This month, we’re setting sail on a heartwarming story of family, love, and ocean crossings. Climb aboard with Antoine, Magali, and their four children – Arthur, Alice, Martin, and Mathilde – who cast off on a life-changing journey aboard their Outremer 45, Loela, from the Mediterranean to New York, via the Atlantic and the Caribbean!
Loela: A Love Story
The name of their boat wasn’t chosen by chance. Loela is an acronym for “Là Où Est L’Amour” – “Where Love Lives.” That says a lot about their way of traveling: as a family, with deep respect for nature, a thirst for discovery, a love of simple sailing… and a desire to share it all.
From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean… and All the Way to New York
It all began with a summer spent covering 3,000 nautical miles in the Mediterranean. Then in December 2024, they headed west across the Atlantic to the Caribbean! Their journey continued north: the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas… before sailing all the way up the East Coast of the U.S. to reach New York. A true dream come true!
Memories to Last a Lifetime
We asked them to share their favorite memories… and everyone had their own highlights:
- Mathilde: The magic of glowing plankton in the boat’s wake, starry skies during the crossing to Horta, and a natural pool at Jost Van Dyke (British Virgin Islands).
- Martin: Climbing Mount Etna in Sicily and treasure hunts with fellow kid sailors in the Bahamas.
- Alice: Canyoning in Guadeloupe and watching the 4th of July fireworks in New York.
- Arthur: Swimming with a nurse shark near Rudder Cut Cay, and watching rocket launches from Cape Canaveral.
- Magali: The serene, turquoise anchorages in the Exumas – Rudder Cut Cay, Shroud Cay, Musha Cay – a must when the sea is calm.
- Antoine: Making landfall in Bequia (Grenadines) after the Atlantic crossing… and above all, that magical moment sailing into New York Bay under the Verrazzano Bridge. Unforgettable.
Why New York?
Antoine and Magali first visited New York 16 years ago by plane, with baby Arthur in tow. Back then, Antoine made himself a promise: one day, he’d return… by boat. Arriving by sea, passing the Statue of Liberty – that was the dream. As their two eldest children needed to sit exams at the end of the year, they made it happen from the U.S. With a friend in New York helping with the logistics, it was the perfect excuse to sail up the coast and fulfill that old promise.
Want to Know More?
On their blog, you can dive into how they prepared for this great crossing: training with the Outremer and EFT teams, onboard energy management, their choice of stopovers, the highs, the challenges, the symbolic arrival in New York – and of course, their adventures through the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
As you read this, Loela is crossing the Atlantic once more – heading back to La Grande-Motte.
The adventure is nearly over… but the memories will last a lifetime.
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