Thursday is Sailors’ Sunday according to an old tradition among European sailors. We took the opportunity to stay moored at the Dobson Yacht Club in Sydney and set off to visit the famous site of the nearby fortress of Louisbourg. This is a faithful reconstruction of a 1713 French settlement that stood on the same site. As Charles Tisseyre would no doubt say in his very Canadian radio voice: “Fascinaaaant!” (Fascinating!).
We were greeted by Lucienne, a guide who was very generous with her comments and explanations, and who also had a delightful Acadian accent. Above all, we had the opportunity to interact with the many costumed actors who wandered around the site and took great pleasure in telling us about daily life in a fortress in the first half of the 18th century. Even better, Alex N, Béatrice, Justen, Ryan, Jasmin, and Catherine volunteered to dance in the town square with some of the local bourgeoisie. Unfortunately for them, it seems that their relative mastery of the required choreography will not allow them access to the upper echelons of this society… Our departure from Louisbourg was marked by a flat tyre on one of our rental cars and an episode in which Simon, our doctor, was attacked by a bee that had slipped under his shirt to sting him four times. (We’re professionals – don’t try this at home).
On the way back, we stopped at the grocery store to stock up on provisions. The young people asked if they could go in and buy some treats… A decision was made: yes, they could, but they were asked to be sensible with their purchases, bearing in mind that the Foundation and the crew of the Roter Sand are committed to providing a healthy diet with limited junk food or sugary foods. The result? Well… Let’s just say that the definition of “reasonable” varies greatly from person to person… Honourable mention to Anna-Maria who bought popsicles for everyone!
On our return to the marina, the local radio station paid us a visit; the arrival of a boat like the Roter Sand is the talk of the town…. Camille and Ryan volunteered to do the interview, while the others preferred to play frisbee while waiting for dinner. We ended the day with a social BBQ on the marina terrace, overlooking our boat and Sydney Harbour bathed in the warm light of dusk. And remember we said in yesterday’s post that the locals are incredibly friendly? Well, they arrived for dinner tonight with two huge pizzas and a phenomenal amount of potato salad! The young people instinctively stood up and thanked them, hugged them, struck up a conversation, took pictures, and went from being just passing strangers to dear friends for the duration of the meal. It was a wonderful moment… Thank you to the people of Sydney and especially to the members of the Dobson Yacht Club! We won’t soon forget you!
P.S.: Thank you to family, friends, and former participants for your comments! Don’t hesitate to write to us, it warms our hearts to read your messages!
Translated by Lorraine Gagnon