Pushing the limits of autonomy - Blog

Our stay in the Canaries marks the halfway point of our journey around the Atlantic. Nautical mile after nautical mile, we have reached the easternmost point of our journey. We take advantage of this to review our initial objective, which is to evolve as much as possible in harmony with the elements of nature through our choices of activities and consumption. On a sailboat, rocked by the ocean on all sides, this is done without too much effort. Far from wanting to rest on our laurels, we wish to explore further the idea of autonomy.

We decided to take inspiration from the islanders, who often have to rely solely on themselves and the resources available. In the Canary Islands, we have been greatly inspired by many creative ways to be more self-sufficient.

Snorkeling

The ease of whales and dolphins in the water makes us dream. Could we learn to hold our breath longer and dive deeper like them? We enjoy swimming with our fins, masks and snorkels, but we have to stay a few meters below the surface. We also like scuba diving, but this type of diving requires a lot of equipment, and the limited space on board discourages us from carrying everything with us. We happen to be in Tenerife, a perfect place to learn to snorkel.

The objective is simple; relax, fill your lungs with a deep breath, go down as deep as possible along a rope, then come back to the surface. The training starts with some notions of anatomy, to better understand the functioning of our respiratory system. Before diving, we prepare ourselves with some stretching of the thoracic cage and breathing exercises that remind us a little of yoga.

This sport requires our body to develop superhuman qualities. Some people descend to depths of over 60 meters, the world record being 117 meters!

As you can imagine, this discipline is not without danger. The risk of fainting in the water is high, especially at great depths. We never dive without someone to accompany us in the last phase of the ascent. But in the deepest part of our dive, we are alone. We can only rely on the strength of our body and our mind.

After 3 days of practice, we descended to surprising depths, reaching 22 meters. Not bad, when you know that it is the equivalent of a 6-story building! We can now swim underwater a little deeper, a little longer, and with more confidence. This makes our time underwater even more wonderful.

Silbar to communicate

In the nearby island of La Gomera, residents have found another way to use the sheer force of their lungs to meet a need; to communicate over long distances without the aid of technology. Long before the invention of cell phones and walkie-talkies, mountain residents communicated with each other by whistling... words! This art of language, called Silbo (whistling in French), allows those who master it to hold a complete conversation, from one side of the mountain to the other. We undertook to learn how to do like them.

For this, we followed our Silbo teachers into the mountains. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't use our phone; there is no network in this remote place! No choice, we have to learn to whistle. The problem is that it is as beautiful to hear as it is difficult to reproduce. Their way of whistling, with only one finger, only allows us to get out a small disappointing pffiou. From there to make a sentence, we are far from it. Our teachers assure us that we will eventually get there, with a little practice. We know how to occupy the time during our next crossing!

The 100% autonomous island

We continue our journey to El Hierro, the southernmost island of Europe. If we had to choose a place in the world that is an example of autonomy, it would be there! Thanks to Gorona Del Viento, a hydroelectric power station combined with wind turbines and inaugurated a few years ago, the island manages to be 100% autonomous in energy during the days of good winds.

The principle is simple; to take advantage of the elements at their disposal, such as the wind, the water and the geography of the island to answer their need in energy, all that in a sustainable way. We took a small path that leads to the wind farm. In the company of a few goats we were able to admire the view of the ocean and feel the power of these giant ecological structures.

Sustainable fishing

On the side of the fishermen of the island, we found this same concern of sustainable development and autonomy. A subsistence activity and an important source of income for the island's inhabitants, traditional line fishing is nowadays more and more threatened with extinction. Large trawlers, which are accused of overfishing, are competing unfairly with them, in addition to emptying the seabed and depleting resources.

To avoid a catastrophe, the coalition of fishermen managed to set up protected areas around the island. Fishing is forbidden in some places, while in others it is allowed, but only by angling. The initiative is an exemplary success, since the island is now known to have the most beautiful underwater world of all the Canaries. Diving centers are multiplying, and the island's restaurants are proud to serve delicious fish caught the same day, nearby.

This stay in the Canary Islands has inspired us a lot. We realize that we carry within us unsuspected qualities and a great strength that allows us to achieve our goals. For us, autonomy does not mean solitude or self-centeredness. On the opposite, all the activities of autonomy that we have experienced call for a need to communicate, to live in community, to help each other. We support each other in this human adventure, where machines and technology remain a means, not an end in themselves.

L'Appel de l'Océan, three adventurers who realize their dream of crossing an ocean under sail.

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