Well, here we go again. It is May and we are starting our first full season in the Med. This time we hope to be far more organised.
On the 2nd we flew from Stansted to Toulon by Ryanair. The limited luggage allowance did not pose any problem as we had been to the boat by car two weeks earlier and put a load of stuff on the boat then. However, even with the limited luggage, it was hard work carting the bags (with no wheels-- too rigd to store on the boat) from bus to tube to train. But we managed and the flight went well.
However as we landed the heavens opened. What has happened to all this good Mediterranean weather we were expecting. It was worse than the weather we left behind in London.
After careful cost checking Richard decided it would not be worth hiring a car at the airport. Not only would it be expensive, but we could not work out how we would return it. So we booked a cab in advance and he was waiting for us in the rain when we arrived. So far so good. However, the traffic was terrible and it took an hour to get to the port. When we got there the rain was even worse and it was a dash to the boatyard office. We expected the boat to be all ready on a berth, having been told it had been launched and berthed on the previous Tuesday. But when we got to the marina, we found out that the boat was out of the water having just been lifted because the boatyard did not properly antifoul the keel! So we had to wait for that to be done.
We finally got on to the boat at about 4:30 pm. We were very disappointed to note that some of the work we specifically organised when we were here two weeks ago had not been done. They had not put on the larger solar panel, and tell us it would take at least another week to order a new one. No way we can wait for that, so we will just have to see if this slightly larger panel than we had will be sufficient.
More annoyingly, the broken starboard navigation light has not been fixed. We really want that, although we have no immediate plans to do any night sailing. But at least we are on a boat in the water. Luckily by then the weather had improved and we were keen to get on with things.
I start to unpack while Richard gives a first clean to the outside of the boat. It didn't seem that dirty when we last saw it, but it is really grubby. I find that we have brought far too many clothes. I could start a well stocked boutique with all the stuff we have got. Finding places for it all is getting difficult. But I finally manage and start on the task of cleaning the inside of the boat. Again, it doesn't seem bad, but it is a long hard task and I only get the galley and our cabin done, which means we have a bed to sleep in tonight. I start on the heads, but don't get very far. I try to charge up the electric toothbrush, but it won't charge. I check all the sockets and they seem to be working. I can only imagine that the battery has gone and we need a new one. At least we brought a battery one with us, so we have something to use. Richard in the meantime has put the life raft in place and taken the outboard for the dinghy out of the locker, so we are beginning to put things where they belong.
There are no shops close to the marina and we have no fresh food on board so we go to the restaurant in the marina for dinner. It is OK, if a bit pricy, but at least we are starting to relax a bit.
By 10:00pm, (9:00 English time) we are both exhausted. We try to stay up a bit longer, but collapse into bed very early.
So up this morning at what we think is a reasonable time. We cannot understand why someone from the boatyard keeps fiddling with bow mooring line, but we are too tired to get up and ask. So after breakfast Richard makes his way to the chandlery to see if he can buy a new light. Just after he has gone I get off the boat and realise that the navigation light has been fixed! I race to catch up with R to make sure he doesn't buy another light and get to him. No danger, he couldn't find a starboard light anyway. Now one problem is solved.
We spend the rest of the morning getting the boat ready. I carry on cleaning and organising. Richard gets the mainsail on. We suddenly realise that it is nearly noon and we want to move to Toulon Old Harbour in the middle of town where we can shop to provision the boat. So we rush to fill up with water and get the boat ready to move. We are just ready when Richard goes to start the engine and nothing happens! We can't work out what is wrong. The boat was only brought around here on engine three days ago, so what can it be. Ideally we want to speak to the mechanics who dealt with the boat and the engine, but of course they have all gone off for lunch. Finally we decide it must be the battery. So we put in the crossover key to use the domestic batteries and yes, the boat starts. But I am unwilling to leave. There is no reason why the engine battery should have suddenly died. It is only one year old and has been on charge for over 24 hours. I fear that the charging mechanism isn't working and if that is the case we must get it put right before we set off. There are no boatyards in central Toulon, so I persuade Richard to stay here to wait for someone to look at the problem.
But we have no food, so we must do something about that. In the end we decide to take a taxi to the local large Intermarche. We are told that the shop does free deliveries to boats, so we hope they will get the food back to the boat and maybe take us. We get there and do a large shop and are then notified that they need a week's notice to make a delivery! We can't work out how that can ever help someone on a boat. We wind up taking a taxi back. The cost of all these taxis has come to far more than the cost of hiring a car. Well, how were we to know that! Anyway we have three days food, and the sun has come out!
Back at the marina Richard has contacted the yard and they are going to send someone over to look at the engine. The mechanic arrives after about 20 minutes and starts to look at all the batteries. We have to explain 2-3 times what the situation has been. First he says the batteries are fine and then he says the engine battery is dead. In the end he finds that the problem is with a dirty battery terminal! So now the engine starts just fine on the proper battery. But it is nearly 4:00pm and having done our food provisioning, there is really no need for us to move. So we decide to stay here for another night.
On the way to the supermarket in the taxi I noticed a ferry stop, not far from the marina. We walk over there and find that it is a regular stop with frequent service into central Toulon. We could have done that much cheaper to get our food. But never mind, we will go over and get the last shopping done. In particular to get the internet gadget topped up, get me a new French Sim and buy a new electric tooth brush. The trip over is very nice. Bright sun and we are at last on the water, even if it is not in our own boat! We get the telephone stuff just fine in the Orange shop, find a new toothbrush (not cheap) and have a nice ice cream.
Back on the boat, Richard puts on the genoa in readiness for tomorrow. I put away our shopping and try to charge the new toothbrush. What do I find,--it won't charge either! It isn't the toothbrush that at given up the ghost it is the adaptor it is plugged into. Richard finds another adaptor and both toothbrushes now work! Too late to return the new one. So we now have three electric toothbrushes on board!
Finally sundown. We have a nice steak dinner with a bottle of the good Burgundy we bought on our last trip. So it is off to the East tomorrow. We can only hope things go more smoothly from now on, but then again sailing is never like that!
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