“30 days at sea… after it will be better”
The military are very often subject to physical and psychological trauma following the fighting. This is the case of Alpha Diakité, president of the association “30 days at sea…after that it will get better” and Christophe Michel, its vice-president. After losing 5 comrades, Alpha Diakité could no longer find a peaceful life.
What delivered him ? The sea. He started sailing in Brest, and felt a real liberation. Then the idea came to him to help his classmates, who were in the same situation of pain as the one he had known. In November 2017, he founded the association “30 days at sea…after it will get better” with Christophe Michel.
From what comes the name of the association…
First of all from a film by Pierre Schoendoerffer, “Le Crabe Tambour”, from which is derived this quote “30 days at sea… after it gets better”.
Then in reference to the Mini-Transat, a sailing race that leaves France to arrive in Martinique, lasting 30 days. Alpha Diakité aims to take up the challenge with his comrades in 2019!
30 is also the number of half days of sailing lessons on a 12m sailboat that former soldiers will benefit from with the association. In partnership with the Société Nautique de Marseille, the association brings the sea to life for the 16 former soldiers it currently helps.
The ultimate challenge: the Mini-Transat
La Mini-Transat is a transatlantic sailing race, solo, without assistance, on a 6.50 metre sailboat. The departure is in La Rochelle, and the arrival at Le Marin in Martinique. It is a race where you are alone with the sea, in total freedom!
But it is also a high-level challenge : about twenty preparation and qualification races are necessary, and a two-year programme for the optimisation of the boat/skipper relationship is established.
“30 days at sea…after that it will get better” is a solidary and sporting association to which we wish much success!
Picture to Mike Birdy