After the breakdowns that happened on our return voyage from Antarctica in January 2022 and the effects of the pandemic that took hold in the world, I had to seriously reassess the purpose of this circumnavigation. I came to the conclusion that the wisest choice was to return with the ASANA to the Mediterranean sea.

Four reasons motivate my choice: 1. It has become very difficult to travel in certain parts of the world because of the pandemic. 2. A return of the pandemic is a very real possibility and with it the inevitable lockdowns that follow, rendering access to my boat impossible. I already experienced this and do not want to take the chance again. 3. I would like to spend more time at my home in Armenia and follow the increasingly important activity of My Forest Armenia. 4. Taking into account our impact on climate change and carbon emissions, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of flying very long distances for pleasure only. Indeed my pleasure is diminished knowing that by acting so, I am destroying the planet.

So I will sail back the ASANA this summer to bring it to either Italy or France.

Thank you for reading my adventures, I will have a chance to continue for the next couple of weeks.