The Zeno Project

[Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>]

I attach hereto the most recent report from Laura Zola who is still in La
Rochelle
and, although we had hoped that she might delay her journey so that her
visit to
Scotland would coincide with the Sinclair Gathering at Halkirk Highland
Games,
it will be seen that she is hoping to be in Greenland by the end of July
so we
will have to content ourselves with seeing her in Orkney and/or
Shetland.

                                                          7 Roses, La Rochelle, 17-05-2000

Dear Niven,

Here we are in the interesting and attractive old harbour of La Rochelle. We arrived two days ago, after a slow, but pleasant sailing from la Coruna. Now, after a visit to the Cybercafč, we just finish to read your e. mail message.  We are very honoured for your invitation at the Sinclair millennium day and we will be very pleased to participate, but nature, with her short seasons on our northern route, will not allowed such a long delay. If things go, as they should, for the middle or end of July, we should be on the Greenland area, ready to cross toward Nova Scotia for the start of August. If it is of any interest, we could try to make a short video, leave you some slides or if possible make a verbal or written contact for that date, I don’t know exactly how, but it must be possible. I leave to you to think about it.

For what concern the information about the Venetian boats been delivered to northern Europe, we had those by a Lady from Thonon, Andrče Peirache, that fascinated by the Sinclair- Zeno Voyage relived by 7 Roses, is doing some researches to help us and participate to this millennium adventure. Living near to Geneva in Switzerland, Andrče is consulting text and archives of that time of history, feeding us back with the result. On the same period of history ship and crews from Venice and Genoa use to sail north to supply fighting fleet for the hundred years war between England and France, with the Venetian mainly on the British side. We are waiting for some photocopied document that should reach us here or to the next port of call, that will allowed us to be more precise with possible reference.

Today we had a press interview by the Sud-west Paper, meeting at the maritime museum and at the history university. We are very well received and even between the sceptical it is a good interest on the subject of the voyage.

Tomorrow we have some more visits to the archives and I hope we will be able to meet a local who is interest in the Templar History (J.C. Bonnin) that dedicated a lot of studies on Templar History and Templar mystery.

We are planning to leave next Sunday, but we will be in contact again  with more information and details.

This morning Stella had her blood test again and the news are not good at all. Her liver is very tired and the analysis shows a serious deterioration. With her recovery I was so optimistic and I was not expecting such a bad result. She is not suffering at the moment and to look at her she seem to be an older dog, but not a sick one. I hope she will enjoy life for some time more, without reaching the stage of hard pain. I can’t even think about that.

It is all for the moment, but I will write to you soon before leaving La Rochelle.

           Kindest
regards

Laura