Friday 20 June 2014 - Ile Cavallo, Corsica

Neither of us slept well with the swinging and banging of the boat all night.  So we go up early.  Richard couldn’t get an up to date weather forecast, so we rely on the one we heard last night.  He has identified a French island between the Maddalenas and Corsica.  It is only 12 miles away, so even in poor conditions we should be able to get there.

Well, the conditions are not good.  It was forecast a 4, but it is a 5 gusting 6.  The highest gust we saw on the wind gauge was 27 knots.   It is not really on the nose, but we are sailing upwind, which is less comfortable than if the wind is behind, on genoa only, doing 6-7 knots.  There is also a fairly choppy sea with 1-1.5 metre waves.  I am not enjoying this trip.  The boat is fine, but I would prefer a flatter ride.  But I have taken a pill and feel fine and we do make it to the Island in about 2 hours with most of the day to go.

We are on Ile Cavallo.  The first thing that we notice is that the marina is empty.  It is fairly new and in a very pretty little development with a posh boutique hotel and spa.  We are told that there are some beautiful beaches, so after lunch we take a walk and find two of them.  It is very pretty with great smooth boulders on the edges and turquoise blue water.  We have brought our bathing suits so we go for a swim.  

Then back to the boat and finally to the spa where we have booked massages.  We first get to use their spa (Thallasso whirlpool) and then have a really nice relaxing time on the massage bench.

There is only one problem with this place.  That is the cost.  Nothing in our books suggested any price.  When we finally go to pay we find that the fee is 140 euro!  It is no wonder that this is empty.  In the end he charges us only(??!) 100 euro because the toilet block is not in use (it appears to be in the course of reconstruction). 

Well at least we are having a relaxing time and safe in a marina with the wind howling away.  But we will have to move tomorrow.  We only hope the weather is good enough to get us to mainland Corsica comfortably.