A French couple forced to return to Bermuda while sailing to the Azores after a violent storm destroyed their sailboat's mast are full of praise for the efforts of Bermuda Radio.
Claude Laurain and wife Sabine Laurain sailed to Bermuda for a 15-day stay on April 21 on sailboat Albatros IV. They departed Bermuda on May 5 to reach their home in France, via the Portuguese islands. But they did not anticipate mother nature's fury.
Prior to setting out, the couple, who have been sailing the world for 55 years, knew that there was a cold front nearby but believed the conditions would be tolerable — but they were wrong.
"The forecast was good," said Mrs. Laurain, 62. "We knew we had to pass through a cold front but the forecast said it wouldn't be too strong and the winds no more than 30 knots (34 mph).
"The first day was perfect as was Tuesday. But the winds became stronger on Tuesday evening and we decreased the size of the main sail... we saw that thunder was coming and that meant that the cold front was too."
During the height of their encounter with the weather, which saw 43 knot winds (49 mph), she described bolts of lightening repeatedly striking the exterior of the boat.
"Thunder was everywhere and we found ourselves under water spouts. At one point we were under this big cloud which brought more thunder and lightening."
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