Crossing back to the Canet, we finally saw a huge school of tuna jumping and feeding on what we thought must be the anchovies that were prevalent here. I tried 5 or 6 different lures to no avail, we never even got a bite.
I didn’t think I would be happy to get back to the dock at the Catana factory, but I was. Our English friends, “the Foxy’s” were at hand to take our lines which made the usual med-mooring drill a whole lot easier. (Todd can’t see me from the helm when I have to step off / on the dock from the Port side). We had showers, a quick beverage with Kim and Colin, then dinner, before hitting the hay and enjoying a deep and worry-free slumber. The factory was closed for Vacance so it was nice and quiet!
The next few days were filled with boat cleaning , laundry, and list making. Kim and I rode (their) bikes to the Intermarche grocery store to stock up, and Todd gave Colin some support while he worked through Macerator and black water tank tender issues. We had Colin and Kim over for cocktails and snacks later, and chatted about the various frustrations but also the excitement of them embarking on their cruise soon.(They would be doing the ARC “Atlantic Rally for Cruisers” which would leave the Canary Islands in November).
8/15/17 was another hot one but it turned into a grand day for socializing. Our Spanish friend Pablo took us to lunch at the excellent fish restaurant “le Viole Bleue”(The blue sail), and we enjoyed whole fresh flounder and a selection of salads and appetizers. We had Pablo back to the boat for coffee and cleansing ales, and invited our new neighbor Jean Luic to join us. (Jean Luic had purchased an aluminum Allures 44 sailboat from Catana that the owner had traded in, and had the now familiar stories about mishandled work and missed expectations.
It was back to Umoya for dinner, with Kim making and excellent cold shrimp bisque (that must have taken half the day), we added a ceaser salad, and the meal was finished with a succulent pineapple “boat” for desert. Although we tried to behave, we were having too much fun so the next day we were all moving a bit slower than normal. Kim and Colin had their friends arriving to make the passage down the coast with them. We met Liz and Russel later on when we stopped by for the naming ceremony, and shared some champagne. (We didn’t give it all to Poseidon and Neptune, but they got a good measure!)
8/17/17 Kim and Colin had a crazy night aboard as the starboard hull filled with water to the floor boards, with the bilge alarm going off at 2 am. They finally got it drained and were back in bed by 4.30 am, but far from the restful night you hope for before leaving on a passage!
We helped untie them and sent them on their way just after noon, with best wishes for fair winds and smooth sea’s. We would miss their company but were glad they were off the dock and on their adventure!
Another Tramontane was coming so we tightened the dock lines in preparation, then cleaned stainless (Todd), and wiped all the interior walls and ceilings down with vinegar (Virg), as part of our “putting the boat away” routine. Jean Luic invited us aboard for wine and stories. He was very interesting and had been a race car driver, was an owner of Honda Motorcycle stores, played classical guitar (well!), and had done some extensive car tours in South America, the States, and Europe (in a wood-framed sports car no less!), and he spoke excellent English. He was just getting into sailing and had plans to learn the ropes in the Med with a good mate of his Harve (who was an excellent sailor), before heading off. We met Harve and crew Marg, as well as Jean Luic’s lovely wife, (who was not going to do any of the passages, but would meet him in ports along the way).
There was a fun dinner at “E’tace” the other local restaurant, (the one we had initially stopped in to watch the soccer game last year but decided it was too hot, with my brother Glen and sister-in-law Uschi). Jean Luic knew the owner “Gabby” who was a retired Math teacher who had a band, but also played classical guitar. It was a real treat to hear him play and tell his stories! Jean Luic and crew left in the wee hours the following morning, heading to a small port in Spain where they would store the boat and continue to work on it over the winter.
The next day we had to organize a rental car again as we decided we would see some of the French Riviera by car before we left. The marinas up that way were ridiculously expensive. (I think we heard the number of 1500 EU for 1 night in the marina in Monaco, a bit too rich for our blood). Sandrine dropped us off at the Perpignan airport where we collected the new rental car, it was great to be mobile again. (I will add that all the walking had done a good job of keeping us in shape and whittling off the pounds we had gained at the dock!).
8/24/18 Another Catana 47 arrives in the breeze. “Monte Carlo” had been delivered to the factory from the Caribbean by her new owner, who would be getting the NEO refit done. In well rehearsed fashion we deployed the dinghy after getting his stern lines, and got him secured. These boats are really susceptible to side winds when you are docking, so it’s a relief when there are kind souls around to lend a hand. We also ran into a Kiwi bloke Jon (Todd had seen the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club burgee), and Mark his nephew, who had a Beneteau sail boat but an active interest in the Catana’s, and came by the boat for a look that afternoon.
The other fun meet up that happened was our friend Stephane stopped by on 8/26/17, as he was back in port working on his boat, and dropped us off a fresh baguette. We planned a BBQ aboard our boat for the following evening, for Stephane and a seasoned cruising friend who was with him, Paul.
We had a great night with Stephane,Paul, and Pablo who dropped by, and we wished Stephane the best for his upcoming “Barefoot cruisers ralley” in November.
Before we left the boat we had to take down and stow the jib, pack up all the cushions and external window shades and get them down below , organize the remaining ships stores (No beer or wine left, ha!), clean out and dry the fridge/freezer, and washing machine, wash/dry/vacuum pack/stow all the bedding and clothing we were leaving, put the paddle board in the salon, make a storage platform for the dinghy and winterize the Etec outboard engine, which would be stored in the factory. All the jobs were done by 8/29/18, and after a final meeting with Pascal who would be managing the remainder of the refit with the help of Joaquim, we headed off in the rental car for Nimes.