What did you do every day?

I tried to fill my notebooks and spent three to four hours a day dealing with the messages relayed through the secretary.

If it was nice, I swam, and dove underneath the barrel to catch a fish, sea bream, to supplement my meal.

I made a breakfast in the morning, and a nice dinner in the evening. I had a lot of time to write my book. I played a lot of bluegrass on my mandolin.

I read a lot of nonfiction adventure books, a lot of books about the First World War, during which my grandfather was a hero. I commemorated the 100th anniversary of the war’s end with my 2018 departure.

And I finished the Bible. It was a condensed Bible for young people, with photos. I would have had to cross the Pacific to finish the complete version.

The time at sea passed very quickly.

How did you go to the bathroom?

Ah … la toilette. When it was nice out, it wasn’t a problem because I could go swimming and climb down a ladder. But during bad weather, I used a hermetically sealed bucket, to trap the smell. I also brought a bag of sawdust so there wouldn’t be any odor.

How did you stay sane?

It was my job! I decided to do this. I had the need for solitude. It was my desire to leave and to be alone. Every year, I fast for 10 days, alone in the woods. It’s good for the body and helps me stay young.