43:16.10N 06:39.70E St. Tropez

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Sat 19 Jun 2010 08:53


43:16.10N    06:39.70E    St. Tropez

 

Tuesday 8th June, 2010.

 

We were up early to sail along the coast to St. Tropez. We sailed and tacked past some beautiful scenery passing Hyeres, Cap Blanc, La Lavendou, Cap Negre, Cap Cavalaira, Cap Lardier, Cap Camarat but coming towards Cap de St. Tropez the wind died and we had to motor around to the Baie des Canoubiers past all the very expensive houses on the head land. Harrods owner has one with a boat house on the shore.

We according to the day trip boats were anchored outside the house of Paris Hilton and her family.  Beautiful gardens and garden house and possibly the jetty may belong to them but there is no notice on it to say don’t use.

After drinks with Trisha and Clive who had been into St. Tropez for early evening drinks as they had arrived in the afternoon. We took the dinghy and left it on the jetty along with a very happy couple who were having a picnic at the end of the jetty and walked ourselves along the beach up to the road and into the town centre.

We were amazed how a few hundred feet from the centre of town are large vines growing in what appears to be farming land.

St. Tropez has all the razz of a very popular holiday town.  We walked down the street past some beautiful shops with the most wishful clothes to the harbour where all the big boats are moored.  If the occupants were not on board eating or drinking there was a man on board stopping any uninvited person from boarding.  The boat’s have names like “One More Toy” and the wealth of these ships is unbelievable. Of course, we had to have our photographs taken just to prove we had been there.

The night before we had witnessed one of these boats anchored off Porquerolles and four people take dinner on the 2nd deck.  The ship had every light on and the TV which flicked our way every time the boat moved may have been for a cinema took up the whole wall.  This is serious money being spent as the boat had at least 10 members of staff. Who are these people who have such wealth?

After a little wandering we made our way back to the beach along some unmade up roads with a torch.  Once back at the dinghy Jim rowed back to Ariel wishing Clive a good night on the way as he was looking out for us to return.

Wednesday 9th June and Thursday 10th June, 2010 we are at anchor and unable to move due to the wind again.  Jim moved us closer to the head land and hiding from the wind coming over the hill. It has pinned us here with several other boats now for 2 days. We are hoping the wind will drop by tomorrow as no one can move at present.  A very large Dutch boat has joined us over night and after a few big waves his anchor moved around 9 this morning.  We were helpless to do anything but thankfully 4 crew members came on deck and realised quickly their dilemma as it slipped back towards the rocks.

We were again treated to the air display by 7 jets this morning with coloured vapour and two air sea rescue boats flew past twice.

 

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