Maritéa's odyssey
The origins of a passion
Passion identified...
Eric and Céline met in high school. One had been sailing on his parents' ketch every summer since he was six months old; the other had spent her childhood on a sailing boat that was always ready to set sail but never did.
The first fell in love with the sea and boats during his childhood, almost without realizing it; the second vowed to give her own children what she had hoped for herself.
Following a pivotal visit to the Paris Boat Show, eighteen-year-old Eric makes the decision to pursue his passion for the sea and boats by training to become a professional skipper. One day, in the port of Toulon, his friend Armand asks him what his dream boat would look like. Without hesitation, Eric points to a large ketch moored at the end of the pier in front of them. "See that sailboat with a blue stripe on the hull? That's the one. Everything about her inspires blue water voyages..."
This sailboat — although Eric didn't know it yet — was Cannibal III, Alain Cochez's “Mikado,” aboard which he would embark that same year for his first charter season as a deckhand. His encounter and friendship with Alain, an extraordinary skipper, would leave a deep impression on Eric. And if Maritéa is also a Mikado, the reasons are as objective as they are emotional...
Confirmed passion...
At just 20 years old, Céline joins Eric on his adventures. Together, they sail on Cannibal III in Greece, then on Souleïas, a 17-meter sloop based in Cavalaire. These are already large sailing boats for such a young crew...
The bigger the dreams, the more effort it takes to achieve them. Eric enrolls at the National Merchant Navy School in Marseille, while Céline prepares for her state sailing certificate in Normandy.
This temporary geographical separation enables them to make another valuable encounter: that of Gilbert Hurel, the owner and skipper of the Courrier des Îles. Since 1978, Gilbert has been the “taxi” of the Chausey Islands, the secrets of which he knows like the back of his hand. In 1994, Eric has the privilege of becoming his first deckhand. After Alain, Gilbert would be the second captain-mentor of the young merchant navy officer.
Shared passion...
From 1996 to 1998, Eric and Céline enjoy a wonderful experience working as crew members on the Emigrant. On board this converted Camaret lobster boat, they welcome children and teenagers from the Belfort area who are facing challenges at home and at school.
These children – most of whom have never seen the sea before – are living a defining moment aboard the old gaff-rigged ketch. The mission of the four adults accompanying them is to boost their self-confidence and show them that they can determine the course of their lives, as long as they dare to trust in their dreams.
Passionate career...
While Céline focuses on sailing boats and obtains her professional skipper's license, Eric enriches his career by sailing on merchant navy ships. He starts out as a cadet on a tugboat, then becomes a lieutenant on a sulfur carrier and finally chief officer on cargo ships belonging to the Compagnie Maritime Nantaise. This company manages the crew of the three-masted Belem and Eric first joins the ship as a lieutenant before being promoted to chief officer. There he learns how to handle the square rigging, training under an exceptional master: captain Michel Pery.
Passion double-hulled...
In 1999, aged 26, Eric is appointed skipper of the Douce France, the world's largest sailing catamaran at the time.At the helm of this superb 42-meter schooner, he cruises in the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean, sailing across the Atlantic between each season.
It's aboard the Douce France, in August 2000, that Eric makes the fateful encounter with Guy Laliberté, a former Quebec street performer and the founder of Cirque du Soleil. Immersing himself in the fascinating world of this unique company makes a deep impression on him, as does the exceptional personality of its leader.
On February 23, 2001, as a nod to their new friendship, Eric and Guy are blessed to welcome the simultaneous birth of their daughters, Juliette and Moani.
Renewed passion...
In 1999, Céline purchases Gilbert Hurel's former workboat, La Mauve, and sets about restoring it. After setting up her own business, she offers day trips on the River Rance and around Saint-Malo, departing from the picturesque village of Saint-Suliac, where she has settled with Eric.
Having found a maritime activity that is compatible with motherhood, Céline delights our friend Gilbert, by breathing new life into the little sister of the Courrier des Îles. La Mauve quickly becomes the pride of Saint-Suliac and a source of joy for all her passengers.
Passion enhanced...
2003 is an exceptional year. Eric, who has just celebrated his 30th birthday, is entrusted with command of the Belem. His dream, which was simply to set down his bags on board one day, has been surpassed...
But above all, in October, a little cabin boy joins the crew. Eric and Céline searched long and hard for his name, even though it would have been obvious: Damien, this little wooden sailboat on which Jérôme Poncet and Gérard Janichon made an incredible voyage around the world between May 1969 and September 1973, crossing latitudes from Spitsbergen to Antarctica. The story of this voyage, beautifully recounted by Gérard's talented pen, greatly inspired the young parents...
Not forgetting the winks of life: the improbable meeting with Jérôme Poncet in 1999, when Eric and Céline were restoring La Mauve on the quayside of Saint-Malo; he brought a piece of Antarctica to their apartment for an unforgettable evening, the atmosphere of which was far from polar; or that of his brother Fabien, whose Mikado they almost bought, and who confided in them why the sailboat Damien had this pretty name.…
Passion completed...
While Eric has an obvious penchant for sailing, his career would be incomplete without commanding a commercial vessel. In 2004, at the age of 31, he is entrusted with the MN Toucan, a ro-ro vessel that specialized in transporting the Ariane 5 rocket between Europe and French Guiana. At 115 meters long, it is the largest ship the young captain has commanded up to that point in his career.
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