Episode 2: un équipage féminin

1925, A pioneering all-female crew racking up achievements

These women were pioneers. In 1922, they dominated regattas on Lake Geneva aboard the 6.5m Gipsy. At sea, they explored the Côte d'Azur and were the first to reach Corsica on their little 7.2m yacht Perlette.

Driven by their thirst for adventure, they sailed another 1'700 miles — from Athens through the Cyclades, all the way to the northern reaches of the Aegean Sea...

At the helm: Hermine de Saussure, affectionately known as “Miette” ever since she was born. She was the shipowner and captain — a visionary who led her crewmates into her ocean-bound dreams. Her second-in-command, Ella Maillart, known as “Kini”, was a fierce sailor known for her achievements at the Olympic Games in Paris 1924. She was known for rarely letting go of the helm — except to catch a few hours of sleep — and for scanning the horizon in search of the slightest breeze. On deck, two capable crewmates kept things running smoothly: Marthe Oulié, nicknamed "Pa'Tchoum", was in charge of everything mechanical — from the coffee pot to the gramophone. And Yvonne, Miette’s older sister, watched over the sails and the crew.

For the final leg, a fifth adventurer came on board: photographer Mariel Jean Brunhes, “Le Mousse”, joined with 300 glass photo plates in her suitcase — risking capsizing the dinghy during the transfer!

Carinne

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2025: a team of five passionate sailors

We are five women seeking a moment of escape — a chance to reconnect with nature and the inspiring legacy of the Bonita crew, who sailed the Mediterranean a century ago.

No trophies, no regattas / races — we simply want to sail, share meaningful moments, and enjoy the journey.

Meet our crew...

• Valérie, aka Flash – the spark behind the adventure, 2025 blog writer, and our onboard photographer.

• Carinne – our historian and expert on Ella Maillart, author of the 1925 blog. She’ll be supporting us from land, keeping us connected to the stories of the original crew.

• Esther, aka Jumpy – lightning-fast and always ready to lend a hand.

• Dyna – our calm and thoughtful skipper, the steady force at the helm.

• Yvonne – our sporty yogi, always in high spirits and full of energy.

• Danielle, aka Sunny – our constant source of positivity and kindness.

  
  

Essential Companions on Board, we’ll be bringing along a few must-haves:

• A boombox for the soundtrack of our journey

• A digital reflex camera to capture the magic

• A moka pot — because good coffee is non-negotiable

  
  

Valérie