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French Frigate L'Hermione


PIerrick de Badas

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Hermione's log:

48H MEMORABLE!

Friday, July 31, 2015:

The last 48 hours are likely to remain engraved in our memories for the rest of our lives.

Wednesday 29, to 10h30pm, the notice falls. Depression we want to hang just changed classification. Having drawn two other depressions, it became a hurricane. On deck, the commotion of combat.

 

We one reef in the foresail, then tighten the mainsail. Other teams prepare additional the robands to all the sails. It lowers the gaff of mizzen and is braced with straps. Installing lifelines on deck. We are assured that everything can walk, supports boats. Then we try as much as possible to grab a few hours sleep. But eventually, a new weather report in the middle of night changes tone: after his fury spilled over Newfoundland, Hurricane has returned a classic depression.

 

Instead of a fury with winds over 70 knots, so we had the right to a Thursday in the sun to watch, incredulous, dragonflies on deck and flying fish at latitude benches New- Neuve ... After the night we had spent these hours basking were welcome.

Because our program had not changed much: we were to follow depression on its southern flank to hang winds carrying it happen. On the evening of yesterday, the barometer began its descent and the winds started to freshen gradually. At 7am, we were finally in the heart of the subject.

 

Difficult to describe a day like the one we have just had. Also difficult to make it to the image. Whatever we do, the objectives sag water mountains that marched under our keel and the words do not have the strength of a gust to 45 knots. The looks were likely to get lost in this majestic waves up to 7 meters established stronger.

 

If you feel small when you cross an ocean, it feels downright tiny face these waves as beautiful, attractive and dangerous as the sirens of the Odyssey. When one sees the break above the catwalks, the wake of l'Hermione seems to undulate before our eyes on the steep paths of a hill in perpetual motion, which is found almost lying on deck to compensate roll, we see the tip of the guns scratch the surface of the water, as the deck tremble beneath our feet when the frigate accelerates surfing the waves, you feel more alive than ever.

Especially as l'Hermione was designed for these conditions: 35 knots established broad reach and a rear wave is a perfect playground for the three-master. Helmsmen took turns to four quarters exhausting because the slightest error could lead to an immediate sanction. But the volunteers did not fail and we beat all records: maximum speed of 13.3 knots achieved 2 times a day (our previous record was 12.7 knots during sea trials 2014) and nearly 11 knots average with 130 miles covered in 12 hours. Between midnight Thursday and midnight Friday, we even had finally exceeded 240 nautical miles in 24 hours, 10 knot average!

On the night of Friday to Saturday, we continue spinning above 10 knots almost constantly, always in a big swell and always returning as regularly by the ports. The biggest of depression has now passed us but we should continue to enjoy favorable winds easing but at least for another day. Then we will be on the road a secondary depression that should allow us to retain the lion of l'Hermione pointed at Brest.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b5m1e2gy0Z4

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Especially as l'Hermione was designed for these conditions: 35 knots established broad reach and a rear wave is a perfect playground for the three-master. Helmsmen took turns to four quarters exhausting because the slightest error could lead to an immediate sanction. But the volunteers did not fail and we beat all records: maximum speed of 13.3 knots achieved 2 times a day (our previous record was 12.7 knots during sea trials 2014) and nearly 11 knots average with 130 miles covered in 12 hours. Between midnight Thursday and midnight Friday, we even had finally exceeded 240 nautical miles in 24 hours, 10 knot average!

On the night of Friday to Saturday, we continue spinning above 10 knots almost constantly, always in a big swell and always returning as regularly by the ports. The biggest of depression has now passed us but we should continue to enjoy favorable winds easing but at least for another day. Then we will be on the road a secondary depression that should allow us to retain the lion of l'Hermione pointed at Brest.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b5m1e2gy0Z4

That's what we like to see!

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The reefs are in the topsails, not top gallants.

Yes, of course, I inform to you for the DVD.

Oh sorry that's what I meant topsails. They actually down rigged the t'gallant yards and placed them in the waist in preparation for the storm.

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Cant wait to see L'Hermione and the Götheborg sail together.

But maby they already have?

(Full size replica ship of a swedish Indiaman)

 

Götheborg has made several China trips maby they could sail together to China some time?.

 

L'Hermione could be her escort ^^

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Maybe l'Hermione will go one day in Asia, as it was under the command of Admiral Suffren station in Asia with his squadron.

As they do travel the initial of l'Hermione, perhaps he will also make a trip there. If in addition the Götheborg can join this trip would be amazing.

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Hermione's log:

Friday, August 7, 2015:

And now, the time that separates us from our return to France now account hours. Hard to believe we left Saint-Pierre there are already two weeks. There are only two weeks! If the journey will end when we return in Rochefort at the end of the month, the biggest is now behind us.

We have crossed the symbolic threshold of 10,000 miles from l'Hermione two days ago. It must be said that in recent times we have seen the water cycle under the hull. Even on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, we found ourselves in the heart of a depression in an area where the waves were not yet formed but the wind already present. Result, a full shift worked at breakneck speeds, for a final average speed of 11.25 knots over 4 hours! The next day, Anthony, one of the lieutenants of l'Hermione, who was in command while still do not believe it, "it was the best quarter of my life ..."

After such performances, it has become almost normal for us to see the GPS indicate a higher speed 9 knots for days and do more than 200 miles per 24 hours. Long gone are the days of the deckchair or we go quietly went along at 6 knots, making occasional peaks above 8 ...

"We know the boat well now, the commander explained yesterday morning, so we know how far to push to get the best. Before, we carguait parrots at 15 knots and was taking ris above 20, that night we established the large parrot at 17 knots, it was furled over 20 knots and still had two topsails, the ardor of parrot, the foresail and mainsail reefing without any established more than 30 nodes. In fact, today, it operates The Hermione as they operated in 1780. And clearly, she likes it. Imagine, a cargo ship that made it crossed the 10.5 knots when we were advancing at 12.5 knots! "

Run the boat this way is however tiring for the crew who spends his time to reef, dropping them establish canvas and furl, constantly adjust the sails to the conditions of wind and sea. Do not forget not only in 1780, it was 120 topmen who were on deck in the most sporting conditions. Today is twenty volunteers who do the work. The bar handles 3 or 4 almost continuously from the start, spray water the bridge daily, when it's not complete the waves hit the hull and decks exceed!

Clearly, the North Atlantic has kept its promises, with real navigation, speed, demanding conditions, bad weather and seas formed. If we know that fatigue slap awaits us in Brest, no one on board sorry to have lived such a journey. We will nonetheless conducted a transatlantic two weeks and a half, an incredibly short time ...

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His journey is not quite finished. After Brest, she goes to Bordeaux and then it comes back (finally) in Rochefort.

 

In 2016, she leaves for Brest for boat festival, America will be the country of honor and l'Hermione boat emblem of the festival.

 

It is planned in the various contracts that Hermione must be at least six months a year in Rochefort.

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