New electronic charts: the 2 computers do not give the same image and you have to juggle, reset everything to get a correct overview.
But with 3 computers, including 1 with the old charts, Google, Marinetraffic and its OnCourse application, we manage to establish the routes as accurately as possible with the weather.
And fortunately, mobile networks are working better than 10 years ago because we can load Grib files (weather forecasts) 20 Nm from the coast. Luckily why? Because the iridium Go has colapsed in Norway where it is not possible to wait for a package without paying a fortune in postage and taxes (yes in the plural!). So no more satellite connection offshore but it’s not the Denmark Strait at the beginning of May (we did that!) and by skimming the coasts we don’t have more than 2 days offshore so we’re going pass.
But how were we doing 22 years ago? Ah yes, maybe we’ll think about taking some paper charts and getting back to it. We smiled when Jacques (Lilas Blanc) talked about training his nephew in the English Channel with Cras rule paper navigation; maybe we shouldn’t have
Any error is good, we will make our Irish friends laugh for a few years by having chosen the wrong place of anchorage: 15 Nm all the same!
Let the Bretons be reassured, they know that we trained in the Mediterranean then in the ice and not in the Glénans.
All this to say that we arrived safely in Ireland which we still love so much even if we miss our 3 monsters (nobody to vomit in the swell).
A few days in Galway Bay then The South (which may be The North for many of you!).