We got an early start and headed back to the store for fresh bread and croissants, a bit more wine and some ice, in preparation for the arrival of our friends who were now landing earlier at 10 am and would be over around 12. We texted directions and then Todd went up and met them as the taxi deposited them at the yard.
Mark and Michele had been good friends since my early windsurfing days, a year before Todd and I met, so it was terrific to see their familiar smiling faces coming down the dock. Another bonus was that they had extensive experience with trailer camping and were familiar with water conservation techniques, living in close quarters, and fixing stuff that breaks, which is the common ground with a cruising boat. We had champagne on ice and a selection of cheeses, sausage, fruits, and fresh baguette in the shade of the cockpit, and lounged around catching up. Todd and Mark got busy giving the topsides a thorough scrub down when they got hot later on, and we had sprayed off on the dock in our bathing suits. ( Not quite like the locals but moving in that direction). Later on we got the BBQ fired up and did a grilled chicken Caesar salad for dinner around 9 before another cool off dockside and bed.
Our guests were up before us due to the time change, but after getting a coffee and croissant in everyone we split into guys and gals and set off for the day. The guys were headed to a sports store to get snorkel gear and a spear gun, then a Chandler, and lastly a grocery store for provisions.
Michele and I took a short walk to the ferry and zipped over to downtown Toulon for 2 EU a piece. There was a large daily market going on and we were in charge of picking up fresh produce. Due to the heat though, we figured we’d do a little walk around, have lunch and pick up the produce before catching the ferry back so it didn’t wilt.
It was a very multicultural area with many different nationalities represented, and certainly more facial covering’s on the ladies than we had seen in the western American cities we had been in lately.
Everyone shopping was being very particular with their selection and there was some haranguing with the stall owners going on. I found a light weight shirt for Todd for 5 EU (which he has yet to wear so perhaps not his favorite!). We wandered around and took a photo of the ocean race boat that was coming into port when we were, and we decided on a restaurant for lunch that had shade, breeze, and a view of the water. The Galettes (a cross between crepe and omelet with savory topping’s), were really tasty and came with a fresh salad. We had a glass of a the house white which was crisp and cold, then opted for a gourmet coffee. This was the standard espresso served up on a piece of slate with a small chocolate drizzled crepe, a little duck boat of chopped fresh peach, and a small dish of chocolate mousse, it was pretty and delicious. (Why we can’t be happy with these tasty small servings the rest of the time I don’t know!). With the relaxing lunch completed we headed back to the market which was closing up now, and zipped around getting what we could for fruits and veggies. The only items we were missing now were fresh bread, egg’s and a bit more chicken if possible.
Back at the boat, the guys had had a successful day. Funnily enough, over the years when we get together Mark and Todd end up doing some kind of rescue, and so it was that they dropped the dingy and went and collected our up wind neighbor when his skiff broke down at the entrance to the marina. After that we did a quick out and back for the remaining provisions before a discussion of the float plan for our short hop to the Porquerolles the next day. This was a group off islands off of Toulon which we had heard were a picturesque boating destination. I had picked up 2 extra baguette for our neighboring boats (the fellow who helped us tie up and the owners of the Lagoon who had arrived), and dropped these off.
Patrick,the owner of the Lagoon and his wife Emily, invited us aboard for a sun downer so we headed over. It is always fun to see the different layouts on the various catamarans. Even though our boat was 2 feet longer, the Lagoon had a much bigger interior. Patrick and his wife were lovely and very interesting. It turned out they had a vineyard and used to produce champagne, but now sold the grapes to Moet. They also gave us great tips on choosing Rose’..1 year old and the lighter pink the better, (which we have since put to good use!). They’d had this boat since 2014 and had sailed around the Med and down to the Caribbean, Florida and back. They told the now familiar stories of issues with boat systems and were planning to sell this boat and order a new Bali 5.4 with 2 of every system. In addition they would sail straight to Martinique and have everything fixed by a yard there that they had complete trust in..(hmm, more useful information.) The Bali 5.4 was a new model line and I think it was due to start production at the yard in Canet where they were making the 4.5., the yard we had just left. They seemed very savvy in regards to the expected delays and likely issues, so we felt they had a pretty realistic view, certainly more than we did! They were waiting for family and would also be heading to the Porquerolles, but would tie up in the marina there. We headed back for dinner in the cockpit at a very French 9.30 pm, then got to bed.