Wednesday – We made a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up provisions and then set off heading for Italy! Another glorious day with little wind so motor-sailed to Monaco where we anchored off with a number of other very large super yachts, which were too big to get into Monte Carlo marina.
Anchored off Cap Martin which has some of the most beautiful villas we have seen on our trip. Supper on the aft deck under the lights of Monte Carlo – unbelievable – are we really here? Ther was quite a swell in the anchorage so dad took the kedge anchor out in the dinghy to try to set us into the swell, with some success, although Belle Helene still rocked about - we didn’t have a very good night’s sleep!
Thursday – awoke to another fabulous day, Dad had a quick swim around the boat and we set sail for San Remo. Motored along the coast past Menton (which looks beautiful and worth a look on the way back) and on over the border into Italy.
There is a marked contrast between France and Italy – beautiful expensive villas in France leading to sparse, agricultural land in Italy. Dad changed the courtesy flag at the border. We arrived in San Remo at about mid day and texted Annie and Mike who joined us early afternoon. 
After a quick beer on board we all piled into their car for our first night away from Belle Helene in over 4 weeks! Glori is glorious! Mike’s Aunt owns a small house in the village of Glori, half an hour’s drive high in the hills behind San Remo. What a beautiful place – you have to park your car at the end of the village and walk up through the cobbled streets and steps to the house, right at the top of the village, next to the church spire (and bells!)
We had a superb lunch on their small terrace overlooking the rooftops and wooded valleys, followed by a much needed siesta after our sleepless night, the night before.
We then had a lovely walk to the small chapel across the hill side which is being renovated.
Showers with the scorpions followed by gin and tonics before a superb dinner at the local village tratorria. Anti pasti (4 courses!) followed by pasta, followed by rabbit stew, followed by Italian ice cream and apple fritters all washed down with local red plonk! A fantastic experience.
Another restless night followed with the bells tolling twice on the hour and every half hour and unfortunately the futon was a little lumpy! However, we did get some sleep and woke to the sun rising over the hills in the valley – stunning.
Friday – our turn to entertain! A trip to the supermarket to stock up on beer, wine and water followed by a lovely sail out of San Remo.
The forecast said force 4 -5, occasionally 6 and they were just about right. Unfortunately the seas built a lot just as we decided to anchor for lunch and although Dad and Mike did have the opportunity for a quick swim, the anchorage became too ‘swelly welly’ and the guests started to turn a little green!
A swift motor back to the marina in some pretty large, building seas seemed to put Annie and Mike off sailing ever again! Just at the entrance we were carved up by a 65 foot Pershing power boat ‘Pretender’which came past us doing about 25 knots straight into the marina entrance – he did apologise when we eventually got inside, however he did receive some of Mum’s tongue lashing! Mike and Annie made their farewells and left us to catch up on some sleep. A trip into San Remo for an evening promenade was a little disappointing and we ended up back on the boat for beans on toast for tea, yet again!
Saturday – After a quick visit to the shops and a cappuccino in a café, we had a brilliant sail to Menton just back over the French border.
We managed to get a mooring in the Old Port in this delightful town – possibly the best yet.
The Capitanerie were very helpful and allowed us to moor stern at the mouth of the marina. We just managed to slot in between a Moody 46 from Canada and an Italian family of four with two dogs who were on holiday on their 18 foot yacht! Had a lovely walk through the town and bought a bed spread for our cabin!
Noticed that there was a music festival on and contacted the tourist office to see if there were tickets available for that evening’s concert outside the old basilica. Tickets were available on the door and enjoyed some brilliant music from a violinist and pianist in a fabulous setting.
We were in the cheap seats with some giggling French ladies and left, all cultured out, at the interval. Supper was a very large ice cream which Mum struggled to finish!
Sunday – A visit to the shops for some provisions – the market was wonderful and Dad bought some very smelly cheese from the mountains. Café au lait and almond croissants in the square finished a fantastic visit. I am that sure we will return one day.
Dad phoned ahead to Nice Marina and managed to get a berth for the night. Very little wind so motored around the coast via Beaulieu sur Mer and lunched at one of our favourite anchorages on Cap Ferrat.
Arrived in Nice at about 4pm and eventually managed to contact the port authorities to find our berth in between a Moorings charter boat and a multi million pound superyacht, with a very lazy crew!. Went for a walk and recharged the credit on the phone at a very helpful Tabac. The Saudi Royal family yacht was in port offloading some of its guests, so there were lots of Mercedes, security guards etc. about.
Samar was also moored alongside the quay – a massive superyacht with a helicopter on the stern. ‘Blind date’ yacht caused much amusement with Mum using the binoculars to check out the goings on.
Monday – early morning walk into the old town of Nice along the sea front for breakfast and to pick up some provisions – visited the war memorial cut into the rock.
Dad walked around to the Capitanerie and paid the bill – only 41 Euros for a night in the centre of Nice! Left the mooring only to bump (almost literally!) into Christina O (the Onassis yacht) which was reversing out of its mooring as we were passing.
Got some abuse from the captain (which Dad returned!) and then an apology from him as he hadn’t given his three blasts to warn shipping he was going astern. Very exciting!
A lovely sail to the anchorage between the islands off Cannes for a fantastic night’s sleep although we did have a brief rain shower just as we were entering thee anchorage - the first time we had experienced rain whilst underway, all holiday!
Tuesday – an early start after a swim off the aft deck and a long sail past St Tropez to Baume les Mimosas, a very ordinary sea side town with a busy marina.
Eventually found our mooring, the staff weren’t particularly helpful, and went bow too next to a large Kiracoulis Bavaria 49 charter yacht which was receiving some repairs.
The staff told us that the Mistral was on its way so decided to stay for two nights. One or two nice walks into the town but overall a pretty uneventful, and quite expensive (72 Euros per night) couple of days, although it was very entertaining watching the charter yachts coming in, in a Force 5! Dad also managed to redo all of the broken stitching on the starboard wheel.
Thursday – looked like a day of decent weather although we needed to get in somewhere because Force 9 gales were predicted for Friday. Managed to secure a berth at Sanary sur Mer, close to Bandol, and managed to squeeze in stern to between two French power boats. Sanary seems a very calm place compared to many of the marinas we have visited – it is a lovely town with that great ‘French’ feel. No Brits here!
Friday – as predicted Force 9 gale built from mid morning! Didn’t stop the local sailing school taking some kids out on their Hobie Cats (not for long!) and another crazy French man going out on his own, in massive seas! A pretty lazy day, although it was quite tiring with the constant wind.
Saturday – wind had died a little – we went into Sanary to do some shopping and try to get the weather forecast from the web but failed to connect in the local café. Found a small internet café behind the Hotel de la Tour which allowed us to download the wave and wind predictions. Looked OK so decided to leave and head for the Calanques near Cassis. Had a fantastic exhilarating sail out of the bay and along the coast – quite big seas still but they settled down early afternoon.
Arrived in Port Miou late afternoon to be met by the local Capitain who helped us pick up a bouy and then take our lines to a ring in the cliff face – a real experience – he didn’t like our scratchy rope and Dad gave him a bottle of our cheap Spanish rose for his help!
We took the dinghy for a trip up the calanque and went ashore for a brief walk – there was a wedding reception taking place in the local restaurant.
Sunday – decided to go ashore and walk into Cassis for breakfast but Dad checked the forecast on his phone and decided that we had a weather window and that we should make for Spain! Left the anchorage and refuelled in Cassis – a little tight but managed to get in and reverse out satisfactorily.
We managed to sail for a few hours but we were heading 20 degrees off course so we decided to motor sail until the wind direction changed, as predicted. 
Unfortunately the wind died and so we motored most of the way. After not having seen dolphins since our trip to Marseille, we were joined again on many occasions during the crossing – fantastic!Also changed course to check out a ringo floating some 40 miles from shore – luckily no one on it except a seagull!
Mum took the 2 – 5 watch and left dad to sleep until 6 am when he woke to find that we were just off the Cap de Creus, 10 miles from home! 
We just rounded the Cala Montjo within sight of Empuriabrava when the alarm sounded on the engine – it had overheated! We put the genoa out and Dad investigated – the impeller seemed fine and there wasn’t anything blocking the strainer. Dad donned flippers and mask to check for a blocked inlet on the saildrive but all OK (Mum made Dad have a deck shower when he got out!) Took another look at the impeller which was indeed trashed! 
Engineer Dad changed it and we were off again! Unfortunately the alarm sounded again after a few minutes so we needed to be towed in by a local diving instructor! Arrived in Empuriabrava at about 10.30 am – great to be back after a brilliant adventure! We slept most of the day!
Tuesday – a really lazy day getting our bearings again in Empuriabrava – Dad got the bikes out and managed to rig up ‘Trolley Dolly’ on the back for a trip to Montserrat.
The BBQ came out for the first time this holiday. 
