It’s been 3 days since Tara arrived in the United States after a 24-hour stopover in the Bahamas to avoid Hurricane Florence. After heading north, the schooner crossed the mythical New York  Bay and docked in North Cove Marina.

Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, the small port was a strategic place for Tara to welcome various delegations participating in negotiations on the Law of the High Seas at the UN. As customary at every port of call, visitors and school children came aboard to see the boat and talk with the crew.

Romain Troublé presenting Tara’s scientific project to representatives of several countries participating in the UN negotiations on the high seas © Céline Bellanger / Tara Expeditions Foundation

After several days of sailing offshore with only the horizon in view, the Taranauts were treated to a totally vertical landscape. In terms of height, the area around North Cove harbor is not lacking in spectacular buildings.

Among our neighbors, we could admire the famous World Trade Center, rising to a height of 540 meters on the site of the twin towers destroyed in 2001. Visually spectacular, this stopover was also a change of rhythm. Our return to one of the largest megalopoli in the world was marked by intense moments of meetings, discussions, and even reunions of old friends. For 4 days, Tara’s deck and main cabin were rarely empty.

School groups and visitors were greeted on deck by an enthusiastic crew, happy to share these last precious moments of exchange before leaving for Boston and the long transatlantic crossing. Tara also hosted official meetings with sponsors and partners to discuss current scientific projects and the   experiences of the recent months.

Nicolas Bin, second captain, introducing Tara to school children © Céline Bellanger / Tara Expeditions Foundation

Finally, an entire afternoon was dedicated to welcoming a delegation of national representatives to the UN, here to participate in the negotiations on the Law of the High Seas. Tara has been working towards and anticipating this occasion for 10 years!  

Céline Bellanger