Freshwater to Seawater

PLEASE SEE FOOTNOTE FOR SAILING

Although I really enjoyed the Rhone, with its dramatic scenery and fast flowing currents, it was good to see the Med at last. Just before Avignon, we could see snow capped peaks in the distance and seagulls alerting us to the ever nearing swells and winds of the sea.

Port St Louis is a transitional port, there are two harbours, we managed to find the expensive one (Port Napoloeon) so our 8m tatty 20 year old Junk rig looked like a minimoke in a car park in Prestbury.

Never mind, Port Napoleon offered decent showers, an on site Laundry and most importantly free wifi.

One last stock up and a peruse of the the boat jumble we were ready go. Some sailors were either impressed or astonished at how easy (in theory) it was to hoist the mast on Bunny, and with a fair forecast (poor wind) we headed closer to Marseilles to purchase our C-Map. We crossed the Golf de Fos with little hassle, and anchored in a small bay for a taste of cheapskate sailing. After 10 weeks on the canals we had been thoroughly spoilt, we had forgotten about swells and disturbed nights. No sign of wifi, so we soldiered on with our instincts to Marseilles, and our early arrival gave us a birth at the Municipal port for 15 Euros! Not the best marina in the world, but a decent shower close by and fairly friendly staff.

Marseilles was not the slum I had envisaged, in fact it was pretty smart, the people friendly and in our quest to find the C-Map felt quiet secure in a seedy part of town we ended up in. Bouillabaisse is meant to be the dish of the area but at 35 Euro a portion and unsure of where to buy an authentic meal (or what it would look like) settled for a plate of pasta and pesto).

The trudge around Marseille continued on the second morning for the C-Map. A search on the internet had given us two address, one looked shut, the other took my husband to the delights of the Commercial Port. He wa given a special pass on arrival at the dealer was told that C-Map swaps don't happen as the dealers rarely get their money back! So it would have been cheaper to buy in the UK (or buy in Marseilles with cash).

Rod Heikell's pilot is of course invaluable, the Bloc Marine also had up to date tariffs, so with a favorable forecast. Sea was choppy but a force 4 made sailing a pleasure. The scenery is dramatic and the Calanques worth a visit. Rod Heikell recommends Port Miou for mooring, but as we didn't moor and only had a peak in I think Vau is prettier. Bloc Marine's tariff was expensive for Cassis so following a recommendation from another blog (Jim Baerselman I think) headed for La Ciotat.

On reflection we should have had a better system for linking the internet, it has been a disappointment that a sailing port does not have wife access for its sailors, although they produce a daily forecast an attempt at long term forecasting means trudging around town looking for a bar with wifi or failing that – McDonalds. Thank goodness for windguru,cz

Whatever we have been told I the past or read about wind in the Med is true to the power of 10. Its either too much, too little or the wrong way. A bigger boat would have meant an about turn by now and a cruise across the Atlantic. Alas, Bunny is brill for cheap prices in the med but with without proper water and fuel storage our trailer sailor is not equipped for such a venture.

MY BLOG IS AIMED AT SMALL BOAT SAILORS AND/OR THEIR RELUCTANT PARTNERS, MORE INFO ABOUT JUNK RIGGING LATER. FOR BETTER DETAILED INFO FOLLOW MEDITERRANEAO