Log Book: May 28th. Where is the Ravenel?
A fine day today: bright sun, cool air and light 15kts winds from N-W, allowing us to start working on the Ravenel search for the first time. This poor fishing boat and her 15 sailors have disappeared on Jan 26th 1962, near Terre Neuve, 18 km only from Saint Pierre, in a strong storm.
Our friends in Saint Pierre still remember this drama of course, they all need to know where an uncle, a brother, a father is resting for ever. And yet, for some of them, there is a strange will not to know.
Considering our equipment for the research of L'Oiseau Blanc, we have accepted to help the Ravenel association and are trying to find the position of the ship. It seems easy, but is it not, because of the years, the winds, the strengh of the seas... Even with today's modern equipment, it is going to be difficult, and we will need calm weather, which was the case today.
We used two ships: the Fulmar, belonging to French "Gendarmerie Maritime" 39m long, and her excellent crew, lead by Commandant Chauveau, and the Zéphyr belonging to Mr Poulain, sailed by Pierre Lenormand. We have made 15 passes with the sonar, distant of 100m one from another. In the evening, we have viewed all images, with no result. We are somehow disappointed, but not discouraged:
The incredible thing is: some people "know where she is"... We start understanding who knows, why one would not speak... We would love to have news, so if anyone, anywhere, knows something, please let us know!