Monday 16 September

Up fairly early and start to get ready to leave.  The forecast doesn’t look bad.  WNW 5 gusting 6 and then going to W5 in the afternoon with no gusts.  The sea will be a bit big, but that shouldn’t be too much of a problem with a following sea.  It is also very nice and sunny with clear skies.  We pay the bill (not as bad as we feared) after filling up with water and by 9:45 we are off.  We will see what it is like at sea before deciding where to go.  We would have liked to stop at Bandol, but that is only 10 miles away and doesn’t really give us sufficient progress.  Le Lavendou is too far to go in one day.  So the plan is to go to Bandol if the weather is worse than expected, but if not go along probably to the Porquerolles.

The weather starts out very benign.  It is only a force 2 as we leave the harbour.  However the wind does build up to the expected 5 gusting 6 as soon as we get past the first headland.  We are going well, but decide to take a reef in and we continue on our way.  When we pass Bandol we both agree not to stop.  The wind should be going down a bit soon and at this rate we can make good progress.

It is only about 45 mins later that all hell breaks loose.  Instead of lessening the wind keeps building.  It is now blowing a continuous 6, gusting 7.  Finally as we try to turn the corner around one headland it is gusting 8.  We have seen 34kn of wind on the instruments.  The sea is also getting bigger and bigger.  The waves are at least 2 meters high.  We now have to take a second reef in.  I can hardly hold the course while Richard reefs because there is so much weather helm.  It now definitely seems to have been a mistake not to stop at Bandol!

And yet it goes on.  The wind is now blowing at about 26-29 knots regularly with gusts up to 34 knots.  We have to find somewhere to stop.  The Porquerolles do not seem a good idea.  They are islands off shore and not that well protected.  There is a marina, but most berthing is on bouys or anchoring.  In this wind that does not seem to be a very good idea.  So we make for Toulon.  This is not a place we particularly wanted to stop at, but we are fairly close.  When we finally get around the last headland we hope to find some shelter, but although the sea is a bit smaller, the wind is still blowing full force.  We manage to get the genoa in, but as we enter the Rad (outer harbour) of Toulon we are worried how we are going to get the main down.  Richard very cleverly spots a little patch of calmer waters around one corner and we do safely get the main down.  Now all we need to do is find our way around the harbour, which is very large and full of navy stuff you are not allowed to go near.

We expected the winds to fall in the harbour, but were we mistaken.  We knew we would be turning into the wind to get up the harbour, but we cannot believe what it going on.  We are heading straight in to a steady 8!  The wind instrument is showing up to 36 knots of wind!  We had the spray hood down, but have to hurriedly put it up and waves start breaking all over the boat.  We can barely see where we are going and we are now exhausted.  Finally we wind up in a sheltered corner of the harbour.  This is not where we want to be; in fact we are on the wrong side of the harbour.  But we just don’t have the strength to go back into the 8 on the nose.  So we drop anchor behind a row of buoys.  It is a little rocky, but next to what we have just been through it is comparatively calm.  The wind here is only about a force 3 and there are no breaking waves.  We just make ourselves a hot drink and try to sort the deck out before working out where we should try to stay for the night.  As we are in the cabin a special weather forecast is broadcast on the VHF.  It now is saying that the winds are WNW 6-8.  Not only that, but they are predicting worse for tomorrow with gusts suggested to be going up to 45knots!  So we have to find somewhere safe to stay for at least the next two nights.

Richard now rings the marina on the other side of the harbour which is near to the town.  They say they have room for us.  So having had a bit of a rest, we decide to face the wind again and get to the marina.  I do insist that Richard puts out all the fenders and lines before we leave.  I am not willing to run up the decks in this wind to do so as we near the marina.

So off we go.  It is slightly better than before.  It is only blowing a 6-7!  We cannot see the entrance to the marina until we are nearly upon it.  But we get in safely.  Now I can’t raise the Harbourmaster for berthing instructions.  Also we really can’t manage to berth stern to in these conditions without some help with lines.  Finally I get through on the telephone and we are helped into a large space where we can stay.  We are just very relieved to be safely moored in this weather.

The marina is a bit of a mess.  The toilet block, which looks quite new is in a mess.  The ladies side apparently is kaput (the harbourmasters exact words).  So everyone has to use the mens.  It has one toilet cubicle, one disabled toilet cubicle, one shower cubicle with no hooks to hold your clothes and one disabled shower cubicle!  But at least there is something.  We are near the centre of town and a short walk from a large commercial centre.  So we take a walk there and finally find an Orange shop and top up our internet gizmo.  So we are now connected again!  Another relief.  There is also a huge Carrefour selling everything.  The town guide we were given says there is also one of the best Provencal markets just outside the marina.  So if nothing else, we should eat well.

We expect to sleep well after the stress of today.

Sunday 15 September

It has rained very hard in the night it is still rainy when we finally wake up after 9:00pm.  It is hard to imagine that such a beautiful day as we had yesterday could turn to such a mess.   The weather forecast was for rain and for winds gusting up to 8, so we weren’t planning on going anywhere.  Despite the weather Richard goes out to get us French breakfast, as it is Sunday.  While we eat breakfast the weather improves.  The sun is even coming out, but it is quite cool.

R goes to the Tourist Office to download the Sunday Times and send some e-mails we wrote last night.   Getting internet access is becoming something of a problem.  The sun comes out later and we wander around the other side of the town we haven’t seen.  There has been a rowing regatta, but most of it was out to sea and we missed it.

The evening is pleasant and we have dinner on board.  Really just a simple day.  The weather forecast looks better for tomorrow, so we shall see.

Saturday 14 September

Up at a reasonable time and over to the Harbour office to pay.  It is a beautiful day.  The sky is the most startling blue, but it is cool.  We want to go to Cassis.  So sometime after 9:30 am we phone them and they say they will be able to tell us if there is a berth available after 10:30.  So we just sit in the sun in the cockpit for the time being.  Richard has found an alternative port to go to and both are close by, so we are not in any hurry.  At 10:30 we ring again and they say they will not have a berth.  However Richard asks if there would be space for us to come in just for lunch.  They say we can do that as long as we vacate any berth by 2:00pm.  So it seems at least we will get to see Cassis.  In the meantime Richard does reserve us a berth at the next port, so we shall be alright for the night.  The next port is only 10 miles away, so we will get there in good time late this afternoon.

We set off to Cassis.  It is literally just around the corner, so there is no purpose in putting up any sail.  The town in set on a lovely bay.  We make our way into the harbour.  No wonder they have no space.  It is quite small and full of motor boats, all seemingly resident.  We cannot see anyone to tell us where to go and again no one responds to the VHF.  So I wind up telephoning them and they tell us to go to the fuel pontoon.  There is a large commercial boat at the fuel pontoon, but it quickly leaves.  So we tie up, with not too much trouble.  We guess that while we are here we might as well fill up.  The fuel gage is still not working.  Despite what the electrician in Cap D’Agde said, it is definitely stuck on full.  We have used over 30 engine hours and it hasn’t budged.  We are met by the Harbour staff in their work boat and taken to a berth.  We tell them that we are told we must vacate the berth by 2:00pm, but they say that isn’t necessary and we can stay the night.  Apparently the occupant just left and decided not to come back!  So yippee, we are here in Cassis, probably for two nights in the light of the bad weather forecast for Sunday.

Our berth is a very odd one.  To look at us, you would say that we are on a hammerhead berth, but as there are no finger pontoons, what we are is tied to the concrete end of the pontoon.  There is a forward line to keep us from moving backwards and we are snuggled next to a classic looking wooden sailing boat.  It is a little tricky getting on and off the boat, but I can manage, so that’s OK.

First job to do once we are securely tied on is to telephone the one Michelin Rosette restaurant in the town (the Villa Madie) and try to get a reservation for dinner tonight.  Much to our surprise we get in.  Then we check in at the port, connect to electricity and go to look  around the town.  We should be doing our basic shopping, but everything is closed for lunch.  We do find a good bakery and manage to buy bread for lunch.  We have pate that wants eating up and after all, we don’t want to eat too much if we are going out for a slap up dinner.

The harbour is in the middle of the town and is surrounded by restaurants and bars.  The main shopping street goes up the hill from the middle of the harbour.  After lunch we have a good look around.  There is a great ice cream shop and a few little supermarkets.  I manage to buy most of the basics that we need.  I think I have even found an edible muesli, but we shall see when I try it.

The day is so beautiful that we decide to spend the afternoon on the beach.  It too is right near the harbour and not far for me to walk.  We take our chairs and books and set out.  The position of the beach is fine, but it is pebbly and not terribly comfortable.  Also the water is really cold.  The sign at the life station says it is 20C, but I find that very hard to believe.  Despite being quite hot neither R or I can get in past our ankles!

We really like this place and are pleased to be here, but we dread to think how expensive it will be.  They charge extra for everything.  The water and electricity you use are monitored.  If we want to use their shower it will cost 2 Euro each!  In the circumstances we will shower on board.  There is free WIFI, but it is only accessible from the Harbour Office.  Even our aerial won’t pick it up.  There is also free WIFI at the tourist office just at the end of the pontoon.  But again, only available for the office when it is open.  But at least we can get some connection.  There is no Orange store in the town, so we still can’t top our gizmo up! 

So we shower on board and dress to go to dinner.  The restaurant is at the far end of the town, so it is a bit of walk for me, but it is lovely.  We have their local special cocktail (champagne with apple, cinnamon, and Cointreau) on the terrace overlooking the bay as the sun goes down.  Perfect.  We eat their fixed menu.  6 (small) courses.  We start with a lobster dish cooked with ceps, lovely.  Then monkfish in tandoori spices, followed by sea bass.  The fish is cooked so perfectly.  Just cooked through.  Finally we have a fillet of veal with girolles.  Again cooked perfectly.  Cheese is sort of whipped goats cheese with slices of pastry and desert is a fresh fig concoction.  We really enjoined it.   With it we drink a very local wine recommended by the Sommelier.  It is a Clos Sainte Magdeleine Bel Arme, Provence Cassis, 2012.  Very pleasant.  We walk back, I think I must have overdone it today.  My knee aches.

Back to the boat for coffee and fall into bed.  I have had too much to drink!

Friday 13 September

I guess we should have considered the date today before setting out, but then who is superstitious anyway?  So we looked up the weather on the internet and it seemed OK.  The winds still predicted to be 5-6, but at least no gales or suggestions of 45kn winds!  So by 8:30 we were on our way.  As we have been delayed so long we wanted to get as far as we could today.  The forecast did suggest further high winds coming on Sunday, so that may cause greater delays.

There was virtually no wind as we first came out, but the sea was rather lumpy and rolly, so I took a pill.  The sun was shinning nicely, but it really was cold.  As expected the wind came up fairly quickly and that with the low temperature made us both quite cold.  We were nearly in English sailing gear, eg. Long trousers, sweatshirts and fleeces. 

After about an hour I was chilled through so I went below to warm up.  I snuggled under the duvet and next thing I knew I was asleep. After half an hour I was awakened by the fact that the engine was not going at any speed and was just ticking over.  Naturally I assumed something else had gone wrong with the engine, but no, Richard just said there was more than enough wind to sail, even though I knew he wanted to do at least 5-6 knots.  When I finally emerged I found that the wind has picked up to a 6 and soon was gusting to the top of a seven.  No wonder we were making good progress without engine!  Soon after I suggested to R that we might want to take in a reef, but he poo-pooed the idea as we were more or less on a run.  However when the gusts got up to 30-34kn we put in two reefs and put our life jackets and harnesses on.

But despite the inauspicious date, we went along beautifully and we were getting so far that we decided to get all the way to Cassis.  This level of wind meant that we could get there by 3-4:00pm.  Then our luck ran out a little.  R telephoned Cassis marina who told him they could not do a berth because they were full!  We didn’t expect that at this time of year (which is why we are here now and not in August like everyone else in the world).  But R then phoned another place just outside Cassis and they said they could fit us in.  It is a small harbour in what is called a calanque.  They are sort of fjords along the coast carved out of the local sandstone.  Most of them are just for anchoring, which we would have liked to do, but with the wind so high and in a direction that means the calanques won’t give much shelter we decided to go to the one with proper berths called Port Miou.  It has been specially recommended in the pilot book and R did want to go to one of the calanques anyway.  Cassis have said they may be able to do us a berth tomorrow, so it will only be for one night.

We got to the port at about 4:30, the wind having gone down to a steady 5 really.  We even motor sailed a bit to keep speed up.  We had a heck of time getting hold of the harbour office.  They did not answer their phone or the radio.  But eventually we got put in a berth.  It is just berthing to pontoon without fingers, but they insisted we berthed bows in, not stern to.  I don’t know why, but the effect of this is that I cannot get off the boat onto the pontoon.  The bows are a good 2-3ft away from the pontoon and climbing over our pulpit (the metal cage at the front of the boat, for you non-sailors) has always been nearly impossible for me to do, and certainly can’t do it now with my dodgy knee.  But there is always a solution to these problems and ours is simple.  We will simply use the dinghy, which we have been towing inflated for several days now anyway.

The place is strange, but pretty.  It is full of boats but is in a lovely wooded gorge type structure with high cliffs on each side.  It is quite well protected from the wind.  The berthing as I have said is odd and there are no facilities such as water or electricity on the pontoon.  But is is safer than anchoring and we quite like the atmosphere.  It is a short row to the office and toilet block, so that is not too bad.  They say you can walk into Cassis from here, but it sounds a long and strenuous walk. 

So we have a nice late afternoon in the cockpit.  I am nearly one third the way through Ulysses!  I cook us mushroom risotto with dried morilles which if I do say so myself was very nice.

So although the day is not quite over (two hours to midnight), it does not seem that the curse of Friday 13 has affected us.  In fact, we have made very good progress saving a least one day’s sailing by getting so far forward.  And if we are lucky we might get to Cassis tomorrow, if not we shall have to see it another time.

Thursday 12 September

Up fairly early but moved very slowly.  Richard went to the showers while I was still in bed, but I also went before he came back.  On my way back I noticed that the weather forecast seemed better, though still a bit windy.  I mention it to R when I get back and he says he has read it too and we are leaving right away.  We belt down a bit of breakfast, and I rush around trying to stow things while R goes up to the Office to pay.  However when he has gone the French couple from the boat next door advise me that it is not a good time to go east.  The local wind has dropped, but the forecast is still for gusts of wind up to 45kts near the headland and from there to Marseille.  As that is direction we are headed for I run after Richard.  He looks at the forecast again and agrees with them, so we will stay here for one more day.

So it is over to plan A, which is to catch the bus into Arles and have a look around.  We have not been there since our belated honeymoon 44 years ago!   We expect it has changed.  We have a bit of time to put the boat in order and to read the newspaper!  Yes, we have finally got connected to the port’s internet and have been able to download the Times and the Archers.  So civilization makes it to the Camargue at last.

So we catch the bus with no trouble.  It stops within yards of the Tourist Office, so we are able to get a map of the city and have the main sights pointed out to us.  We see the Roman Theatre first.  It was quite an edifice in its time.  All enclosed and with roof blinds to keep the sun out!  Now it is mainly a ruin.  Only a few walls remain.  Otherwise it is just an open air auditorium, but impressive. Then off to the Roman Amphitheatre, used for Gladiatorial games in the days of the Romans, but now a bull ring!  It has been heavily restored and is very impressive.

Then we just walk around the old town finding a number of ancient buildings until we get to the main cathedral church, St Trophine.  It has a very impressive front, but the church itself is closed, so we can’t say what it was like.  Next to it there is the Cloister which we did go into.  That is in the process of being extensively restored, so a lot of it is covered up where the restorers are working.  It will be lovely, but not so good as the one in Moissac.  It is now still only 3:00pm and the bus doesn’t go back until 4.  So we walk the shopping streets trying to find an Orange shop to top up our internet machine.  We can’t find one and no one we ask knows of any shop, so we are out of luck.  At least for the moment we are connected, but we really hope to leave tomorrow. 

The bus trip home is good although the bus is full of school children.  We were going to eat in today, but Richard fancies the little seafood restaurant across the way for our fasting oysters.  When we get there they are fully booked for all inside tables.  I am all for just buying oysters to take away (which they say they can do for us), but R has decided he wants mussels.  So we get persuaded to eat outside.  It is freezing.  I have my fleece on and I am still shivering before I finish.  So back to the warmth in the boat.  The forecast is still dodgy, but looks like we might get along a bit.  We shall see in the morning.

Wednesday 11 September

We don’t get up very early.  The weather forecast is terrible.  It is suggested that the winds will get up to an 8 with gusts of up to 45Knots!  So we decide we will stay here.  It doesn’t seem that this wind will abate for two or three days.  We certainly are not making good progress.  Let us hope things get better or we will never get to Nice!   We are a bit surprised to see that three other boats have left this morning.  Do they know something we don’t?  Well, we have made our decision, so that is that.

We have a quiet morning.  I finally get to take an inventory of all the food we have.  We shall have to work hard to finish it all before we stop.  Otherwise I will just have to throw it all away or give it away.  I reckon we have at least 6 meals on board using just the store cupboard and not including the fresh food in the fridge!  I also do a bit of cleaning.  It is suddenly lunch time and we have no bread, so we go in to town to see what we can buy for lunch and to make up a meal from my store cupboard.  We now discover that this is a town that closes down completely at lunch time.  We make it to the bakery just as they are closing, but they let us buy a bread.  We guess we will have to go back later to buy enough to make a mushroom risotto.  After lunch Richard finally finds that there is a Michelin recommended restaurant here in town, so we now change all our good plans and decide to go out to dinner.  We make a reservation which is strongly recommended. 

We have decided to go to the beach for the afternoon.  There seems to be a nice beach just along from the Marina and the sun is bright even if it is very windy.  We must say however, it is not as windy as we expected.  The direction has changed slightly, so maybe we are a bit more protected, but the wind speed seems to be no more than 17knots.  Perhaps we were unnecessarily put off, but who knows!  After a nice few hours on the beach soaking up the sun (and me reading more of Ulysses) we go back to the boat.  R goes out for fruit for fasting breakfast tomorrow.  He comes back and tells me he has seen the Flamant Rose (Flamingoes) on the lake behind where the boats are.  On our way to dinner we go that way and there they are.  I have never seem Flamingoes in the wild before.  Every time we have been somewhere where they have flamingoes we have been told they are not there because we are there at the wrong time of year.  So it is exciting.  We are now getting a bit of a feeling for the Camargue.

Dinner is very good.  We eat the local specialties.  Small clams cooked in garlic and parsley, followed by a daube of bull.  It is all delicious.  We try the local apertifs and a local red wine, which is also quite drinkable.  The weather report for tomorrow is still terrible, particularly in the area we need to pass to get to our next port.  So we shall probably stay another day, maybe two.

Tuesday 10 September

Up fairly early to await the diver.  He turns up right on time all prepared because I have told him what the problem is in advance.  I’m feeling fairly proud of myself conducting all this in French.

We are amazed by the efficiency of this guy.  He jumps right in with his gear and we can hear him scrapping away at the propeller first, and then the area around the log and finally a bit at the bow thruster.  He comes up after only about 20 minutes to say that the bottom of the boat is very dirty and the prop and log were badly covered in sealife.  He is sure that is what our problem has been.  He has cleaned the prop and log area off and all is fine, he says.  So by 10:00 am the boat is in a safe condition to sail away.  We go to the Harbour Office and check the weather.  It looks good, winds 4-5 north westerly to westerly.  So we are going!  We have enjoyed Palavas and are pleased that if we had to get stuck somewhere it was here.  We are also very happy with the service we have had from the engineer and the diver, both of whom were very reasonable.  So was the berthing at about 20 Euros a night.  But we are happy to finally get on the move again.

We manage to get off the mooring OK and out to sea.  The weather forecast does not seem to be reflected in what we are getting.  There is a following wind, but it is more of a 3 with occasional gusts of 11knots.  The engine is working fine and we are now doing the sort of speeds we would expect.  But we decide to sail and as we are doing under 4 knots we put the fishing line out.  And guess what - we finally catch some fish.  First we get two mackerel on the line.  Then almost right away another two, but one of them gets away.  We put the line out again to get a fourth one to make a proper dinner for us, when suddenly the wind gets up.  It has moved about and we are not now on a dead run.  It is also blowing a pretty steady 5 with prolonged gusts of 20-24knots.  The sea has also become very lumpy.  But we are going well.  Only problem is that I did not take a seasick pill.  I think I am already taking enough medication, so I am trying to do without.  Problem is that I can’t go below and therefore we get no lunch except for some ginger biscuits!

At just before three o’clock we make it to Les Sainte-Maries De La Mer.  It is apparently the capitol of the Camargue.  The wind is now pretty much a steady 6 and the sea is lumpy making it very hard for us to take the sails down, but Richard does find a small patch of flat water and we get the sails down and the fenders on.  We think we will be going on to an alongside welcome pontoon before being sent to a berth.  With that in mind I start to set lines to go alongside, when we are immediately directed to a stern to berth.  The conditions for berthing are terrible.  We have the full force of a 6 blowing us on the boat next to where we are to go.  They seem to have a terrible lot of useless fenders, so I spend all the time putting out more fenders (thank you for the extras we bought in the canals).  Luckily there are two people from the marina and other yachtsmen helping and we get into the space without mishap and are finally safely berthed.  Just as we finish another boat comes in and berths next to us and they too are blown on to us, but I have anticipated this and put out more fenders well placed to protect us.

We really only want to stay here one night, but it looks like this weather with very high winds will continue for the next two or three days, so we may not be able to move.  We shall see.

The marina is very nice.  It is fairly close to the town centre.  It has newly renovated showers and toilets which look very good.  It is not too expensive, so we could be in a worse place to shelter from bad weather.  This weather is strange.  It is clear and sunny.  It would be perfect except for the very high winds.  The lady in the office says it is the Tramontane (not the Mistral, which also blows here).

So we go in to town to buy some provisions and suss the place out.  It is very French highly influenced by Spain.  There is even a Bull Ring (right on the sea front, which shows how important it is to the town) where they are putting on a Rodeo tonight.  There is not much in the way of big shops, but there are a few small supermarkets, a bakery, a butcher and wine shops.  We buy things to pad out our three small mackerel, including a made up dish called Rouille, which is potato, baby octopus, and baby squid in Aioli sauce.  We toy with the idea of lighting the BBQ, but it is too windy and we don’t have much to cook on it.  So we just grill the fish in the cooker and eat it with some of the Ratatouille followed by the squid dish.  I also make us some Caribbean bananas in the oven (as we haven’t lit the BBQ).  We drink a bottle of pink wine with it that was recommended by one of the shops and it is quite drinkable.  So a nice dinner on board.  We hope we can sleep with the wind still blowing a six and our being buffeted between the two other boats.

After dinner Richard decides to go to the Rodeo.  It doesn’t start until 10:00pm, and I am not up to staying up that late and walking any more, so he goes on his own.  He comes back after an hour.  He seems to have found it quite interesting.  I guess I should have gone too.