Dreaming of travel, with sailor Elea!

Elea has just joined our SAILIZ team as an ambassador, a passionate sailor and boat owner. Her travel stories and adventures are already inspiring our community. But with her preparation for the Captain 200, and her constant desire to discover the world, we are certain she will continue to inspire us with her life as a sailor.

How did you decide to start sailing and become a sailor?

My father introduced me to sailing by taking me on sailboats in the Mediterranean when I was about twelve years old.
I then met Marieke, a ‘pianigatrice’ (piano – sailor) who travels from port to port aboard her schooner Lady Flow with her piano on board to give concerts!
That was the first boat I ever boarded. It was magical, and I already loved taking the helm!

Several years later, I decided to leave university to do a civic service at Les Glénans in Concarneau.
That’s where I caught the bug and my new life as a sailor began.
I became a sailing instructor and did several seasons after that.

After that year, I went on a transatlantic trip aboard an old rig, Leenan Head, which is a sailing school.
A first offshore experience in magical conditions!

I then followed up with the BPJEPS Sailing training. A year full of learning!

Which projects helped you grow the most as a sailor?

2022, the start of a completely crazy project I was lucky enough to participate in: the Ocean Globe Race 2023/2024, a round-the-world sailing race in 4 stages and under the conditions of the 1973 Whitbread.
I was part of the Pen Duick VI crew for 2 legs, an incredible experience that taught me a lot as a sailor and allowed me to make unforgettable encounters!
Upon returning from this adventure in April 2024, the come-down was long, but there’s no time to be bored; I bought a boat, and there’s work to be done!

What are your sailing plans for the coming years?

Which brings us to today, I am training for the Captain 200 certification to be able to sail as a professional skipper.
The goal with this diploma is to be able to sail and work on scientific vessels.
But also to be able to travel with my boat, and why not take people aboard, to introduce them to the maritime world and sailing!

The SAILIZ adventure, how did you join the SAILIZ GIRL adventure?

Sailiz, it’s an adventure that immediately appealed to me!
Since I’ve been in the maritime world, I’ve always been disheartened to see that women had very little space on board, or were poorly regarded.
Therefore, it’s not easy to find technical clothing that meets our needs as sailors!
So it was only natural that I was tempted by the idea of becoming an ambassador for Sailiz.
I hope to be able to help other women find and access what they need to be comfortable on the water, in their leisure and their work.

Our slogan #YESGIRLSCANSAIL, what does it inspire in you?

#YESGIRLSCANSAIL, of course they can! More and more of us are sailing and asserting ourselves on board, and that’s great. There are still places where that’s not the case, but we must continue, efforts pay off!

What do you like about sailing?

I used to get very seasick at first, and I often wondered if I should continue or not.
But there are all the other moments when I feel so good at sea, that balances out all the unpleasant times!
Sunrises and sunsets, night watches under the stars, paradisiacal anchorages, relearning to keep busy or do nothing for endless days at sea, being at the helm of an incredible boat in really rough sea conditions, seeing land after several weeks at sea…!
The good moments are endless!

One of my dreams is to cast off and leave without a time limit, to go discover the world aboard my boat!

Any advice for a sailor who will read this blog post?

You have to seize opportunities; the more you seize them, the more others will follow. That’s how you end up living incredible adventures at sea!