Day 1 – Gramps kindly got up at 4.30 am to take us to the airport, great flight followed by a taxi ride to the NAU boat yard in Empuriabrava. J clambered over the security fence and let Helen in. Belle Helen looking great in the gantry of the crane.
Unpacked and then made a visit to the camp site supermarket and had chicken and chip lunch in the cafe. First beer of the holiday!
Cleaned the boat inside and out and then had a walk up to Monserrat for a ‘proper’ shop and checked out the forecast for the following day’s crossing of the Gulf of Lions. All looking OK.
Supper in the salubrious setting of the boat yard (very dusty!) and an early night in preparation!
Up early, Helen went for some bread to the camp shop. Plenty of activity from 8 am in the yard. Phil, our friendly engineer, arrived soon after 8.30 to fleece me again for all of the work he has done on ma Belle Belene!
No wonder he’s smiling! What a great job he has done for us over the years.
Left the boat yard to fuel for the last time at the Marina and get a final weather forecast.
Force 3-4 occasionally 5 from the South East. Looking good.
Left Empuriabrava for the very last time – 4 great years but time to move on.
All looking good but seas building and wind getting stronger, gusting force 7. Eventually decided not to cross tonight but made for Port de la Selva near the Spanish/French border. Rounded the Cap de Creus, going through the ‘gap’ at record speeds making 9.7 knots with reefs in both the main and genoa. Brilliant sailing but not for 24 hours!
Arrived in Port de la Selve and managed to get very good holding for the anchor – still very windy. J had his first swim of the trip and had his first opportunity to check out the fantastic job Phil had done with the anti-fouling and polishing of the hull.
Had a comfortable night at anchor and launched the dinghy for a trip ashore in the morning. managed to find a wi-fi spot next to the wi-fi senora in the square! (actually a very weak signal from the local hotel).
Downloaded the forecast - wind looked fine but the waves were 4-6 feet all the way – decided to go for it!
Coffee and a croissant on the harbour front and a return to ma Belle to prepare for the trip.
Left Port de la Selva at 11 am and set course for Hyeres. Wind great but the seas were building and just in the wrong direction for comfort. The crossing was very tiring – the motion of the boat and confused seas left Helen feeling a bit queasy. Clouded over just before dark giving pitch black conditions. Slight panic when Arnie (the autopilot) decided to stop suddenly sending the boat into completely the wrong direction. Very confusing and disorientating when all you have is your instruments for info!
Anyway managed to get back on course, slamming into the waves again and Helen went down below to try and get some more sleep in the aft cabin (too noisy up front!).
Only 30 minutes later to be called back on deck to help reef the sails as we hit a couple of squalls caused by some very impressive thunder storms. ‘Thunder and lightening, very very frightening’. I am afraid that these stayed with us for the rest of the night meaning that we both had to stay on deck, getting very little sleep.
We decided to make for the nearest land fall, namely Marseille. Arrived 10 am, very tired, but got a fantastic mooring just in front of the town hall next to a very slick maga-yacht ‘Marlena’ with a very attentive crew.
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