Saturday, July 17th, 2010 1:31 pm
Always  with dolphins. Numerous cargo boats and a single sailboat.
The last doughnuts  to face the " pétole”

Friday, July 16th, 2010   9:35 p.m.
Today the dolphins came back. Many trawls
Wind turbine ko after the breaker which keeled the boat over

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 8:23 p.m.
Put on tight diving suit.  Hard conditions on board. Waves of 6 meters, breakers, quite white sea.
Findomestic is reacting well at the moment. OK on board

Saturday, July 10th 2010    6 .20 p.m.
The ‘code zero ‘ of Fabrice’s   6.50 m  is repaired!
I’m waiting for the wind this night
Right now South south west wind: 10 / 12 kts. Pression 1022 hpa is going down
Ok on board

Friday , July 9th 2010   1:20 p.m.
The ‘code zero’ was torn this night
This morning: sewing up. The ‘gennaker ‘ is repaired. I’ve got food for 4 months ahead but no more coffee...  :)!
Thursday, July 8th 2010
I tore my best ‘gennaker’  , no more surf at 8,5 knots ! Rain, wind getting stronger, I reduce the sail

Wednesday, July 7th 2010    11:47    p.m.
Light wind since this morning, I am slowly sailing ahead at 2 or 2,5 knots ... whales, dolphins and sperm whales. A cargo less than 100 meters right ahead, no answer from VHF, impossible to read its name because it’ almost the night.

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
No wind for 48 hours. Dolphins keep me company

Monday, June 28th, 2010 
I saw a whale early this morning. Later I saw dolphins chasing after a shoal of fish far away. A small group of sea breams came to take refuge around the boat .And "hup" one at the end of the fishhook, and "zac" another one  threaded with the crossbow. Prepared the "bottarga" : a specialty from Martigues and certainly from somewhere else: fish's eggs, salt and sun. It will be ready for this evening. Meanwhile, at noon, sea bream filets with olive oil, parsley from the garden and freeze-dried vegetables

Saturday, June 26th, 2010 10: 26 (UTC +2H)
34°55 ' N / 34 ° 43 ' O
Eight months of navigation around the world, non-stop, without assistance, a dismasting, a  remasting, two passages of the equator, some short conversations with faraway skippers and captains of cargo boats, meeting with dolphins, whales, albatrosses, the oceans in terrible states, and the trip is going on  up to  the Sables d'Olonne

On Friday, June 25th, 2010   3:22 pm
I diverted to go closer a floating object which could have been a boat of survival, but fortunately it was only a big buoy slept adrift. Weak wind. Beautiful  turtle past on the port, just for a picture.
Everything  Ok.

Saturday June 12 th 2010         
This night there was a beautiful show for Alessandro given by the dolphins evolving among the plankton around the boat. Real acrobats!
This morning a bench of tunas  approached a little too near the boat , ar least for one of them. A beautiful specimen of 3 kg fished by Alessandro, cut into fillets, fried in a frying pan, with   tomato sauce, parsley, a pinch of salt, (a line of "Sicilian" olive oil with pasta “al dente” obviously, without forgetting the coffee!

Wednesday 9 June
Alessandro has lengthened the bowsprit.
 The contrary tide is less important, but there are smaller cross waves that make the navigation uncomfortable. The wind is again around 8/10 knots which enables Findomestic to hold an average around 4 knots these last 24 hours.

Monday June 7 th 2010
Today Alessandro faces storms, lightnings and downpour. The unstable winds continuously turning from North / South, East / South ,East / West  ,  force him to frequent manoeuvres on the deck. But everything  is all right on board.  "The main point is to arrive in good conditions with the boat in good state...except fo the mast...but this one, the small one, is very nice,   the pupils of the elementary school should like it, considering that the boat is even smaller .....!" Before the departure, at the wharf of the Vendée Globe of Port Olona, the pupils of the elementary school of Les sables of Olonne, they had found "this strange yellow small boat, very beautiful " From that day on they have been following Alessandro and every week they spot his position on the great map of their   classroom.

Sunday 6 June 2010
UNIVERSAL GREEN a freighter that makes road Singapore / Denmark, has just crossed Alexander’s road, only 50 meters away. New photo sent by her captain, this time we can see two small white spots in the middle of the great blue.
After the protocol of use aloft sea:
 Contact   VHF, to give the identification of the boat and the skipper, his road, (from where he comes and where he goes), his speed,   his raod , Alexander has been able to pleasantly converse with the captain,  very much amazed to find this small boat on these latitudes.

Friday June 4 th 2010
The "dodrums" in which Alssandro is,  allows him to give course to his talents of cook. The galley "Atlantic Return"   had reserved him some pleasant surprises, it contained some almonds. He had just to make sugar caramelize, plunge the almonds into it, stretch  it all ,  wait that everything got cool and here is the dessert of the day .
For  supper there will be codfish to the salty Rugen with rice.

Thursday June 3 rd 2010
A small white point in the middle of the great blue....!
The great spinaker of Findomestic in the middle of the Atlantic....!
Well yes it is what we can see on a photo sent by the captain of the ANEMONA, freighter from Panama that crossed  Alessandro’s road last Tuesday.
 First photo from his departure from Les Sables  d'Olonne, great emotion for us, and with a point of imagination Alessandro could almost be seen on board!

Wednesday, June 2nd 2010   01:14 pm
Just before I ‘crossed’ the equator I could sail close6hauled; right now I am in the northern latitudes.
The boat is going forward all by itself, self-guided by the veils, the dolphins’ game, the surprising breathing of the whales at night, multi-coloured pelagic following the boat and gliding up to the sky, the words of the sea that change every day, the soul of the hull ablaze, scraping the ocean, the stars and the sharp parts of light that entwine me in the secret of the hugeness of the abyss, the salt and the sea that warms up the heart. All this is poetry for me. 

Saturday, May 29th 2010 12:23 pm
After 48 hours dead calm, the wind is back. Findomestic is sailing forward under gennaker with East winds 15/18 knts
This night: “ at about 1 am there was a cargo boat hundreds of meters away. Ok contact VHF. She changed her course. Ok on board’’

Wednesday May 26 th 2010    07:18 PM
Without wind, therefore "sweet to do nothing" on board, all  sails down. I suppose Latin music, a nap, a little underwater  fishing  with his crossbow. "There were hundred sea breams under the boat and also many other colored fish." Alessandro harpooned  a beautiful sea bream, (1 m long) its biggest part is kept in the ‘pantry’ and the rest in his plate with couscous, lyophilized vegetables and harissa, without forgetting the Italian coffee.
The boat has not been ‘marked’ after its encounter with a tree trunk. Thus everything is well, the morale is always excellent

Friday, May 21st 2010  01:29 pm
Here a little more wind 6 / 10kts, the boat goes alone without autopilot, I save  energy! Sailboat at sight, a boat "Damien", left Ushuaia in the direction of the Azores. The same road, the same speed for the moment!

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 8:14   pm
Today, bathing in the Tropics in a water of 27°C; also the time to verify the hull which is clean. Once back on the deck to try the new mainsail, recut and modified within the original mainsail, to fit the new "small" mast of Findomestic Banca. Still some alterations to be made. Once I have passed in the kitchen garden to harvest the salads,  added some tuna and onions and  dinner will be ready!

Monday, May 17th, 2010    11:03 pm
At sunset, thanks to a friendly light wind, I managed to do something exceptional for me, given  the conditions in which I am: some bread. From tomorrow I should be able to hoist again the gennaker and make road towards the Equator.

Saturday May 15th 2010     01:28 pm
"Sighted ,on my left , Trindade and Martin Vaz islands,situated off  Brazil . At night I can see the Great Bear again... and since ,this morning too ,the small and low clouds of the trade winds."

Friday, May 15 th 2010     00:21 pm
Sea less chaotic than yesterday. Rain ,cool….  for the shower:-)! In the night a cargo's signal  800 m away, but no answer on VHF. Wind 10 kts and contrary swell. I slowly sail forward with "small" mainsail.

Thursday, May 13 th 2010    00:25 pm
This morning, breakfast with muesli, milk and very hot coffee. Stormy weather, thunderbolt and  lightings. The tropical storm passes just down. The sea is chaotic. Everything is well on the board.

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010:  06:09 pm
Yesterday wind WNW speed 8 knt under spinnaker. Some housework and washing; after the hairdresser's: beard and hair OK. Since yesterday evening weaker wind of NW 10/5 knots, close-hauled with genoa and foresail. Everything is well on board, the temperature goes back up!

Thursday, April 29th, 2010 07:52 pm
Encircled by the lightning, the passage  North of the fortieth degrees of south latitude was achieved at a beautiful speed with wind on the quarter, then the bright and surrealist  full moon stained with light the Sea Ocean .. interwining the boat and its trail of stars

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 09:23 am
"Yesterday big gust of wind. Everything is well on board. Today nice temperatures 13°c outside and 17°c  inside the boat. "

Friday, April 23th, 2010

"Thanks to all those people, and I know you have been numerous, who have sent messages of encouragement. For me they are true and important "renewable sources of energy":-).A virtual embrace:-) . " Alessandro

Tuesday, April 20st, 2010     09:18pm
During the night  there were small blows of wind  from the South East , sorts of snowstorm. More stable now from SSE.  Atmospheric pressure rises up

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010    12:37pm
Some big breakers this night. No mast in the water but almost …..once the boat heeling 70 ° port side. Only  staysail, starboard tack. Speed approximately 5 kts, cape NNE.
The night-temperature 6 ° c,  but 0 ° c during the day. I manage to keep a temperature between 7 ° and 12 ° inside. I am OK

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 00:44
Snow with small star's crystals in six points. A big dolphin  crossed my way. Always masses of seaweeds wider than the surface of the roof of the boat. The wind swirls continuously thus I often change sails and it is difficult to rest well but everything is all right .  Galore warm tea under " Sugar ice ".

Sunday, April 18th, 2010    04:02 pm
I am always more in the South of the Cape Horn, frozen rain on board this morning, temperature of 0°c and approximately +6 ° in the boat. 5 kts with Gennaker OK. A good warm milk and a small Italian coffee… and "via"!

Sunday, April 18th, 2010     09:38 pm
To celebrate my passage round the Cape Horn this evening it is a party on board: Champagne very freshly, with "foie gras" and pastas with mushrooms and cream!

Saturday 17 april 2010 01:00
CABO DE HORNOS round to day april 16, 2010 at 08:58 pm, 00:58 UT april 17

Friday, April 16, 2010      8:13pm
In view of  Diego Ramirez islands. Chaotic sea... wind idem. Cold and hailstorm.  Wind turns like a weathervane from N to NW , with gusts of wind and rains. Boat and skipper OK

Wednesday, April 14th , 2010 3:28 p.m
Currently gale winds 37/40 knots, stronger than last night, a lot of big surf and shots. Downward pressure.

Tuesday, April 13th , 2010 4:00 p.m
I spent the night and this morning dry sailing by an average of 5.5 kts. Hoist the genoa at 90 °. Barometer falling, depression on the horizon. Cold wind but I'm OK. Breakfast with muesli and warm milk.Soon a "cappuccino"!

Sunday, April 10, 2010 00:32 am
Once a jury mast rigged, I am now trying any sort of combination of sails in different positions in order to sail at an acceptable speed. A whale appeared on the left of the boat last night at dusk , then it swam under the boat and emerged about  20 meters away on the right with a powerful ‘ blow ’....  Despite the illusion, it seems that I am not the only one here. Cape Horn right ahead is getting nearer and nearer.

Thursday, April 8, 2010 1:50 pm.
The connections of the anemometer-vane driver are OK. That night there were a few bursts of speed of 10.5 knots...! These last 24 hours I had a good speed average of  5.5 knots. I am trying all the sails so as to ‘ master ’ my new rigging

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 00:57 pm
There is still a lot of work to do to put everything in order and brave the passage of the Horn in the best conditions. The boat is OK and so am I

Monday, April 5, 2010     08:34 am
In gust of strong wind. Boat ok . Now strong wind past. A good warm meal and I am trying to sleep.

Sunday, April 4, 2010    08:20 am
Boom, halyards, boom support, etc.. replaced with "small" extra mainsail . Mainsail ripped and battens broken, need time and good weather to repair although it is too big for the new mast...!

Friday, April 2, 2010    02:13 pm
Worked non stop  steel shrouds, last two ones to prepare
Energy production by wind generator and some solar panels

Friday, April 2  2010   01:59am
The mast is on his post!. Eat quickly then I'll set up everything and prepare the steel cabels for the staying.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010      09:37 pm
I just completed the repair the base of the mast on the roof with epoxy, carbon and small "oven" (built with the précious advice of Alberto Romano, with hot hands and activated carbon and the  sun's assistance ) for "cooking" at 32 °. Now little break for meal , taboulé with fresh water . I think of trying to lift the mast tomorrow afternoon when the epoxy has catalyzed. NW Cape in the direction of the currents and wind.

Monday, March 22, 2010 02:15 am
Beautiful sunshine these days in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean.   Not a single ship in sight   from the South Atlantic ... Even the birds are rare. Sometimes a solitary albatross comes to visit me. The nearest point of earth is: Easter Island 1000 miles farther north. My "Findomestic Banca" is in perfect condition, with a beautiful sailing with the spinnaker hoisted up and I feel now, more rested and in better shape than at the start

Wednesday,  March 17, 2010    9:06 pm
Close-hauled on the long waves of the Pacific. I have just entered   the time zone UT-8h. I’ve abandoned temporarily the Howling for Roaring, I am now beginning to mark my progress not with the miles traveled, but with those that separate me from Cape Horn...

Monday, March 8, 2010 08:23 am
Today, a day of major repairs on the sails, especially on the big spinnaker that tore this morning. Now it's the night and I'm sailing with the middle-sized spinnaker. The progress of the boat on this water, rich of plankton, gives me the spectacle of "hot" iridescent streaks that tear the cold of the darkness

Saturday, March 6, 2010   9:50 pm
Yesterday’s good conditions with 20 knots of crosswind gave me the opportunity to catch up on sleep lost during those days of bad weather. My "Findomestic Banca" is in perfect condition and offers me the exciting "cavalcade" on the ocean's waves. I am in the time zone UT -10h. Soon there should be a lull for 15 hours that I will use to repair the sails

Thursday, March 11th, 2010   08:59 pm
The mast was in the water during  yesterday’s storm. The ocean was sometimes completely white ... the support of  the autopilot's weather vane  was folded this morning . I put up the mast to repair this morning. No major damage on the boat. I'm fine.

Thursday, March 4, 2010   08:06  am
This morning the improvement of the weather coincided with the arrival of an albatross that had come flying over the boat . As soon as possible, I will sew sails and  restore contacts of  photovoltaic panels. Today after days of continuous rain and high wind, at last a few hours of sunshine and good wind to make way.

Tuesday, March 02 2010    00:02 am
Gust of wind from NE / NNE right now. Yesterday I saw other seals. I am entering the time zone UTC-11h

Sunday, February 28th  2010   07:45 am
The storm is over. According to my knowledge as a geologist, I should come across waves of  the tsunami , but they should not worry me and I should even not notice them because I am right in the middle of the sea with deep sea beds.
Congratulations to Federica and Andrea for the birth of Alessandro.

Saturday, February 27, 2010    02:03 pm
Today is a special day. Escorted by albatrosses and a few miles from the Antipodes and Bounty Island I am sailing across   the 180 degree meridian (12:20 UTC on 27 February, 00h20, 28 for me). For some minutes I have sailed in the west longitudes.

Wednesday, February 24th 2010    01:41 am
Today is a rich day for meetings. This time I did surprise the seal. I caught it red-handed as it was sleeping, on his back, in the morning sun. Then since there was no wind several albatrosses came and chat near the boat. And finally I saw a couple of seals . And this time I managed to film them!

Tuesday, February 23rd 2010    05:58 am
The gusts of wind are over. I wasn’t able to go to the Steward Island to get shelter from the wind. With only the storm jig ( small triangular vail for storms ) the boat was sailing like a surf giving the sensation to be a champagne cork on New Year’s Eve! The highest speed these days: 20.5 knots ! I can’t believe it. At the end of the gust of wind I sewed once again the torn jib. The paddles of the propeller of the hydro generator broke down. I replaced them with the extra ones -smaller . Today I had another emotion:  I was replacing the rope of the hydro generator when suddenly a seal appeared on the surface! This time I didn’t pet it; I could see it was in a hurry. For a few seconds it swam in the wake all the while getting near the boat. We looked at each other , greeted each other, then it dove under the bottom and I didn’t see it any more.
Point of sailing of the moment, close-hauled , getting near the borders to go up and to look for  the flow of west wind that Romain Lucat and Yves Parlier showed me. By the way I say hello to them and I thank them.
And now ... the Pacific.

Thursday, February 18th 2010   04:04
I ‘ve sailed 13 000 miles since the start. I am half way as for the distance. From today each wave brings me back to the Sables d’Olonnes

Thursday, February 18, 2010 02:18
Whales in sight this morning. Road to the south of Stewart Islands  to get  sheltered and protected  from the wind storm expected on Sunday .

Tuesday , February 16 , 2010   03:20 am
No wind. I immersed to control hull and rudders. Hull in good condition, clean and rudders in order. The water, besides being a little cold, is cloudy.

Sunday, February 14th 2010    09:40 am
Storm warning for Wednesday. So I am heading  for Tasmania Sea to avoid the strongest part, then, I will sail down South of New Zealand just before the ‘ big plunge’ in the Pacific.
The hydrogenerator was out of order but is now repaired. The bow veil was torn but is now fixed; Today a few hours very calm. So I prepared and cooked doughnut.

Tuesday, February 09th 2010    03:34
Hoisted up for several hours the gennaker  repaired. A few days ago it had torn, it was unexplained. I sewed it up for days on several meters. I hope the mending will last as long as possible. It is an important veil and also for the winds I now encounter. Within a short period I will be on the same meridian than Yokohama. I say hello to the Yokohama Bay Side Marina I am a member of. (www.ybmarina.com)

Tuesday  February 9, 2010    09:01 am
Right now there are winds blowing at 18/22 kts. The temperature is 15°C inside the boat, outside it is 14°C and   water is 9,5°C. The last albatrosses left him a week ago and he saw the last whale in the Southern part of the Atlantic

Tuesday February 9, 2010    08:10  am
Overcast but good wind to make good progress. Greet and thank all the people who take care  of weather forecast and routing : Lucat Romain, Yves Parlier, Sebastian Roubinet, Pierre Lasnier

Sunday, February 7th 2010 08 :55 am
Fine on board. Good speed. Rough sea but ok. On the menu: paella, chocolate and soon coffee!

Saturday February 6th 2010   08:14 am
Rain, winds 30/34 knots but OK I am sailing at the right speed. When it is 7 o’clock in France, here it is 2 p.m. ( UT time zone + 8 so +7 hours ). Everything is all right on board.

Thursday, February 4th 2010  10:10 am
Alessando headed North to escape a big depression, then he headed East again, parallel to the Australian coasts. He sailed past Leeuwin Cape on rhe night of February 2nd . That makes two, there is just one left...the Horn ! But it is still a long way. Alessandro wrote: "everything is all right on board. Leeuwin OK. Changing winds with a lot of heavy showers. Winds from 4 to 27 knots"
When winds are changing , the speed is changing as a conclusion there are a lot operations on the deck.
Yesterday he went up the mast to repair the  weather vane that had broken when the boat was swept by a breaker wave a few days ago.
  
Friday, January 22nd 2010    09:20 am
Yesterday a few breaking waves and blows on the side. OK . Now everything is all right. It’s less cold than yesterday.

Tuesday, January 19th 2010   00:04 pm
Well on board. No problem.... water from rain and condensation. Big sleep this morning. Except for a few islands the nearest land is Antartica... I have almost finished the crossing of the Indian Ocean. At the end of the month I think I can go past the second of the three capes: Leeuwin ( South Westen Australia) from there, it will be 7 200 miles on the Pacific before the Horn ; I am sewing the gennaker again


Monday, January 18th 2010     08:22 am
" Everything is all right on board. I am heading toward 52° South"
Tonight ( French time zone) he let down his largest veil to drift since there was no wind for 4 hours and he also slept well in his warm sleeping bag. He is in contact with the Australian skipper Alex on the ‘ Mirribilla’ , a 10-meter sailing boat that left England to sail to Sydney via Hobart.

Saturday,January 16th 2010 09:20 pm
The Fiftieth Hurlants have been behind for a short time. There are still a few miles and I will reach south of Kerguelen. There is another pilot broken I am repairing the veils. It’s cold but ok for the moment. I am going near the Time Zone UTC + 5 . I am fine.

Tuesday, January 12th 2010   01:11
Romain received news: no iceberg ahead; changing tack.
Head toward 47°S avoid a zone with no wind tomorrow. Then I will have to go up because of the big depression that arrives at the end of the week. Now hot tea and rest. It’s daybreak. I am entering the time zone UTC+4 so when in Rome it is midday, on board it is 4 p.m

Monday, January 11th 2010  10:34
Low temperature and almost no visibility because of the fog . Risk of iceberg. I’m going up some latitude . I am sailing 30 miles south of Crozets Islands among them The Isle of Penguins!

Sunday, January 10th 2010   03:14
Boat and I: fine at the moment. Gusts of  winds. Temperature of the water 4°C  air 5°/10°

Sunday, January 10th 2010   03:26
Head toward the south of Crozets Islands, the Isle of Penguins... Way towards the fiftieth Hurlants. Huge waves sometimes impressive. Must be careful when manoeuvring at night not to be knocked down.

Wednesday January 6th 2010  12:02
Gusts of winds announced for the next days. 140 miles North East from the Islands of Prince Edward "and I'm dancing with the Albatros...!"

Saturday, January 2nd 2010   10:15 p.m.
OK on board. It’s the day for changing veils and cape. Gusts of wind announced for Epiphany day and a present from ‘ La Befana’ I would have preferred the ‘ Charbon Coal
Small explanations for the Inglish ‘ the Befana ‘ is a witch who on Epiphany day, visits children and gives sweets to those who had been nice and coal to the others!

Wednesday, December 30 2009    8:33
Today manual work; Large veil and spi torn . I repaired two solar panes. 6 or 7 don’t work anymore. Contacts oxydized. I think I know how to repair but with a dry boat.
I’ll see tomorrow. 150 miles before the Indian. I hope I’ll go past Cap Agulhas for New Year’s Day soon after Good Hope cape and change of ocean. I’m fine.

Sunday, December 20th 2009   2:20
1200 miles from the Cape and 300 miles from the group of islands of Tristan da Cunha. 25-30 knots wind, 4 meter-deep waves.If the wind helps me I’ll go past Cape of Good Hope for NewYear’s day ( a few hundred miles above in the south ) Boat and I ok

Tuesday, December 22nd 2009   9:40 pm
Gusts of wind over but the sea is rough and a few strong, high waves are playing with the boat. I’m trying to find my way again.

Saturday, December 26th 2009  10:00pm
Whales breathing, hit by the low sun rays. Look like flashing columns on the brown skyline and dance near the boat on the australe ocean. Beautiful.

Sunday, december 13th 2009 9:35pm
Genoa with the same defaults ( bad quality) of the fabric as for the spitfire. I found it torn and ready to separate. Mended. Still problems with the automatic pilot. Goes ‘ tilt’ again and again. I’m fine. Changing road SSE Spi up I zizag to avoid heavy rains.

Thursday, January 10th 2009  9:20pm
Now heading toward East to avoid the bad weather ( low pressure) that arrives in the zone. Today salad with onions , bean sprouts, and tuna fish.

Sunday, December 6th 2009  4:10 pm
I found the spitfire ( not much used at all) that was completely torn away. I’ve got two others but I’m cross because the veils were expensive. A pilot out of order. For the rest: sea and wind opposed. Still sail near. Except all this, everything is fine.

Friday, December 4h 2009      8:50 pm
A few minutes ago whales breathing heavily 300 meters away, but I didn’t have time to film. They plunged rapidly and disappeared.

Friday, December 4 th 2009       8:54pm
Still near. The boat heeled 30/40 degrés I must be propped up to prepare the meal or make tea. Everything is fine on board.

Friday, December 4 th 2009    8:58 pm
A few hours ago; sailed across a boat 400 meters. Unreal like in a comic strip. The South atlantic anticyclone is strong and goes fast, because of that I will have to go down near the cape of  Goog Hope very deep in the south above the Roaring Forties