From flying through the air to balancing on beams, working as an acrobat takes enormous skill and strength -- particularly when you're battling against the elements on a lurching 12-meter yacht.
Cirque du Sail —
From flying through the air to balancing on beams, working as an acrobat takes enormous skill and strength -- particularly when you're battling against the elements on a lurching 12-meter yacht.
Courtesy Bertrand Cousseau
Such is the life of Delphine Lechifflart, 42, and Franck Rabilier, 44, French acrobats who travel the world performing on their boat.
Agile aerialists —
Such is the life of Delphine Lechifflart, 42, and Franck Rabilier, 44, French acrobats who travel the world performing on their boat.
Courtesy Ryan Fritzsche
The distinctive yellow boat isn't just their stage, it's also the floating home they share with daughters Loeva, 13, and Ondja, five. "Ondja began sailing when she was one-and-a-half-months-old. The boat is the only home she remembers," Rabilier said.
Family fun —
The distinctive yellow boat isn't just their stage, it's also the floating home they share with daughters Loeva, 13, and Ondja, five. "Ondja began sailing when she was one-and-a-half-months-old. The boat is the only home she remembers," Rabilier said.
Courtesy Jean-Pierre Maybon
Onlookers at Seattle's Elliott Bay Marina gather on boats to watch the acrobats in action. It was the most successful show ever held at the marina, with more than 3,000 people turning up each day.
Mesmerized marina —
Onlookers at Seattle's Elliott Bay Marina gather on boats to watch the acrobats in action. It was the most successful show ever held at the marina, with more than 3,000 people turning up each day.
Courtesy Elliott Bay
"In the romantic show, called <em>Between Wing and Island</em>, there's an orange-pinkish light behind them while they're doing this beautiful ballet in the rigging," Elliott Bay Marina manager, Dwight Jones, said.
Romantic rigging —
"In the romantic show, called Between Wing and Island, there's an orange-pinkish light behind them while they're doing this beautiful ballet in the rigging," Elliott Bay Marina manager, Dwight Jones, said.
Courtesy Udo
The daring duo met while university students in Paris. Lachifflart had been studying archeology and Rabilier engineering, when they began to take up acrobatics seriously.
Hold steady —
The daring duo met while university students in Paris. Lachifflart had been studying archeology and Rabilier engineering, when they began to take up acrobatics seriously.
Courtesy Ninnete
Rabilier first took circus classes as a 12-year-old, taking it up again when he met Lechifflart. The pair later set up their own acrobatic company called La Loupite, meaning "small light" in old French.
Lighting up the stage —
Rabilier first took circus classes as a 12-year-old, taking it up again when he met Lechifflart. The pair later set up their own acrobatic company called La Loupite, meaning "small light" in old French.
Courtesy Olivier
As a youngster, Lechifflart had dreams of working as a clown. She now mixes comedy in her slapstick act <em>The Navigators.</em>
Catch me if you can —
As a youngster, Lechifflart had dreams of working as a clown. She now mixes comedy in her slapstick act The Navigators.
Courtesy Mark Hancock
The artists don't charge for shows, instead relying on donations. They travel the globe on just $800 a month, performing for their marina berths and not eating in restaurants.
Balancing act —
The artists don't charge for shows, instead relying on donations. They travel the globe on just $800 a month, performing for their marina berths and not eating in restaurants.
Courtesy Audrey Riou