Hermione reaches American coast

FRANCE’S replica 18th century frigate Hermione has crossed the Atlantic and has arrived in America two days ahead of schedule after travelling 5,297miles.

After leaving France and the île d'Aix (Charente-Maritime) on April 18 she had been due to reach Yorktown, Virginia on June 5.
However she has now made extra stop offs due to having made the crossing in extra fast time.

She was met off Bodie Island, North Carolina, last night by the American destroyer USS Mitscher and welcomed to US waters before heading for the quay in Norfolk, Virginia.

Her master, Yann Cariou, had already ordered a stop at St George, Bermuda, to avoid arriving even earlier.

She will arrive in Yorktown at 8.00 on June 5 and be there until June 8 taking part in celebrations marking 1781 when the Marquis de La Fayette arrived with the original vessel and the Yorktown sea battle that decided the American War of Independence.

L'#Hermione au mouillage à #BodieIsland en attente des formalités administratives. Déjà 5 297 milles parcourus ! pic.twitter.com/8QntGjNvqx— L'Hermione (@LHERMIONE_SHIP) June 2, 2015

From there she will head up the US east coast stopping in Mount Vernon, Alexandria, Annapolis, Baltimore and Delaware Bay, Philadelphia, where members of the US Congress were received in May 1781.

From July 1-4 she will be in New York before heading to Greenport, Newport, Boston (where La Fayette stepped ashore), Castine and then to Luneburg near Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 18 and French territory Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon on July 23.

When the Hermione left France the crew received a letter from President Barack Obama wishing them “fair winds and following seas” but it is not yet known if he will be stepping on board the ship.

She arrives back in Brest (Finistère) on August 10 and will be there until August 17 before setting off for her home port of Rochefort, arriving August 29.

Photo of Hermione and USS Mitscher: US Navy