I'm not crazy: a man made a round-the-world trip on a yacht on land (4 photos)

Bernard Poiteau took part in a virtual version of the famous round-the-world regatta. In this way, the man tries to draw public attention to the problems of refugees.





71-year-old Bernard Poiteau spent almost a month on his yacht, which is moored on a hillside in the Loire region of France, 300 kilometers from the nearest sea. But his unusual participation in the virtual version of the famous round-the-world regatta Vendee Globe attracted attention not only among locals, but also among yachting fans.

On his five-metre-long wooden boat, Poito spends up to 22 hours a day, closely monitoring his virtual route via the Virtual Regatta app. Inspired by the real-life Vendee Globe regatta, in which sailors sail 20,000 nautical miles (37,000 km) solo and non-stop, Poito decided to take part in order to raise awareness of the problems of refugees.

"Asylum seekers go through much worse experiences than I do. They are the real heroes," says Poito, who has been helping refugees through the charity Anticyclone for over 20 years.



Poito's yacht, "sailing" through the meadow, clearly does not encounter storms and icebergs like its real-life counterparts in the South Atlantic, but life on board is still not easy. Cold, cramped quarters and physical discomfort have become part of his daily life.

"I'm not crazy, I'm defending a cause," he says with a smile when asked about his unusual participation in the regatta.

Poito plans to complete his "voyage" at the same time as the real race, whose winner is scheduled to cross the finish line in January. His family, including his wife, whom he has not seen since the start on November 10, are waiting for his return.





"My wife is waiting for me, like the wives of all real sailors," he jokes.

Bernard Poito hopes that his experiment will not only help raise funds, but also draw attention to those who are forced to overcome much more difficult "regattas" in search of a safe life.