Monday 30 September

The morning seems nice.  After yesterday’s rain it is bright and clear with blue skies.  Richard rows over to the harbour office and pays for our last two nights and returns reporting that the weather forecast is as expected.  Clear with wind from behind at force 4-6.  So we are off to Ile de Porquerolles.  We had hoped to anchor for at least the afternoon or even the night, but it looks like the wind will be too strong for that, so we will just set out for the marina.

All goes well to start.  The winds are about a 4 and we are sailing quite nicely.  Very soon however, they pick up and it is about a steady 6 most of the way.  With a following wind that doesn’t seem too bad.  However, when we get to Sicie Point it is miserable again.  That damn point - this is the third time around it and two of the three have been in winds of over 24 knots.  We try to do a controlled gybe, but the wind gets hold of the sails and with so much weather helm, I can’t keep her on course.  So in the midst of the worst of the seas we have to take two reefs in.  Then we can gybe and on this course, the seas, which have built a bit, feel better.  Still, I should have taken a pill.  By the time we can see the harbour I am feeling fairly queasy.  The wind is now a pretty steady 26-28 knots.  We manage to get the main down, but not neatly and I am worried about Richard going forward too much in this wind.  Then Richard has a really good idea – he spots a place where other boats are anchored and it is quite a bit calmer, even though the wind is still blowing full force.  We put down the anchor and in peace and quiet are able to wrap up the mainsail and get all the fenders and lines out.  So after a ten minute or so respite it is on to the harbour.  I was worried there might not be room, but there are plenty of places.  However, Richard does not want to be on the far end where it is practically empty.  So he goes up the pontoon.  He spots a space which is fairly big being between two small boats, both with people on board who could help us.  It looks like we will need help as it is still blowing top of a 6, bottom of a 7.  We just can’t get in to the space.  We are being blown sideways and the wind is so strong the bow thrusters can’t push us hard enough.  So we go to look for somewhere easier to berth, but still not at the further more exposed end.  We spot a space big enough for at least two boats and dive for it.  To start with we seem to be doing well, but at the last minute all hell breaks loose and we are blown hard onto a 34ft Bavaria.  Luckily there is crew on the Bavaria who fend us off well and we put lots of fenders out.  But it is hell to moor.  The wind is blowing us sideways so hard that to pull us into position I have to put the lines on the winches and winch us in to position.  Richard and I both have to tug with all our might to get the forward line hard enough to pull us out also.  But with the help of two very nice Frenchmen and the winches we are finally safely in!  Whew!

Richard goes to book us in.  I vaguely remember there being a launderette here and ask Richard to enquire about it.  He returns confirming that it is right around the corner from the boat.  So we spend the afternoon doing laundry.  It doesn’t cover everything I need to wash before we go home, but it makes a good dent in it.  Really I am just left with the sheets and duvet cover we are sleeping on and some of the last bits of clothes we are sailing in.  That gets us a bit ahead of the game.

Regretfully, although we can get some free WIFI none of the signals are strong enough to get the Times.  The same goes for the Domino.  It seems that Orange coverage here is also very week.  So I am reading my next book on the kindle and doing my tapestry.  That should keep me busy.