Toulon

September 4 – visited with Phillipe at Pochon SA, the Furuno agents for France and purchased electronic charts for the Pacific, Australia and Asia.  He was  more helpful than Stephane, their man at La Rochelle.  He will download all of the 5 chart regions currently on the NavNet on to SD cards. This is going to allow us to delete the European, Med and Atlantic  charts once we’ve done the crossing and make space on the hard disk for the new charts.

Started out from Hyeres for Toulon this morning at about 10 am after checking out at the Capitainerie.  It took 3 hours through rough seas with 30+ knot winds and 3 – 4 meter seas.  We had wind on the beam on leaving Hyeres but on the nose as we turned the corner.  Hand-steered to avoid being broad-sided by the big waves.  It was very wet as waves washed over the hard dodger again and again.  Will have to wash salt off the cockpit cushions at Toulon. If the young man from Amel who accompanied me had any anxiety about my seamanship, he certainly did not show it, other than white knuckles from holding on to the grab rail. No small craft in sight but as we approached the Rade de Toulon, French navy ships were going in and out of port.  Toulon is a major naval base and the commercial harbor and marinas are at the boundaries of several restricted areas. For obvious reasons, the navy ships don’t transmit AIS signals.  It was tough trying to see them through the spray and water on the windshield.  Case to be made for wipers just like on the big ships.  Conditions behind the breakwater were not much better.  It was tough to back in between 2 boats into a space that could barely fit Skylark, in a 25 knot crosswind.  We had to apply enough throttle for steerage and anticipate the effects of the wind.  The Amel people were already at the dock and helped with the lines and fending off the boat on the windward side whose docklines were a tad too loose.  Even they admitted they under such conditions the harbornaster would have normally disallowed  docking of arriving boats.  But, marina space is very scarce and we had to show up today or lose our spot.  At the Capitainerie, I saw the staff turn away a desperate sailor who was pleading for a berth for his friend’s boat which was waiting at the harbor entrance.  The conditions out there would have made anyone grovel for a marina berth, so we feel fortunate that Amel were able to bring their influence to bear on our behalf.  Their after-sales customer-care is simply second to none.

Safely in our snug little berth with 2 bow lines and passarelle (gangplank) deployed, the Amel folks and I headed to a harborfront restaurant for lunch.  Talking to Amel's Vincent Arnaud, I learned he had previously worked in oil and gas as a project manager and traveled frequently to Houston on business.  On hearing my connection to Houston, he shook his head in sympathy, pronouncing Houston as one of the world’s most awful places.  I don’t think I managed to change his mind over lunch.  He conceded however that Toulon ran a close second for ugliness.  Toulon was flattened by Allied bombing during WW II and lack of funds for post-war reconstruction resulted in utilitarian, characterless architecture. 

I’ll have to go back to Hyeres on Thursday by train to collect the charts from Pochon.  Am planning to take the bicycle on the train.  

Saturday, Sept 5 --- the wind blew all night at the marina and continues today registering more than 20 knots at the marina.  The Capitainerie tells me it will continue through the weekend and perhaps tail off on Monday.  I am at MacDonalds for the free wi-fi and the chance to update the blog. The mall is a 5 minute walk from the marina and has a large Carrefour market.  Toulon has a small town feel to it -- seems everyone is at the mall today.  There seem to be some nicer restaurants away from the waterfront strip which I'll have to try.  Will post pictures shortly.