A teenager in a boat around the world

I have always lived in the islands, three years on Moorea, then nine years in New Caledonia. My parents were always attracted to the sea, and one of their dreams was to have a sailing boat and set off to sail round the world. In 2006, part of their dream began - a 13.4-metre catamaran called ‘The Cat’, renamed 'nolimitpirates.com’, became our home. At 8 years old, my life changed; a life afloat is not very commonplace. But my parents didn’t stop at this first stage. It was in fact a mad wish to sail round the world which pushed them to go even further with their actions and gave them this strong, unflagging willpower.
Little by little, the preparation of the boat took shape, and while the school days continued and my parents were working, a certain date was approaching... I can't remember exactly when they announced it to me, but when my parents told me that we were going to set off to sail round the world the following September, it was...just incredible! They weren’t just empty words either, it was reality. And yet... So many people didn’t believe it. There were lots of criticisms of our boat, and it was apparently too late in my school career for me, I would no longer have any friends, or quite simply “In any case, you won’t do it...” Remarks as hurtful as they were malicious, and which marked my parents. As for me, I couldn’t wait, and lost no time in telling my friends at school. I, too, really wanted to leave. I was enrolled at the CNED (the French national centre for distance learning), the boat had been refitted to our taste, and prepared for the big voyage. And in September 2010, ‘Pirates.com’ prepared to leave Port du Sud marina, in New Caledonia, heading for...some adventures! I knew that my parents were proud. They had done it, and I was the happiest person in the world...
Our voyage began by heading for the islands of Vanuatu!

‘Pirates.com’, the family’s catamaran-home is sailing round the world, despite being 30 years old…

I am now 17, and I have been sailing around the world with my parents for five years now. We have visited over 20 countries, and crossed the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. I finished my five years of the CNED without a pause, and sat my baccalaureate in economic and social science in Martinique, as an external candidate. And I passed. Today I am dedicated to my passion, photography, and especially animal photography, which remains my favorite area. This passion arose from the voyage; we were in Malaysia, on the island of Langkawi. It was my relationship with nature and my admiration of the animals which started it, and it’s above all the voyage which has broadened my mind, in a way. I later enrolled on an animal photography web site; both amateur and professional photographers guided me and gave me advice on how to improve – all this made me want to continue. I have been taking photographs for three years now. This year I won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year in the 15 – 17 year old category, a first prize from the most prestigious animal photography competition in the world, organized by BBC Wildlife and the London Natural History Museum. The voyage has allowed me to discover some wonderful places, fabulous scenery and hundreds of animal species; it was an opportunity not to be missed. I pass on what I see through photography, and what I am particularly fond of, nature. I have always liked diving or swimming, so why not take this passion below zero level and go underwater? It took me a while to begin, and I only started taking photographs underwater much later, with a little waterproof compact camera. I do the best I can, while awaiting the possibility of having a watertight case to take a reflex equipped with flash etc. underwater.

On the English island in the Chagos archipelago!

Let’s get to the question I am most often asked, which countries did I like the most? I always reply without hesitation: Namibia, Madagascar and the Chagos archipelago! Namibia because this country is quite simply wonderful, mainly from a scenery point of view, but also for the fauna. We didn’t stop for long in these South-West African countries, around a month, but a month which was unforgettable!
Madagascar, an African soul, full of life, of colors, the people’s hospitality, so many qualities which appealed to me. And above all, the endemic animals, rare and beautiful! Five months, between the islands and bays in the north-west, close to Nosy Bé.
Then the Chagos, situated right in the middle of the Indian Ocean; these are virgin islands which were inhabited in the past. They are now uninhabited; the only means of access is a boat. A paradise for cruisers...and photographers! Three favorites in a way...
I appreciated certain places more, some less, which is natural, even though every experience, whether positive or negative, always gives us something.

Jonathan, photographer-sailor, or sailor-photographer? Here at St Lucia on Pigeon Island.

And what about my relationship with boats and sailing?
I must say, I love it! If I could choose, I would spend my whole life on a sailing boat! (a catamaran preferably...) Of course, living on a boat is not always a bed of roses; the sea is sometimes hard and treacherous, just as it can be wonderful, gentle. I experienced the difficult moments with my parents; we often said to each other “what are we doing here?” and just as often said that it was brilliant, “If only every sail could be like this!” I like cruising, there is no doubt about it, I love sailing and I love the sea. I am rarely ill, just a little ‘green about the gills’ sometimes, and suddenly everything is better when dolphins come to dance at the bow! It’s just magical...
Everything about my years on the boat has been positive (apart from perhaps the math functions in the CNED lessons...).
I haven’t met many young people of my age on boats, but I've never missed this. Between sailing, photography, lessons, discovery, visits, how could I find the time?
I’ll say it again, I regret absolutely nothing about my life on a boat.

‘Pirates.com’ under sail, leaving Martinique. Having passed the ‘bac’, Jonathan (and his parents) can start the voyage again…

It seems to me to be just as important to talk about the CNED, one of the only ways French children can study aboard a boat during a voyage (with the help of the ‘parent-teachers’). Because this is one subject which raises a lot of questions before setting off on a long-term voyage with children.
For many, it seems almost essential to stop during the voyage for the youngster to attend school, once they have passed into a secondary school. No! It is possible to continue right to the end, and alone. This was the case for me; I had to apply myself, persevere, insist, and it worked! I passed the baccalaureate, alone and with the CNED. Which goes to show...everything is possible! But I have to admit, it’s not easy studying alone, especially at secondary level.

In the Cayo de Agua anchorage in Venezuela. A country to be discovered, even though rumors advise against this destination.

‘Pirates.com’ is currently in Curaçao, an island in the Dutch West Indies, situated to the north of Venezuela. A little aside, whilst talking about Venezuela:
How many times have we heard people say that we shouldn’t go there, it was dangerous, that we would be killed for almost nothing... And yet... We had already visited the Philippines and Madagascar, wonderful countries with welcoming populations, but steeped in negative rumors created by people who had often never been there! We went to Venezuela, we passed via Isla Margarita, IslaTortuga, Los Roques and Los Aves. And I can tell you, it’s a destination not to be missed, as the (too short) month we spent in these islands was superb, and I regret absolutely nothing!

On 6th December 2015 we will be leaving for the last stage of the round the world trip, the Pacific (the article was written at the end of November, just before this final stage - Ed.). We will therefore have to pass via Columbia, the San Blas islands, Panama and its famous canal, the Marquesas, wonderful Polynesia and finish in New Caledonia. Arrival planned for September 2016. In a few months’ time, ‘Pirates.com’ will have done it, despite being 30 years old!
I will be able to boast about having been round the world at 18, and to have been unimaginably lucky! I hope that many other youngsters will be able to do what I have done, discover just how beautiful our earth is, and realize that it must be protected as best we can.
Travel helps youngsters develop, isn’t that what they say?

Again in Venezuela, in the Dos Mosquitoqui, and again the same passion for wildlife photography.

Boat specification

‘Pirates.com’ is an Australian amateur-built boat, which is now 30 years old. It measures 13.4m with a beam of 5.6m. It was built very heavily in wood-epoxy, but the slim hulls allow it to keep up a good cruising speed. The 11m mast is positioned towards the back of the boat, which provides us with a very big genoa and a small mainsail. Very pleasant downwind! And despite this, it sails quite well to windward, contrary to what you might think. It draws 90cm, which is ideal when we have to anchor in very little water!
A strong, warm boat, made for long-term cruising.

Our round the world trip

We left from Nouméa, in New Caledonia on 1st September 2010.
The first major destination was the Vanuatu islands. We then continued towards the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, the Philippines, Borneo, Singapore, then crossed the Malacca Straits, famous for its strong gales (we didn’t escape them...), before arriving at Langkawi, a Malaysian island. We spent the monsoon between Thailand and Malaysia, before setting off again one year later towards the Maldives, and to cross half of the Indian Ocean. It took us 14 days to reach the Maldives, after leaving from Phuket, in Thailand. Then followed the Chagos archipelago, Madagascar, South Africa, Namibia, St Helena, Brazil, Guyana, Tobago, before arriving in Martinique, where we stopped for six months so I could sit my baccalaureate. In September 2015, we left the Lesser Antilles, heading for Curaçao, before discovering the Pacific...


Discover Jonathan’s work
Jonathan has just won the prestigious Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year prize. The photos illustrating this article were all taken by this young sailor, full of talent and enthusiasm. If you want to discover his work, he has a Facebook page which you can visit:
www.facebook.com/JonathanJagotPhotography
worldtravelerjohn@hotmail.fr

In Madagascar, a pirogue returns from fishing at Nosy Faly.