5
Between calanque and the islands of hyères
Simone
Sep 2022
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Very particular situation. The boat is located in a delightful little harbor on the island of des Embiez. To reach the island, you have to leave your car on the mainland and take a small ferry (very small) that in 5 minutes (exactly) transports people and luggage to the little island owned by the Ricard family (the ones from pastis). The harbor is full of services and very well maintained (shops, exclusive use toilets and showers, wifi, fuel,...). To reach the dock, we called Frederic (the owner) and had him pick us up because the dock is on the opposite side of the ferry landing and takes about 10 minutes on foot. Frederic is an experienced sailor who has been working at sea for 30 years. He is very nice and friendly. In this port, he has three boats of his own that he takes great care of and dedicates himself to. He welcomed us very well and conducted a very thorough check-in of about an hour and a half during which he explains everything you need to know about the boat, sailing in the area, must-visit restaurants, and recommended anchorages based on the wind (which is NEVER lacking here!!!). The boat is very comfortable and well-equipped. We were six and we were really comfortable. Advantages of the interiors: super comfortable kitchen fully to starboard. HUGE refrigerator, very spacious bathroom. Separate service and engine batteries. Advantages of the boat: draft of 1.8 meters. Excellent sailing performance. We sailed with winds (Levante first, then Maestrale) of about 20 knots both upwind and downwind and it always performed well on the waves. The only downside is the two-blade propeller which has a strong turning effect during maneuvers in the harbor.
Must-see in the area:
- visit to Île des Embiez
- visit to the Calanques even though they are a National Park, but you can sail in front of them and admire the limestone structures of the area.
- visit to Porquerolles, its anchorages on Caribbean beaches, and the possibility to rent bikes to explore it
- Anchorage in the bay of Fabregas (if there is Maestrale) with an attached seafood restaurant.
- At the port of Brusc (the port where you take the ferry to go to les Embiez) there is a small shop from a seafood producer where for ridiculous prices you can eat a huge plate of oysters, mussels, shrimp, etc., with enormous satisfaction for the taste buds.
- visit to the nearby towns of Bandol, Sanary sur Mer, Six-four-la-plage...
- fantastic wine!