atlantic is still a place of freedom and adventure: flying fish, dolphins, whales... an extraordinary crossing.

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Chap's, a long-distance travel companion

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The first thing we remember about these few days is that time takes on a whole new meaning. The other thing that struck us was the total freedom we felt. A fantastic experience, which nevertheless requires a little preparation, a little recklessness, stamina, patience, philosophy, and above all a boat that you trust, that you keep an eye on and that you listen to all the time...

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A new-found freedom, projects on the horizon

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And Chap's journey doesn't stop there! After visiting 25 countries on this Atlantic tour, we plan to set off again for a Mediterranean tour in 2020. See you soon for more adventures!" Arnault and Marie-Laure Chaperon