16th. January 2010, we set off for Panama through the Caribbean Sea.

On board are our captains Marc and Maxime, 22yo and fearing nothing. They were both slowly killing their life in the damp of the Parisian ghettos and after some bad games with the society, they made their mind up to buy a cheap sailing vessel to set off for the whole world.

I am really impressed by this wise reaction, this positive reflex of LIFE! Even if they barely have a penny to eat by today, even if their boat is a wreck, even though their life is all about chaos, they are here; they crossed the Atlantic Ocean by their own means.

These guys deserve my trust and respect.

There is Javier also, 39, from the Canaries Islands. Fond of adventure, travel and outdoor sports, we will quickly become good friends. Seeing how the two others captains manage their own boat and life, I elect him as the real captain of the ship.

For three days we will steer manually, one after the other. Next to my transatlantic on super-modern-ships this way of sailing appeals me more, here is the real SOUL of sailing.

Trade wind blows strongly westwards. I’ll be the only chef with enough willing to cook something. Seasickness tends me to get more appetite, sounds weird, but this is my way to deal with uneasiness.

After lot of fun at the best school of the sea, Maxime laughs and say “Earth”. Here is San Blas archipelago, Panama territory, we made it alive!!!

San Blas is a big archipelago of beautiful islands made of white sand and coco trees. The whole territory is owned by the Kunas Indians. They rule the territory on their own, and these people who did not know about money 60 years ago are nowadays managing a very good deal with tourists.

They are now wealthy like Cresus!