Dozens of boats accompany the return of the Maewan sailboat along the Aber Wrac’h, north of Brest, to the port. Saturday November 13 in the morning, the ship was completing a round-the-world trip launched in February 2015, full of stopovers, discoveries and ecological projects.
Originally, a sporting expedition
The captain is from … Grenoble. Former mountain guide Erwan Le Lann is described by members of his crew as “crazy” and “resourceful“. Two essential qualities for traveling the world on a Eleven meter long boat, made of aluminum, fitted with a wind turbine, solar panels and hydro generators which provide electricity.
– Sophie PODEVIN
Of all the stops, he refuses to choose a favorite. It must be said that they all have a little taste of adventure: Iceland, Greenland, North Pacific, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Cape Horn, Brazil, Mauritania …
On the other hand, the captain concedes having experienced galleys every day.
Trouble? That of Greenland where we hit a piece of ice that tore the boat. We took 3 weeks to be able to repair it. Erwan Le Lann, captain of the Maewan.
If the boat was at sea for 6 years, this is not the case with its crew. Almost 80 people took turns, with a maximum of 6 people on the boat, for periods of 6 to 8 months at sea per year. The result: 26 stopovers and more than 60 thousand kilometers covered.
Ecology and environmental awareness
A few years after the departure of the boat: a new idea germinated. That of set up workshops to raise awareness of the environment and ecology in France and wherever the boat stops. The idea was inspired by Marion Courtois, companion of Erwan Le Lann who has worked a lot in the humanitarian sector. The Maewan association was born.
Are then put in place workshops lasting several weeks to support young people in the creation of projects in accordance with their environment, helped by adventurers and sportsmen of the association.
A new five-year expedition is already planned by the couple of explorers: towards the Pacific.