Leonel was a former manager in the automotive sector in Brazil, where he worked for several years at car dealerships, holding positions of responsibility and achieving significant financial stability. However, he felt that something was missing from his life, admitting that in the last nine years of his marriage "he was not himself." The desire for adventure had always accompanied him since his youth, having been part of the mounted police unit, cycled thousands of kilometres, and travelled by motorcycle.
The turning point came when he started talking again with Alexandre Furtado, an adventurous former neighbour and writer. The conversation brought back an old dream: sailing around the world on a sailboat. Faced with this desire, Leonel made a radical decision: he separated, sold his apartment and car, and in eight months completed the necessary courses to command a vessel and went looking for boats around the world.
The adventure began solo, with Leonel aware of the difficulties but also certain that this was the life he wanted to live. He went through four near-death situations, having been thrown off the boat twice, including once when he had to pull himself up to get back on board. He guaranteed, however, that he never felt fear, staying calm because he knew he only had himself to rely on.
Currently, Leonel lives alone on a sailboat in the Algarve and has never truly felt loneliness. His boat is described as very analog, preferring dependence on knowledge and preparation rather than technology, although it has all the necessary safety equipment and two radio communication devices.
