La Vagabonde's crossing

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

It is an age-old question of the human condition - why undertake this or that challenge if you don't need to.

Mallory answered "Why did you want to climb Mount Everest?" with the retort "Because it's there" .

It's famous but not a very satisfying answer.

But there is a demand in the human condition (at least for some humans) to stretch themselves and take risks and challenges when they don't need to.

It may be a stupid urge . . . but if so I myself am definitely stupid.

and back to the voyage . . . they are still doing near 10kts, seem to have found their legs.

I dont believe this is about challenge, more about business, and I have no issue with that. Of course this is just my opinion.

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I dont believe this is about challenge, more about business, and I have no issue with that. Of course this is just my opinion.

you may be right . . . . I have absolutely zero insight into La Vag's motivation . . . it does tick both boxes simultaneously.

and honestly, I don't really care, I find it interesting and educational whyever they are doing it.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Are you saying there's not enough objectivity?

No, not saying that. Only that there are some seasoned passagemakers chiming in (and undoubtedly more reading), and it'd be unfortunate if they were dissuaded from contributing because their otherwise valid comments as experienced sailors might be viewed as anti-Greta or insulting to the significant number of fans of the youTube channel.

There is no denying this is a riskier passage given that they left from the US mid-Atlantic coast in mid-Nov, and are sailing to a schedule (albeit a somewhat flexible one). Many boats leave around the same time every year from VA to sail to the Caribbean, and do much of the same part of the initial passage as LV has done to Bermuda. Over the years this first part has resulted in quite a few unpredicted N. Atlantic gales and some serious mishaps, incl. a few fatalities. Breaking Waves characterized the passage as a whole as not unlike an in-season S. Ocean run. There's a difference between realistic comments related to these well-recognized risks and unwarranted/unfair criticism.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I dont believe this is about challenge, more about business, and I have no issue with that. Of course this is just my opinion.

it would be interesting to hear their motivation and decision making process for taking along a 5 month old baby,who obviously had no choice in the matter,all others are there of their own free will?

it would also be interesting to know what provision for the child they have made if they end up in a life raft,life expectancy would probably be measured in hours rather than days due to exposure?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by atoll

it would be interesting to hear their motivation and decision making process for taking along a 5 month old baby,who obviously had no choice in the matter,all others are there of their own free will?



it would also be interesting to know what provision for the child they have made if they end up in a life raft,life expectancy would probably be measured in hours rather than days due to exposure?

Like Rebel Heart...seems to me crossing oceans with babies is not the most prudent of decisions...finish the publicity stunt then have a relative fly over w baby.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by atoll

it would be interesting to hear their motivation and decision making process for taking along a 5 month old baby,who obviously had no choice in the matter,all others are there of their own free will?

it would also be interesting to know what provision for the child they have made if they end up in a life raft,life expectancy would probably be measured in hours rather than days due to exposure?

I dont watch sailing vlogs generally, I'm usually on cell data, but for some reason I saw one of their recent vlogs prior to this passage, in fact the only one Ive seen.

It focused on Elanas anxiety regarding cruising and how it's got worse recently. This is one of the reasons I say I dont believe it's about challenge, it's more about business. She strikes me as very business savvy.

Also many here haven't cruised extensively and thus have little understanding of what ocean cruising is about and the difference between this passage and crossing the Pacific in the right season, it's a totally different experience. Most coconut run cruisers arent the seasoned salts people believe we are, we are just average smucks, I am fairly confident the crew other than the pro haven't experienced this type of sailing before. It's very hard on the boat and hard on the crew, writing 50k on a screen in no way gives you a understanding of what 50k means.

I truly wish them the best, and I'm confident they will be fine ,I'm also enjoying this thread but I know what it feels like when its blowing 25-35k forward of the beam for days on end, I also know what 50 knots is and I do not envy them, but it's great for business, no doubt.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Like Rebel Heart...seems to me crossing oceans with babies is not the most prudent of decisions...finish the publicity stunt then have a relative fly over w baby.

I agree.

[Budawang]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Like Rebel Heart...seems to me crossing oceans with babies is not the most prudent of decisions...finish the publicity stunt then have a relative fly over w baby.

Agreed, but the baby did have some sea miles prior to this trip and I'm sure he's not prone to sea sickness. The baby would probably be oblivious to the rough conditions most of the times. Still, if anything went really badly wrong it would not be good.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Exile

No, not saying that. Only that there are some seasoned passagemakers chiming in (and undoubtedly more reading), and it'd be unfortunate if they were dissuaded from contributing because their otherwise valid comments as experienced sailors might be viewed as anti-Greta or insulting to the significant number of fans of the youTube channel.

There is no denying this is a riskier passage given that they left from the US mid-Atlantic coast in mid-Nov, and are sailing to a schedule (albeit a somewhat flexible one). Many boats leave around the same time every year from VA to sail to the Caribbean, and do much of the same part of the initial passage as LV has done to Bermuda. Over the years this first part has resulted in quite a few unpredicted N. Atlantic gales and some serious mishaps, incl. a few fatalities. Breaking Waves characterized the passage as a whole as not unlike an in-season S. Ocean run. There's a difference between realistic comments related to these well-recognized risks and unwarranted/unfair criticism.

Dunno but I believe for most seasoned sailors it's not about Greta or YouTube, just about sailing, anyway for me..

What comes to risks the most risks were in the early stage, closer to US coast, which is now past. They are bound to Portugal or Spain which leaves them the choice to duck south if anything too troubling appears on the way. It would be totally different matter if they were heading more north.

[atoll]

just looking at the weather again,and it seems like there is a lot of uncertainty about this storm which is moving up between two high pressure systems of similar pressure to link up with a low between them,the only thing is there are two lows to the north also of similar pressure.
this makes it entirely possible the extratropical cyclone will track to the northwest or north rather than NE.
so far all the predictions have been wrong about this storm.
at the moment the storm is tracking NW towards bermuda then expected to track north with storm force winds up to 150nm of the center.
not entirely good for the vags if they stay on their current track

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Like Rebel Heart...seems to me crossing oceans with babies is not the most prudent of decisions...finish the publicity stunt then have a relative fly over w baby.

I don't disagree with you, but with good weather routing, good comms, and highly skilled crew, at least a couple of them, and a $million+ boat which has been actually prepared in an actually professional way, this is an entirely different proposition from Rebel Heart, which was half a sailor, without any ocean experience at all, not even trade winds ocean experience, single handed in a cobbled together $20,000 tub. Just the sight of the crew going up the mast on La Vagabonde underlines the dramatic difference in seamanship; that's pro.


I would not personally want to do this in a lightly built performance cat, a kind of boat I really like, but not for this kind of passage. I would personally prefer to be in a really strongly built mono, the larger the better, with which if the S really HTF, you can toss the drogue out, batten down the hatches, and ride out below without concerns about the structure. A boat you wouldn't mind driving at 8 or 9 or 10 knots even in rough sea conditions, something I do with my boat all the time. I think there is a certain risk of getting caught out in a really bad storm, in this season, in those waters, even with the best of weather routing. Probably a small risk, but I don't think it can be entirely eliminated. Is it reasonable to expose a baby to such a risk? I think I would not do it myself, but I don't think we have too much right to judge the decisions of others in this, at least when the adventure is as well planned as this one seems to be.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Dunno but I believe for most seasoned sailors it's not about Greta or YouTube, just about sailing, anyway for me..

What comes to risks the most risks were in the early stage, closer to US coast, which is now past. They are bound to Portugal or Spain which leaves them the choice to duck south if anything too troubling appears on the way. It would be totally different matter if they were heading more north.

Maybe not for seasoned sailors, but I'd hazard a guess that for most it's predominantly about Greta & LV's youTube channel, perhaps in that order.

Apparently there are risks well beyond the US e. coast. See Atoll's recent post.

[atoll]

re last post
looks like they are aware of the possibility, and might be making a run for it,given the uncertainty of the storm track
now heading NE at 8+ knots
https://forecast.predictwind.com/tra...ingLaVagabonde

[OldKetch]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Dunno but I believe for most seasoned sailors it's not about Greta or YouTube, just about sailing, anyway for me.

This is looks rather publicity and business driven. Sailing feels secondary.

According to Elayna's Instagram, they were planning to get down to Charleston for the winter in a month, and then they had 3 days to prepare the boat and everything for this crossing. It does sound like a publicity and business opportunity they just could not miss.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I don't disagree with you, but with good weather routing, good comms, and highly skilled crew, at least a couple of them, and a $million+ boat which has been actually prepared in an actually professional way, this is an entirely different proposition from Rebel Heart, which was half a sailor, without any ocean experience at all, not even trade winds ocean experience, single handed in a cobbled together $20,000 tub. Just the sight of the crew going up the mast on La Vagabonde underlines the dramatic difference in seamanship; that's pro.


I would not personally want to do this in a lightly built performance cat, a kind of boat I really like, but not for this kind of passage. I would personally prefer to be in a really strongly built mono, the larger the better, with which if the S really HTF, you can toss the drogue out, batten down the hatches, and ride out below without concerns about the structure. A boat you wouldn't mind driving at 8 or 9 or 10 knots even in rough sea conditions, something I do with my boat all the time. I think there is a certain risk of getting caught out in a really bad storm, in this season, in those waters, even with the best of weather routing. Probably a small risk, but I don't think it can be entirely eliminated. Is it reasonable to expose a baby to such a risk? I think I would not do it myself, but I don't think we have too much right to judge the decisions of others in this, at least when the adventure is as well planned as this one seems to be.

Who said it was well planned? Who said the boat was properly prepared for this passage? I genuinely ask. It seemed to happen very quickly. They have one professional crew this is a big plus.