The Blue Planet Odyssey fleet set sail this morning with promises to return to lovely Martinique — but first they plan to sail around the world.
s/v Maggie
The Odyssey fleets have had the good fortune to visit Le Marin during its annual patron saint festival, so the boats left the Port du Marin marina early this morning and anchored to watch the annual Regatta de Yoles Rondes. Yoles are traditional Martinican sailing craft, and it is a wonderful sight to see the colorful sailboats race the harbor with their crews hiked out on long poles.
Yoles
Then it was our time to set sail, and we assembled outside the harbor for the 1200 start. The Marina du Port du Marin supplied us with a boat for the start and Eric Jean-Joseph, manager of the marina along with Jacques Bajal of the Martinique Tourist Committee were on hand to raise the flags and call the start.
Eric Jean-Joseph and Jacques Bajal
The first boats across the start line were Tom Tom, Windwalker and Lovesail, all part of the Pacific Odyssey, followed by Blue Planet Odyssey boats Maggie and Coconut Woman. Soon after came Om, who is now on its second Odyssey, having crossed from the Canary Islands with the Atlantic Odyssey in November, and now continuing on with the Pacific Odyssey.
As Tom Tom, Windwalker, Lovesail and Maggie sailed off toward the San Blas islands, Om and Coconut Woman returned to Le Marin – they will leave for the San Blas in the next day or two after resolving a few technical problems. The last of the fleet, Blue Wind, will join them. They too remained in port to sort out a few issues. The boats will all meet in the San Blas islands in a week or so, and continue their voyage into the Pacific.
s/v Lovesail
s/v Tom Tom
s/v Om
s/v Coconut Woman
s/v Windwalker
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