"Arctracer" Letters

Update 11 - The French Navy 22 March 2013

Hello!!

At the time of my last update, we were about to leave Iles du Salut... I told you that there had been no need to check in or out of the country while we were there. WELL...

As we prepared to leave, a French Navy boat arrived and took a mooring. As they put their dinghy in the water, I ran to my room to straighten up AND turned on my GoPro camera and put it smack dab in the center of the table in the main salon.

Sure enough, they motored directly to Arctracer and came aboard. I sat outside in the cockpit with one boy and made small talk while Mom & Jerry talked to the others inside and let them look around. He asked me when we arrived, when we were leaving and what I did for a living. He lightly scolded me for not putting up our Q flag. The Q flag is solid yellow and officially should be raised until you've been properly cleared by customs and immigration. (Q is for quarantine.)

At one point, Mom came outside. She told the guy that it was my first time sailing, that I had gotten sick along the way, and that I haven't been able to shower very much. Thanks, Mom! She went back inside. Thanks, Mom!

Pierre ( I don't actually know his name) took our passports. As he looked at mine, he noted that my hair was longer in the picture, paused, and said he preferred it how it is now. He then had to call someone official with our info. When he got to me, he said my name was "ee-lah-ree...like Clinton" and called me a "belle-fille". That sounds like it should mean beautiful girl, but I'm pretty sure it actually means step-daughter, which is my relationship to Jerry. Shrug!

As the others were wrapping things up inside, I heard a beep beep beep of my GoPro. My mother said something about...daughter...camera...battery dead... She did a very good job. They didn't push it. I have no way of reviewing my footage right now on the boat, but I'm looking forward to checking that out upon my return.

They left without any problems and without stamping our passports. We finished preparing for departure and headed towards Suriname.

To be continued!

Sailor Hilary