sam_uk
Well-Known Member
We met a couple of French guys yesterday who were setting off across the channel in a pedalo.
This morning Nicolas Koch and his friend Max set off from Port
Chantereyne, Cherbourg- to cross the Channel (~80miles) on a creaky
old pedalo.
The pedalo has a compass, front and stern lights, and a book of
laminated pages including tidal and coastal maps. The cover is a
glowing fish ‘n’ chip shop sign ‘for motivation’. A disposable camera
faces the twin seats for those Kodak moments of camaraderie,
exhaustion, and quite possibly terror. All these vital components are
stuck on with Gaffer tape- affectionately called ‘Scotch’ in these
parts.
“I was going to walk from Cherbourg to the other branch of the school
in Caen. I looked it up on Google maps but there was a glitch- it
showed that the route was via Portsmouth, the other side of the
Channel. So I decided to go that way. There will be an exhibition in
Caen when we make the return journey.”
His art has long been concerned with unusual journeys. For a project
in Helsinki he cycled a stationary bicycle programmed with the terrain
he’d have to cross to get to Russia. He obtained the correct visas and
presented them at the imaginary border. “It was a journey without all
the best bits.” At least we know he has strong legs.
They expect to be at sea for 48 hours, but you never know what plans
the sea might have.
As morning broke, we grabbed our kit and cracked open Joker’s hatch.
The first thing I saw was a crew of marine gendarmes disembarking and
heading to shore, where the pedalo sat on the broken trailer. We
reached the pedalo to find them tutting and shaking their heads,
chuckling incredulously. After a few minutes they returned to their
boat. I hadn’t followed all the French, but the boys looked happy
enough.
“They say we are not allowed to go. They have to say this so that it
is not their responsibility. "
But they know you’re going to go?
“Yes.”
Both Max and his father are experienced sailors, which may explain why
Max looked more nervous than Nicolas- checking the horizon where a
band of dark cloud loomed. Max’s father arrived in a small sailboat.
He will accompany the pedalo, providing hot drinks and meals and a
vital bolthole when their legs give out or the waves get too much.
A small knot of friends gathered to wave them goodbye. And without
fanfare, they climbed aboard and pedalled out of the harbour.
Max’s father followed in his yacht. The coastguard swept out behind,
to keep them in sight until they were out of their jurisdiction.
As I write this, they are pedalling to Portsmouth. Wish them luck and
send good thoughts for a safe journey. They may well need it.
If all goes to plan they should be in Portsmouth Sunday evening/night.
Full story with pictures:
http://howtosurvivethefuture.org/20...alo-channel-crossing-courtesy-of-gaffer-tape/
This morning Nicolas Koch and his friend Max set off from Port
Chantereyne, Cherbourg- to cross the Channel (~80miles) on a creaky
old pedalo.
The pedalo has a compass, front and stern lights, and a book of
laminated pages including tidal and coastal maps. The cover is a
glowing fish ‘n’ chip shop sign ‘for motivation’. A disposable camera
faces the twin seats for those Kodak moments of camaraderie,
exhaustion, and quite possibly terror. All these vital components are
stuck on with Gaffer tape- affectionately called ‘Scotch’ in these
parts.
“I was going to walk from Cherbourg to the other branch of the school
in Caen. I looked it up on Google maps but there was a glitch- it
showed that the route was via Portsmouth, the other side of the
Channel. So I decided to go that way. There will be an exhibition in
Caen when we make the return journey.”
His art has long been concerned with unusual journeys. For a project
in Helsinki he cycled a stationary bicycle programmed with the terrain
he’d have to cross to get to Russia. He obtained the correct visas and
presented them at the imaginary border. “It was a journey without all
the best bits.” At least we know he has strong legs.
They expect to be at sea for 48 hours, but you never know what plans
the sea might have.
As morning broke, we grabbed our kit and cracked open Joker’s hatch.
The first thing I saw was a crew of marine gendarmes disembarking and
heading to shore, where the pedalo sat on the broken trailer. We
reached the pedalo to find them tutting and shaking their heads,
chuckling incredulously. After a few minutes they returned to their
boat. I hadn’t followed all the French, but the boys looked happy
enough.
“They say we are not allowed to go. They have to say this so that it
is not their responsibility. "
But they know you’re going to go?
“Yes.”
Both Max and his father are experienced sailors, which may explain why
Max looked more nervous than Nicolas- checking the horizon where a
band of dark cloud loomed. Max’s father arrived in a small sailboat.
He will accompany the pedalo, providing hot drinks and meals and a
vital bolthole when their legs give out or the waves get too much.
A small knot of friends gathered to wave them goodbye. And without
fanfare, they climbed aboard and pedalled out of the harbour.
Max’s father followed in his yacht. The coastguard swept out behind,
to keep them in sight until they were out of their jurisdiction.
As I write this, they are pedalling to Portsmouth. Wish them luck and
send good thoughts for a safe journey. They may well need it.
If all goes to plan they should be in Portsmouth Sunday evening/night.
Full story with pictures:
http://howtosurvivethefuture.org/20...alo-channel-crossing-courtesy-of-gaffer-tape/
