The Summer adventure begins!

Well we’re off! 4.10 am alarm goes off, a quick shower and Gramps arrives to take us to the airport. Left our Tom asleep in bed with clear instructions not to wreck the house.Very busy at the airport and a minor cock up with the additional bag – Ryanair only allow 15kg per passenger even if you buy another bag, anyway we managed to get the additional bag through as sports equipment (it was full of our new diving gear). Uneventful flight but arrived too late to get the bus so a 90Euro taxi ride took us to ma Belle Helene. Looking good – Phil had fitted the new holding tank which seems to work well. No sign of the genoa but a quick call to Dan the Man reminded him that we hoped to leave the following day. It duly arrived!
We were both very weary but managed to get the boat cleaned, although there is still a hosepipe ban in Spain. Fitted the Jack stays, did a bit of passage planning and tried to get an early night ready for the big adventure!

Wednesday morning after a somewhat fitful night, we did the final bits and set off at 11.45am. Wind not quite in the right direction and could still see Empuriabrava after a couple of hours.

Great fun not to be returning though! Slung out the fishing rod and caught the most massive mackerel ever to be landed! That was tea sorted anyway. 10-12 knots of wind on the beam took us out of sight of land for the first time on Belle Helene at about 6.5 knots. This stayed with us until 2.30 am when it dropped completely and came from behind. Flappy sails and no wind means engine on which we kept until our arrival in sunny Marseille at about 1.45 in the afternoon.

Just after dawn when J was on watch dolphins surfaced on the port side – awoke Helen and they swam with us for about half an hour – absolutely fantastic. Watch this!

Managed to eventually raise the SNM sailing club people who saw us to our mooring stern too next to a very busy road – no problem though we’re on holiday! J managed to reverse the whole length of the club to drop her on her mooring – very professional (or lucky?).




A quick walk into Marseille to get a few provisions (managed to avoid the World Championship Petanque competition!) Spag boll on board followed by an early night - only to be awoken by a psychotic man screaming! very scarey, we stayed exactly where we were!


Friday morning - a quick shower followed by some more shopping - tried to find the local market, asked an old boy who spoke to us for ages about his experinces in prison on Porquerolles? (we think!) Never managed to find the market though - did find a mobile phone shop and tried my best French to explain what we wanted - the bloke in the shop was from Yorkshire! Did manage to find the local provision shops etc. and a great cafe for our first cafe au lait.A lovely sandwich for lunch followed by a couple of hours on the local beach - we thought that Marseille was too dodgy to leave a camera on the beach so no photos! Did manage to get Helen in the sea though - still a little cold for her sensitive skin!


Looking forward to Tom's arrival tomorrow!