We arrived in Les Sables d’Olonne, France on July 18, 2015.  We had a great apartment right on the quay and close walking distance to the marina. We could watch the boats entering and exiting the harbor all hours of the day.

Quickly adjusting to life in France with a morning baguette run on a borrowed bicycle.

Upon our arrival at the marina Sea Rose was still in the boat yard being commissioned.

Finally, after a few days she was launched, but which one is Sea Rose?  Lagoon launches about 200 catamarans from here every year.

Good thing we put our name on our boat so we could find her.

We now had to get Sea Rose ready for setting sail.  We spent nearly a week acquiring all of the supplies necessary.  Not to mention, the wrong main sail was installed and had to be replaced.  After a few days of emails Lagoon finally corrected the mistake and installed the correct square top main sail.  This required some final adjusting of the rigging, at which time the rigger dropped his massive wrench on the deck and chipped the gel coat.  That sucked!  You never want to see that on a new boat.

Fortunately, Lagoon summoned their master gel coat repairers and fixed it the next day.  Like magicians and made the chip disappear.

We were finally ready to throw off the lines, leave the dock and say goodbye to the new friends we made the past week, but not until the Admiral christened Sea Rose. I didn’t realize she was so superstitious, but I was not going to tempt fate and bring bad luck upon Sea Rose.  Teresa graciously sacrificed one of her fine bottles of champagne for the ceremony.