Bormes Les Mimosas to St Mandrier Sur Mer

08/10/15

Although we set an alarm for an early ‘off’, contrary to the weather forecast it was blowing a hoolie, so by the time we’d climbed the sea wall to look at the actual conditions, and stopped on the fuel quay for a partial fill, it was gone 10am before we motored out of port, heading for our longest journey of this trip so far. 

Seriously rock & roll calmed down once we had rounded the headland, and with the wind behind us we were surfing the waves as we passed the Porquerolles islands. It’s at times like these J is not so fussed by her memory issues, as it was all as new and as beautiful as when we came by last time, almost 3 years ago! 

Crew on a delivery rather than sailors enjoying the wind!

Many sailboats were out enjoying the weather, and it was just lovely, until we exited the shelter of the islands when the rollers increased significantly, although we were taking them on the bow without deviating from our course so it was only those prone to wigging out who were a little tense.

Short ride-along!

With clear blue sky and sunshine in our wake, black clouds were building at our destination, a place for real boats – and according to a VHF ‘heads up’ there was a submarine on its way into the bay too.

Toulon is a bay of real boats!

St Mandrier Sur Mer is a cute little town in the bay of Toulon, with an obligatory quay of pointu boats, and we were pretty much given our choice of mooring, so we picked one close to the capitainerie in the hope of picking up their wifi, and a tiny beach for the hound. A got bolted arranging the shore power cable, so another little repair was needed (thank goodness we had a roll of self amalgamating tape on hand!), but by 14.15 we were settled in.

Unfortunately, even close to the capitainerie we couldn't get an internet connection, but whilst J was sat on the office steps checking email a kindly Dutch gentleman came over, with his dog Flash, and pointed us towards his favourite bar with wifi, and also advised that Ile des Embiez nearby was unmissable. A has had his eye on a visit to the island since he first read about it, but our pilot book states categorically that no dogs or cats are allowed so we had regretfully planned to pass it by. We double checked and our friend took Flash on his trips and is known to the capitainerie, so we could definitely go - yay!

A phone call later, and we had been told there were no spaces on the island until Sunday, so we planned a detour via Sanary Sur Mer, and headed into St Mandrier for some internet (us) and a swim (Roxy).

Toulon, where war ships go to die...

On our wander through town we saw posters forbidding all marine activity - swimming, sailing, fishing,.. - in the bay between 9.00 and 14.00 the next day due to underwater explosive testing. Checking we were ok to stay on with the capitainerie had definite moments of déjà vu from our inland waterways canal closure experience, since they had no idea the testing was going on! Ooops!

As it turns out, it looks like we were the only ones who knew, or cared, and the bay was teeming with fishing boats and joy riders all the next morning, and we felt and heard no explosive action. Phew!