"Afloat" is a beautiful and complex novella written by the French author Guy de Maupassant. On the surface, it's a logbook of a sailing cruise along the French Mediterranean coast, but underneath, it's a merging of fact and fiction, dream and documentation. The main character, a writer, embarks on this sailing journey with two friends, and as they navigate the waters, he begins to reflect on his own life, his past experiences, and his artistic aspirations. It's a story about the power of the sea, the beauty of nature, and the complex inner workings of the human mind.