 |
Alen JerboReached North Africa alone on the tender Firecrest, starting his journey from the southern coast of France
Country:
 France |
Alain Gerbault: A Solo Journey Across the Atlantic
Alain Gerbault was a French sailor and adventurer who gained fame for his solo voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in the early 1920s. Born on December 18, 1893, Gerbault was not a professional sailor, but he had a deep love for the sea. In April 1923, he set off from the port of Cannes, located in southern France, on a small tender named "Firecrest" with the goal of reaching North America.
The tender, measuring 10.9 meters in length, 2.6 meters in width, and with a draft of 1.8 meters, was a typical sailboat. Despite being more than thirty years old, the oak hull of the vessel was in excellent condition. The captain of the tender was unknown to many, but he was well-known among tennis enthusiasts for his skill in the sport. However, he would soon gain fame as a remarkable sailor.
After leaving the port, Gerbault sailed southwest and reached Gibraltar after sixteen days of sailing in variable weather conditions. He stayed there for two weeks to prepare his yacht for the transatlantic journey. Gerbault brought 150 kilograms of food and 300 liters of fresh water for the voyage.
On June 6, Gerbault set sail into the ocean, facing a 4000-mile journey across the Atlantic. Two days later, he encountered the trade winds that propelled him southwest. As the tender required constant helming, Gerbault had to stand watch for twelve hours a day. He would wake up at 5 am, helm from 6 am to 6 pm, and rest and sleep while drifting. The tender covered between 50 and 90 miles per day. Over time, Gerbault became skilled in handling the yacht and managing daily tasks, which gave him less trouble.
As he moved further away from the coast, the trade winds strengthened, and Gerbault had to reef the sails, set storm sails, and repair rigging damage. The monotony of the solo journey was broken by the occasional encounter with passing steamships. On June 17, the sailboat passed 50 miles off the coast of Madeira.
Despite his efforts to reduce the size of the mainsail, Gerbault managed to maintain a safe course with a fixed rudder. However, this reduced the speed of the yacht. Nevertheless, the ability to sail continuously day and night compensated for the loss. The sailor faced other challenges, such as the loss of most of his fresh water supply due to spoilage. With 2500 miles still to go until New York, Gerbault had to ration his remaining 50 liters of water. Fortunately, he was able to replenish his water supply with rain showers that came soon after.
The sailor also encountered difficulties with the sails. The constant wind gusts caused the sailcloth to tear, and the sails constantly needed repairs. During one instance, while furling the jib, a crew member slipped and fell overboard. Fortunately, he managed to grab onto the forestay and climb back onto the deck.
Flying fish that landed on the deck added some variety to Gerbault's meager diet. His provisions consisted of salted meat, biscuits, butter, jam, and potatoes. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the sailor suffered from the heat and thirst. With only one glass of water a day, Gerbault experienced great discomfort. Swollen throat and overall weakness led to a three-day fever, during which the tender drifted in the ocean. When the wind picked up again, his condition improved, and he was able to catch fish.
On August 4, on the sixty-second day of the voyage, dark clouds gathered on the western horizon, accompanied by lightning flashes. Gerbault hoped for a storm to replenish his water supplies. Soon, a strong squall and heavy rain showers arrived. The rain filled an additional 50 liters of fresh water in his barrels. The sea and sky, as Gerbault wrote, provided him with sustenance. The sailor no longer hurried towards New York; he felt at home in the ocean.
Contrary to the prevailing wind directions shown on the nautical charts, Gerbault only dealt with contrary westerly winds. He still had to cover another 1500 miles, but the yacht was progressing slowly towards the North American coast.
To pass the time during his solitary journey on the eleven-meter yacht, Gerbault cooked his food three times a day on a small stove, repaired the sails and rigging for hours (his main concern), caught fish, steered the tender, and when he descended into the cabin in the evening, he fell into a deep sleep (which he had to interrupt several times to check his course).
Once, when the wind and high waves struck the yacht with great force, and the failing sails no longer guaranteed a safe voyage, Gerbault resorted to a sea anchor. However, this reduced his speed, but the opportunity to sail continuously compensated for the loss. The sailor quickly gained the necessary skills to navigate the yacht in the downwind direction, and the daily routine of sailing and maintaining the vessel became less challenging.
In the beginning of July, Gerbault encountered strong southerly and southwest winds. Tropical rain showers joined them, and it was only after five days that the weather improved, and he had good weather with favorable winds. However, the ocean voyage presented Gerbault with new problems. A month after setting sail, he discovered that most of his fresh water supply stored in oak barrels had become undrinkable. With another 2500 miles to go until New York, he had to ration his remaining water. Fortunately, rain showers soon replenished his supply.
The challenges with the sails continued. By the time they reached the halfway point across the Atlantic, not a single stitch on the sails remained untouched. On July 13, while furling the jib, a crew member on the bowsprit slipped and fell into the water. Luckily, he managed to grab onto the forestay and climb back onto the deck.
As Gerbault sailed further along the coast, the wind and waves intensified, making navigation difficult. He had to reef the sails frequently. The new mast was repeatedly at risk of breaking, and other defects in the yacht became apparent.
After a sixteen-day passage, Gerbault reached the Bermuda Islands and anchored in St. George's Harbor for repairs. The sails were also refitted at St. George's.
From St. George's, Gerbault moved to Hamilton, where he stayed for several weeks to fix a leak. Here, Gerbault received numerous awards, including a medal for his achievements in seafaring.
On February 27, 1925, Gerbault set sail from New York, heading towards the Panama Canal. The weather was unfavorable, and the yacht had to drift for several days in a hurricane wind.
On March 12, Gerbault reached the Panama Canal and entered the Pacific Ocean. The weather improved, and the sailor was finally able to relax and even find time for reading.
After covering 1800 miles, Gerbault arrived in the port of Colon on April 1. He stayed in Colon for over a year, during which he wrote his first book, "The Single-Handed Transatlantic Race." The journey brought him fame, and Gerbault received many offers to accompany him on his voyage, which he declined. He prepared the tender for the Pacific crossing and obtained new sails. Gerbault also changed his food supplies, eliminating salted meat. A new kerosene stove was supposed to ensure cooking in any weather.
Regarding the navigation equipment, Gerbault believed that it had withstood the test during his previous voyage, so he decided to keep his old sextant and two chronometers on board. Some of the yacht's equipment was procured from France.
On November 1, 1924, with a two-month supply of provisions, Gerbault left New York and set course for Bermuda. However, the ocean welcomed him with bad weather, and he had to drift for several days in hurricane conditions.
During the night of November 5, the yacht, sailing without a portside running light, collided with a ship. As a result, the tender's bowsprit and its attachments were damaged. Gerbault repaired the damage and patched the hole in the bow planking.
Sailing along the coast proved to be challenging due to the adverse weather conditions. Gerbault had to constantly reef the sails. The new mast posed a threat of breaking, and defects in the yacht became apparent.
After a sixteen-day passage, Gerbault reached the Bermuda Islands again and anchored in Paget Harbor on the island of Bermuda. Unable to dock due to high waves breaking on the shore, Gerbault reached it by swimming. The traveler stayed on the island until the end of December, fully convinced that only a life in nature could bring true happiness, while modern civilization limited freedom and oppressed the spirit.
On January 15, 1926, the sailor resumed his journey, leaving Bermuda and heading towards the Galapagos Islands. After a two-week stopover, during which Gerbault explored the islands and their sparse population, he left Puer-to-Chico on July 30 and headed southwest. Taking advantage of the moderate tropical winds, Gerbault set a course for the Mangareva Islands.
On September 6, a strong hurricane battered the tender, and on September 13, during the night, Gerbault unexpectedly collided with a partially submerged object.
According to Gerbault's calculations, on September 16, he should have been within a few dozen miles of the Mangareva Islands. His calculations turned out to be correct, and after midday, the sailor saw land on the horizon, entering a charming lagoon where the tender anchored near Rikitea. Forty-nine days of ocean sailing were behind him.
Warmly welcomed by the locals and enchanted by the beauty of the island, Gerbault spent many days there, fishing with the islanders, participating in festivities, swimming, and taking photographs.
On October 12, under rain and strengthening winds, Gerbault once again set sail, heading toward the Marquesas Islands. He was reluctant to part with the captivating islands, but he remained committed to his decision and continued his journey. Soon, the weather improved, and with the push of the trade winds, he glided through the Pacific waters.
After twenty-six days, on December 7, Gerbault reached the Marquesas Islands and dropped anchor in Taiohae Bay on the island of Nuku Hiva. Unable to dock ashore, which was pounded by high waves, Gerbault swam to land. The traveler stayed on the island until the end of December, becoming even more convinced that only a life in nature could bring true happiness, while modern civilization limited freedom and oppressed the spirit.
On March 15, 1926, Gerbault set his sights on the peaks of the mountains of Tahiti, which initially appeared to him as the most beautiful of the Pacific islands. Unfortunately, Tahiti had already been engulfed by civilization. The city of Papeete disappointed Gerbault to such an extent that, as he wrote, he spent most of his time on board his yacht. The locals were prohibited from wearing traditional clothing, dancing, and performing ritual ceremonies, while the arriving white population brought with them all the vices of civilization.
On May 26, Gerbault set sail again. After a stopover on the enchanting island of Bora-Bora, where, according to his last wish, Gerbault was later buried, he headed west, crossing the Pacific towards his final destination, the Marquesas Islands.
Gerbault crossed the ocean at a speed of up to one hundred miles per day, with a fixed boom. In his free moments, he read books and perused the extensive mail he received in Papeete.
After two weeks, guided by his experienced hand, the tender reached the Samoan Islands and anchored in Pago Pago Bay on the island of Tutuila.
Equipped with new nautical charts and pilot books, Gerbault continued his journey on July 23, entering a new stage of his circumnavigation. Soon, the tender encountered strong trade winds and headed west, rapidly reaching Upolu Island, where he briefly stopped in Apia.
On August 13, with the wind increasing, Gerbault sailed further towards the volcanic island of Savaii. When the yacht was almost within reach of the port, the sheet of the mainsail tore, and the boom struck the shrouds. Trying to fix the damaged rigging, Gerbault noticed that the jib sheet was also on the verge of breaking. This forced him to abandon the difficult passage to the port and sail towards Wallis Islands, which he reached four days later. Sailing in unfavorable conditions, beating against a strong current and rain, Gerbault ran aground on a submerged reef, but luckily, he was able to free the boat with the rising tide. However, the chain of misfortunes did not end there. Waves washed the yacht onto the shore, leaving it in a seemingly hopeless situation. With the help of the locals, the yacht was raised on supports, and the submerged ballast was retrieved from the water. Gerbault had to overcome many difficulties before he could forge new bolts and reinforce the ballast. It was only with the assistance of the French military ship "Dumont d'Urville," specifically sent to the scene, that the repair of the tender, which had taken four months with interruptions, was finally completed. The tender set sail into the ocean again.
