- The sun21 crew at the press conference after their arrival in New York (Beat von Scarpatetti, David Senn, Michel Thonney, Martin Vosseler, Mark Wüst, from the left)
- Arrival in New York City
- The mayor of Miami, Manuel A. Diaz, presents the crew the Keys to the City of Miami.
- Arrival at Martinique.
- The sun21 heading to Martinique.
- On the way to the Canary Islands.
- Due to a storm the sun21 sought refuge in the harbour of Casablanca (Morocco).
Weblog
Nov 27, 2006: Days of encounter
Days of encounter in Seville - Alegria in Pueblo del Rio - waiting for
departure in Chipiona.
Seville is behind us – the "sun21" is docked where the original port is located in the heart of the proud metropolis of Andalusia, on the same level as the old dock of massive beige sandstone blocks; the "tower of gold" – the mariners used to deliver their gold to the king at this place – and the Torre Grimalda of the cathedral welcome us. In the quiet court of the dome, the lemons are ripening – an oasis in the traffic-clogged city.
Clemens Schlettwein from Barcelona and Beltran de Ceballos of WWF Spain have pulled out all the stops: a white pavilion is gleaming on the banks next to the "sun21". Our boat turns into a magnetic attraction for three days. Sixteen television stations swarm around the solar boat, the mayor of Seville, the Swiss ambassador, the Andalusian environment delegates. School children squeeze through our narrow cabins with sparkling eyes and draw a future full of sun, solar boats, animals, trees and flowers on big paper webs – for the children from New York, who will continue working on the paintings. Many women and men are waiting for round trips and they express their enthusiasm about the soft vibration-free floating in the water with "maravilloso" and "fantastico". And, on one evening, Mark Wüst is honoured with a local visitor in the narrow steering cabin. Cornered, it scurries to and fro and finally regains its freedom by leaping overboard boldly: it is a large rat from Seville. Thus, the source of the black compact grains, which Beat scrutinises in a groove on deck, is explained.
Puebla del Rio – we introduce our journey to the village people and encourage them in their engagement for the protection of the Donana, a unique nature-sanctuary threatened by port and street building projects, located between the mouth of Quadalquivir and Seville. Vivacious and determined women crowd around Daniela Schlettwein, talking about their rebellion against the destruction of nature and against machismo; and soon the catamaran platform becomes a dance floor which remains dry thanks to the sunshine roof. People sing, gaudy-dense colours with Carmen-enamel are visible, the vibrato is harsh, there is clapping and dancing, Flamenco. The Orient beckons, making bodies, arms and hands turn and writhe. Eyes search, feet stamp. We whirl along – gracias a la vida!
The almost nine-hour-length journey on the river is a pleasure, floating from the fog into the sun past bushes on the banks and trees where several storks are strutting around in their nests and clacking with their beaks. The keels quietly cut furrows through the skin of the river. The estuary becomes increasingly broader. Only a thin strip of land separates the endless sky from the reflecting water.
Now we are waiting to depart in the yacht port of Chipiano. Tomorrow, we will shop for provisions to last us for two weeks; the voyage will starts on the 29 November – the first long sea journey till Puerto Sherry, where we will build in the carbon propeller. After that, departure – heading for the open sea.
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