43:24.23N 04:59.05E Port du Bouc

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Wed 26 May 2010 07:33

43:24.23N    04:59.05E    Port du Bouc

 

10.30am the forecast was good and the mad North wind had abated at Port Camargue, so the decision was to make a move round and across to the Golfe de Fos and to Port Napoleon.  To start a lovely sunny morning and about 12-13 knots of wind to broad reach along the coast.  The wind even died off a little at one stage in the first hour but then it steadily increased over the next 3 to 4 hours to 25-28 knots.  The surf was starting to rise and the crew at times were getting wet from the waves crashing up onto the deck and cockpit.  The last part of the course we had to turn North into Golfe de Fos and so the wind speed rose to top out at just under 37 knots.  The sea had turned angry and the course into Port Napoleon was not safe, as the entry is very exposed across very low flat salt marsh and the final turn in the channel means running dead down wind with a gale behind you. A change of course was made across Golfe de Fos, a distance of about 6 miles hard to windward, 2 reefs in the mainsail, a small scrap of headsail and a hard bash crash, dodging the anchored container ships.  Safety and relative shelter came eventually at about 4pm as we ducked in past the castle walls of the harbour at Port de Bouc.  42 miles sailed.  An unhelpful harbour man pointed us to a space that meant mooring Ariel in a cross wind onto a piece of stone quay.  A couple of attempts proved this was not possible with the wind screaming and howling at us.  So another cunning plan was hatched and I moored Ariel against the ‘Douane’ launch and we then manoeuvred her by ropes onto the stone quay.  Drinks all round to celebrate our safe arrival.  I’m sure Alison and Steve enjoyed the last hour or so of the voyage, white knucle sailing and counting rivets on ships.

10.30am the forecast was good and the mad North wind had abated at Port Camargue, so the decision was to make a move round and across to the Golfe de Fos and to Port Napoleon.  To start a lovely sunny morning and about 12-13 knots of wind to broad reach along the coast.  The wind even died off a little at one stage in the first hour but then it steadily increased over the next 3 to 4 hours to 25-28 knots.  The surf was starting to rise and the crew at times were getting wet from the waves crashing up onto the deck and cockpit.  The last part of the course we had to turn North into Golfe de Fos and so the wind speed rose to top out at just under 37 knots.  The sea had turned angry and the course into Port Napoleon was not safe, as the entry is very exposed across very low flat salt marsh and the final turn in the channel means running dead down wind with a gale behind you. A change of course was made across Golfe de Fos, a distance of about 6 miles hard to windward, 2 reefs in the mainsail, a small scrap of headsail and a hard bash crash, dodging the anchored container ships.  Safety and relative shelter came eventually at about 4pm as we ducked in past the castle walls of the harbour at Port de Bouc.  42 miles sailed.  An unhelpful harbour man pointed us to a space that meant mooring Ariel in a cross wind onto a piece of stone quay.  A couple of attempts proved this was not possible with the wind screaming and howling at us.  So another cunning plan was hatched and I moored Ariel against the ‘Douane’ launch and we then manoeuvred her by ropes onto the stone quay.  Drinks all round to celebrate our safe arrival.  I’m sure Alison and Steve enjoyed the last hour or so of the voyage, white knucle sailing and counting rivets on ships.


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