Newsletter Summer 2026

Dear all,

Summer 2026 marks a turning point for Karukinka. Between a well-received scientific conference in Montpellier, Milagro's journey back from the Cape Horn region to France, and an austral season that has exceeded our expectations, the association continues its dual mission: to make science sail and to pass on the memory of the southern lands. Milagro and her crew invite you to share in this adventure in the Northern Hemisphere: come aboard one of our offshore sailing courses — your seat is also direct support for our work.

Come aboard Milagro: 6 upcoming offshore sailing courses
Milagro, currently off the coast of Brazil, will soon continue her route from the Azores to Southern Brittany, then Ireland and the Basque Country. On this occasion, Karukinka invites those who wish to experience offshore sailing aboard — to learn, to improve their skills, or simply to experience a crossing.

Two friendly gatherings
On the weekends of September 5 and October 17, Karukinka invites you to join us for Milagro's arrival in France (Saint-Nazaire), and then for the association's annual meeting and barbecue.

A success at the International Conference on Inclusive Toponymy
The conference, co-organized by the UNESCO Chair "Naming the World" in Montpellier, gave three members of our association the opportunity to present our mapping work dedicated to the Yagán, Selk'nam, and Haush place names of Tierra del Fuego at Cape Horn. The gathering went very well, with a warm welcome and rich exchanges.

Adopt a Yagán canoe
A pre-order campaign is underway for Yagán bark canoes, sewn and built by José, following the traditional techniques of the Cape Horn region. These boats, made to order and only during the austral spring, are a concrete way to support local craftsmanship and heritage. One example was exhibited in Montpellier during the conference and will be with us at upcoming events.

A great season in Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula
The season now drawing to a close in southern Patagonia, with a stop in the Antarctic Peninsula, brought discoveries and field results that exceeded our expectations, prompting the association to look further ahead with the development of a 7-year scientific program.

What's next? Milagro in the shipyard, then bound for the Arctic and Patagonia
Once this sailing cycle ends in early November, Milagro will be docked ashore for a few months for shipyard work: upkeep, maintenance, refurbishment, renovations... and preparation for upcoming expeditions. All of the association's volunteers are welcome to lend a hand, as are our donors and partners!
The longer-term program is already taking shape: a passage to the Arctic is planned for summer 2027, followed by a return to Patagonia in the last quarter of 2027.

Wishing you a wonderful summer and enjoyable reading of our association's news,

Warm regards

Schedule of upcoming sailing courses

From late August to early October, several offshore sailing courses are being offered:

Azores → Southern Brittany (Saint-Nazaire or La Turballe): August 22 to September 5 (1,300 nm)
Saint-Nazaire → Dublin: September 12 to 18 (470 nm)
Tour of Ireland (departing and returning to Dublin): September 19 to October 3 (800 nm)
Dublin → Saint-Nazaire: October 4 to 10 (470 nm)

For those looking for a shorter option, two 5-day offshore courses in the Bay of Biscay are then scheduled:

Saint-Nazaire → Hendaye: October 24 to 28 (230 nm)
Hendaye → Saint-Nazaire: November 4 to 8

Places are limited to 6 participants per crossing, with a minimum of 3 participants required. To book, or to find out about fees and other details, contact us at contact@karukinka.eu or via WhatsApp (+33 6 72 83 03 94). You can also check out the program page.

Save the dates

Weekend of September 5 — Milagro's arrival in France
Karukinka invites its members to celebrate Milagro's arrival at the end of her Atlantic passage. A warm, festive moment to welcome the crew and the vessel after several months at sea — and a chance to meet the team in Saint-Nazaire / La Turballe before signing up for a course.

October 17 and 18 — Association's annual meeting and barbecue
Karukinka's annual gathering will take place on October 17 and 18, 2026, in Loire-Atlantique. The venue will be confirmed based on the number of participants registered — the more of us there are, the bigger the venue we'll find!

For both dates, please let us know by WhatsApp or email (contact@karukinka.eu) if you'd like to attend, so we can organize hosting and logistics as smoothly as possible.

Our talk at the International Conference on Inclusive Toponymy

The talk given in Montpellier, at the conference co-organized by the UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Toponymy, was a highlight for Karukinka. As the only association present at this scientific conference, the presentation showcased our work on the indigenous toponymy of the southern lands — the memory of the Yagán, Haush, and Selk'nam peoples — before an audience of researchers and intangible heritage practitioners.

Presented by Lauriane Lemasson, founder and scientific lead of this work, and supported by testimonies from Mirtha Salamanca, a Selk'nam woman from Argentine Tierra del Fuego and honorary member of our association, and José Germán González Calderón, a Yagán fisherman from Mascart Island and crew member aboard Milagro in the channels, the talk showed that restoring indigenous place names is not merely a cartographic exercise, but an act of memory and territorial justice.

By weaving together oral memory with scientific fieldwork and archival research, the conference allowed the voices of the Selk'nam and Yagán indigenous peoples to engage in dialogue with the theoretical frameworks of international critical toponymy.

It went very well, with a warm reception from the audience and rich exchanges, confirming the relevance of an approach that places the peoples concerned at the heart of restoring their toponymic heritage.

Sewn-bark Yagán canoes: an exceptional pre-order

A pre-order campaign is underway for Yagán bark canoes, built to order by José following the traditional techniques of the Cape Horn region. These vessels are made from large sheets of bark carefully harvested in spring, prepared and assembled through sewing and lashing, using know-how passed down by elders and adapted to the sailing conditions of the sea nomad peoples.

José's creations are not simply beautiful objects: several of his canoes are already held in museums, as works of art and testimonies to a maritime heritage long rendered invisible. The one exhibited in Montpellier during the conference, and which will be on display at the association's upcoming gatherings, was specially loaned to us for the occasion by the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art in Santiago, a sign of the institutional recognition of this work.

In this pre-order, Karukinka acts solely as an intermediary between José and members or supporters: all funds collected are passed directly to him, to support his work and the transmission of Yagán knowledge. Rates and terms are available on request — contact us by email or WhatsApp.

The 2025–2026 season in Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula

The season now ending in southern Patagonia, complemented by an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula, will remain among the richest in Karukinka's history. In the field, observations, encounters, and discoveries followed one another, revealing scientific and heritage leads we hardly dared hope to explore so soon — confirming, more than ever, the importance of being on the ground and having a vessel at our disposal.

These discoveries are pushing us to look further ahead: Karukinka is preparing to launch a larger-scale scientific program, spanning seven years and designed as a direct tribute to the 150th anniversary of the French scientific mission to Cape Horn (1882–1883). The ambition is to revisit a century and a half of science and memory between Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn, in light of today's major challenges — the cryosphere, biodiversity, intangible cultural heritage, and indigenous toponymy.

The program's name, its expeditions, and its first partners will be revealed in the coming months: an important chapter in Karukinka's history is currently being written!

Milagro returns to France for a well-earned break… before setting sails on again!

Once this sailing cycle ends in early November — with more than 30,000 nm covered over three years and around ten expeditions — Milagro will head to dry land in Loire-Atlantique for a few months of shipyard work (November 2026 to April 2027). Between routine upkeep, technical maintenance, refurbishing the hull and deck, adjustments to improve comfort in cold regions, and small interior renovations and refreshes, the program is a busy one — not to mention the logistical and material preparation for upcoming expeditions!

This period is also very much a moment of community life for the association: all Karukinka volunteers are welcome to lend a hand, whether for a painting session, an afternoon of tidying up, or helping find partners and donors...

While Milagro regains her strength, our sights will already be set on the coming seasons. Summer 2027 should mark a passage to the Arctic — Canada, Norway, Iceland, or Greenland, with the exact destination still to be confirmed depending on the scientific and logistical opportunities that emerge in the coming months.

The vessel will then head south again, for a return to Patagonia in the last quarter of 2027. For once, this new austral season will be accompanied by a full series of offshore sailing courses, once again opening up Milagro's crossings to those who wish to come aboard — including a major transatlantic passage, a rare opportunity to experience several weeks of offshore sailing.