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Maud arrived from France to Spain and Raphaela gets the news
21:20 p.m. EST Oct 26, 2003
Published 15:53 p.m. EDT Oct 10, 2003
Maud has arrived to France, had her first night in a still bed - and met the press. BBC picked up on her incredible adventure, check link to the left.
The French press reports in addition a connection to another of our ocean ladies; French adventurer Raphaela le Gouvello who is trying to cross the Pacific Ocean solo on a surfboard. A plane from National Navy flew over Raphaela yesterday, very close to take pictures. It was the first encounter with human life for Raphaela in two months and "It left a hole in my heart".
Well, she sat on her board with the VHF stuck to her ear - that's when they told her that Maud had made it!
"I told them I was super happy for her - and to congratulate her from all my heart!"
Maud says her blood "bubbles like champagne" and now she in turn keeps her fingers crossed for Raphaela.
Rapahala is due to arrive on October 30. She has earlier solo surfed the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Her current sail follow in the footsteps of Thor Hejerdahl's Kon Tiki.
The past week she has made slow but steady progress across the Pacific towards Tahiti. Since departure she has sailed 3387 miles leaving only 1114 before she will reach her destination. She is in pain due to the constant work with the sail, but she enjoys the Pacific ocean: " I watch the sun rise slowly in the rosy sky and the sea is the coulor of turquoise blue and very quiet".
Tons of mails reached us through the night regarding Maud. One was from Andre Lafargue "A proud supporter of Maud." It had ovations but also a correction:
"I do fully appreciate the coverage and support you have given Maud throughout her ordeal. I applaud your effort and support. I would like however to bring to your attention one "small error" which I hope you will correct. Maud is in fact not only the first woman to have crossed the Atlantic from W-E BUT she has made it from FRANCE to Spain and NOT from CANADA to Spain."
???
"You see Maud departed from St Pierre et Miquelon which may be situated NEAR Canada ( about 10 miles from the Coast of Newfoundland ) but it is in fact FRANCE!"
We replied:
"So what do you want us to do? Write that Maud made an ocean crossing from France to Spain?! Our readers might understand that there is a big sea between Canada and France. But they will NOT understand that there is an Atlantic ocean between France and Spain!"
Andre stood his grounds:
"I really appreciate your dilemna - but perhaps this would be a golden opportunity to educate them. You see so few people in your country and indeed in the entire world are aware of our little " ROCK" lost in the fridgid water of the North Atlantic that your web site ( which I repeat with great sincerity is truly astonishing!) could contribute to make it better known. I suggest you ad a link to the world of St Pierre to the animation."
Well, there you go! Of course we must continue to push for the small grand adventures and the small grand rocks of our world! Check the link to another of those awesome checkpoints to big adventure in this world!
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