Memoir set on a boat, sailing the world

17th November 2021

A Sailor, A chicken, An Incredible Voyage: The Searfaring Adventures of Guirec and Monique by Guirec Soudée, with Véronique de Bure. Translated by David Warriner. Memoir set on a boat, sailing the world.

“If you stop to assess every single risk you encounter in life, you’ll never get anywhere or do anything”

I just love it when humans choose an animal companion, to keep them company in their endeavours. Take 1Bike1World on Instagram which is a delight to follow, where Dean and Nala take on the world. It’s heartening, redemptive and inspirational. And it is something I wouldn’t have the courage or vision to do and therefore it is a delight to ‘accompany’ others as they fulfil their destiny.

Photo: France.fr

And so it is with Guirec Soudée, who sets off to circumnavigate the seven seas in a battered boat that gets him through his journeys on a wing and a prayer. Along the way he chums up with Monique, a brown hen who joins him on his boat in the Canaries, They become the firmest of companions and she drops an egg every couple of days which becomes essential nutrition for Guirec as the voyage progresses. She is the perfect partner for this expedition – I used to keep hens and know just what warm little souls they are.

“Sailing a boat really isn’t rocket science. All it takes is common sense, quick reflexes and a little creativity!” says Guirec  when he has got into trouble with a flapping spinnaker.. I get the sense he really didn’t quite know the full ramifications of sailing solo over several years, yet he embraced his adventure with incredible determination and positivity. As a child he had studied his globe and knew on his home island of Yvinec in Brittany (after which he named his boat) that one day he would need to embark on a testing adventure.

He had in mind the places he wants to visit, culminating early on in Greenland, where he actively wants to get stuck for several months in the ice packs. There he hoped to find his sense of self and test is endurance skills. Once released he heads right around north and down to the South Pole. Helpfully there is a sketched map of his route.

Having his hen in tow meant that he had to be circumspect about customs in various small ports, some didn’t care, others cared more about the undeclared gun he had in his possession, designed to frighten off bears and he got a short jail term as a result.

He meets people, finds himself in impossible situations, and delights in most of the experiences his adventures offer him. He is sanguine and capable and can turn his hand to anything, it seems.

His story is told with a childlike awe, in simple prose that is both charming and beguiling and makes for a surprisingly gripping read. You are in for a treat.

I suspect the title could do with being a bit more, well, peppy.

Monique is still around but not travelling any more. Guirec has just returned from a solo trip and he and Monique are doing interviews together for the book!

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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