October 31, 2022

There and Back Again

Round Trip to Marseilles

After a brief three-hour stopover in LGM for provisioning, diesel, and picking up new crew Bob and Diane, we hit the proverbial road yet again. We need to be back in LGM for after-sale servicing by November 2. That gave us a few more days to explore the Med, hence our hasty departure. Our goal is Marseilles, about sixty miles away. We arrived after two easy short days of upwind sailing and an overnight intermediate anchorage. Ultimately, we set our hook at Ile du Frioul, a rocky island just off the coast from Marseilles. Marseilles is another old city (founded in 600 B.C.) and is the second biggest city in France. Marseilles is best known to me as the French Connection, which was a hub for heroin smuggling to the United States throughout much of the 20th Century. Corsican gangs brought the heroin from Indochina through Turkey for processing in Marseilles prior to distribution primarily to the US. The American film The French Connection highlighted this operation. Suffice it to say that we met no gangsters during our short stay in Marseilles, but we enjoyed the scenery.

Today we rocketed back to LGM, and we were blessed with favorable winds which made for a fast downwind sail. Our top speed was 15.7 knots, which is pretty fast for a sailboat. We will spend Halloween at anchor just outside the LGM marina. We don’t expect to see many trick-or-treaters.

October 27, 2022

The Return

As we left Bonifacio for our return voyage to LGM, we were fortunate that the locals refrained from hurling boulders at us.

We expected that it would take us one or two days to cover the 250nm distance depending upon the wind, of course. Given consistent decent wind (10-15 knots), Leviathan will make excellent time with speeds of at least 8-10 kts. Unfortunately, we have discovered that the winds in the Med are often fickle, which has led many sailors to refer to this body of water as the M.E.D. (i.e., motor every day). We experienced nearly every wind condition: upwind, downwind, heavy wind, light wind, no wind, and squall wind. As predicted, some motoring was required along the way. The highlight of the journey was the last stretch during which we jibed downwind with the gennaker along the French mainland coast, dodging tankers and container ships while averaging speeds of 10 kts. We anchored in the Golfe des Saintes Maries in the wee hours of the morning capping our 36-hour adventure.

Do we sail at night? Yes, when we have a distant destination that cannot be easily broken up into smaller day-sized chunks; for example, when we have to cross a large body of water with no available pit stops or rest areas. How do we sleep? We take turns on watch and catch frequent cat naps when off-call. Duty on-watch involves keeping an eye out for traffic (yes, there is a lot of ocean traffic in the Med, and the large ships always seem to aim for us); adjusting course as needed; fine-tuning the sail trim; and monitoring the boat for any problems. When sail changes are required, the off-call crew will help, as this is usually a two-person job. Sailing at night is a particular challenge. In the absence of visual cues, all the other senses are magnified, and as a result, the wind feels stronger and sounds louder, the waves more powerful, and the boat movement intensified. Type 2 fun (we will discuss the types of fun another day).

Today we will tidy up the boat, and tomorrow we sail triumphant back to LGM to pick up our friends Bob and Diane, who have kindly agreed to join us in our sailing escapades.

October 24, 2022

Bonifacio

In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus encounters a race of giant cannibals known as the Laestrygonians who devour most of his men and destroy all but one of his ships by throwing boulders from the high cliffs which surround the narrow harbor on all sides. Odysseus and his ship are the sole survivors. Homer’s description of the steep-walled narrow harbor has led many historians to believe that the location of the storied massacre is Bonifacio, located at the southern tip of Corsica, within spitting distance of Sardinia.

Like many of the harbor towns we have visited in Corsica, Bonifacio is ancient and is guarded by the remnants of a citadel, or fortress, which has been converted into a complex patchwork of restaurants, shops, hotels, and residences connected by narrow cobblestone lanes and alleys. The vistas from the walls of the citadel are, once again, stunning, and the town is charming. We spent the night in the marina near the downtown area. Bonifacio represents the furthest extent of our shakedown cruise. Tomorrow, we begin our return voyage back to LGM.

October 23, 2022

Tough Day at the Office

As mentioned previously, not every day is sunshine and roses. Yesterday was one of those days. We started the day by motoring to Napoleon’s favorite fuel dock in Ajaccio and filling up with diesel. Maneuvering Leviathan in tight quarters is nerve-wracking, but we performed beautifully, and headed back out for another day of sailing further south. As soon as we exited the harbor, the wind died, and we motored for a couple hours. Finally, a nice breeze found us and we sailed under main and gennaker for several hours. We practiced jibing (a downwind turning maneuver where the sails need to switch sides). Our gennaker kept getting twisted until we improved our technique. This was fairly exhausting. We still have much to learn.

By late afternoon, we reached our destination, Cala di Roccapina, a tiny cove twelve miles from Bonifacio (our ultimate goal and southernmost area of Corsica). We took down our sails and entered the protected waters which were strewn with exposed rocks (not very welcoming). We crept in to the shallows to drop anchor in the eastern end near a set of mooring balls. We set and re-set the anchor at least five times, but the anchor would not grab and we kept drifting. Now it is starting to get dark. Not good in an anchorage with lots of rocks. As we pulled up the anchor yet again, we found that we had snagged the line for an adjacent mooring ball. Now we were stuck and in danger of losing our anchor! Heroic efforts by Yong freed us, and we scooted over to the western end of the anchorage to quickly try our luck there. In the dying light and after a few more attempts, the anchor bit solidly and we could finally relax for the night.

The next morning, we were able to appreciate the beauty of our location (we were too busy cursing the previous evening). Next up: Bonifacio!

October 20, 2022

Motoring to Corsica

“Did you just say motoring?” the crowd murmurs. “I thought Leviathan was a sailboat.” Yes, Leviathan is indeed a sailboat, and like most large sailboats, Leviathan has auxiliary power (in fact, two 50hp diesel engines) primarily used for maneuvering in and out of marinas or harbors. Engines are also useful when there is no wind at all, which was the case for us on our 116 nautical mile passage to Corsica. We were hoping to sail, but the predicted wind never materialized and we motored the entire way. In order to arrive during daylight, we slowed our speed and finally anchored at Calvi just after sunrise.

Corsica is a rugged, mountainous island that rises dramatically from the sea, and by our eyes, the eastern coast is very lightly populated. Calvi is a beautiful little seaside town dominated by the old citadel, an ancient walled fort that marks the entrance to the harbor. Walking around the waterfront and the old city was quite fun. Historically, Corsica was ruled by Genoa prior to its transfer to France, and Calvi retains many elements of Italian culture (architecture, food, etc.) merged with its current French identity. The most famous native Corsican was Napoleon Bonaparte who was born in Ajaccio, the current capital of Corsica.

After a day in Calvi, we sailed south to Girolata and anchored next to a steep rock wall. Very beautiful. Tomorrow, we sail for Napoleon’s home town.

October 17, 2022

Pain and Gain

Arrival in the Cote d'Azur

Despite what you may have heard, sailing is not all glamor and leisure. There is a fairly large amount of work involved to get the boat moving: heavy mooring lines to release, coil, and store; unwieldy sails to raise and adjust frequently; and multiple sail changes throughout the day to optimize speed (our boat has six sails; we use the mainsail in combination with one of the remaining five depending on the conditions). In addition, the weather plays a major role in our comfort or lack thereof. Obviously, it is nice when it is warm and sunny, and it is bad when it is cold or rainy, but more important than temperature is the wind speed and direction. Sailors will usually talk about sailing upwind or downwind. Given the choice, most prefer to go downwind as it is peaceful, calm, and fast. Upwind sailing is exhilarating, but exhausting due to the increased apparent wind (the speed of the boat adds to the true wind speed making the wind feel even stronger – like when you stick your hand out the window of a moving car. Upwind sailing also requires bashing through oncoming waves, which in a small boat can be quite challenging. When the wind speed increases, the difficulty increases exponentially.

To get to the point, our next leg eastward required us to sail upwind in 20-25kts of breeze. Yippee! When facing a long sail in these conditions, it pays to be prepared. Dress warmly and use the right sail combination; we made great time with a single-reefed main and staysail. Our (true) tacking angles were between 90 and 110 degrees depending on the sea state and wind speed. I will admit that the conditions were initially quite intimidating, but as we proceeded, we gained confidence in our boat and our abilities.

We made it to a small anchorage near Toulon, where we had a peaceful night. We woke (late) to the sounds of children playing. We looked outside and were delighted to see a flotilla of kindergarten-aged children in Optimist sailing dinghies under the watchful guidance of coaches in ribs.

We have officially reached the Cote d’Azur, or Azure Coast, which essentially is synonymous with the French Riviera, extending from Toulon eastward to the Italian border.

Another (shorter) upwind slog today led us to Ile de Porquerolles, a beautiful island designated as a National Park. We anchored and dinghied to shore to provision, then returned to Leviathan for dinner. Due to the predicted light wind conditions, we are going for Corsica tomorrow. If we wait, we will be faced with the wind on our nose, and an unpleasant passage. Wish us luck.

October 15, 2022

Paradise Found

I am easily amused, but difficult to impress. Our location is truly Paradise. Emerald green crystal-clear water teeming with sea life, gorgeous vistas of rocky crags, ruins of former embattlements, blue sunny sky, and warm weather. It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it.

As planned, we got the dinghy functional and took it for a spin around the harbor. We sped over to the dinghy dock for shore access and set foot on terra firma for the first time in four days, taking advantage of the numerous hiking trails to explore the area. Again, we were rewarded with breathtaking scenery. Upon our return to Leviathan, we were shocked by a loud splash next to us: cliff divers doing their thing. Repeatedly. Looks scary, but fun. Perhaps another day for me.

Lest we forget to mention, Jake and Pogo are having a great time and are fully acclimated to boat life. Tomorrow we plan to move on further east.

October 14, 2022

Shakedown

Part Deux

The coast of France near LGM is extremely flat with wide open beaches and abundant lagoons and marshes. The landscape changes quite dramatically to the east of Marseilles; high limestone cliffs, tiny inlets, and rocky islands become the norm. We had a wonderful downdwind sail today as we entered this region on our way to the east. We flew the gennaker for most of the trip, with winds building from 10 to 25 knots as the day progressed. We had several well-executed jibes. Average boat speeds were in the 10-knot range even after we furled the kite and sailed under main and solent.

We decided to spend the night moored in a calanque in Port Miou near Cassis. What is a calanque, you ask? A calanque is a narrow steep-walled inlet found along the Mediterranean coast. The entry to our spot is nearly invisible from the ocean, and does not become apparent until you are nearly upon it. A small harbor appears and we are able to tie up to a mooring ball on the bow and line to the cliff from the stern. A kind sailor on a neighboring catamaran helped us position our stern lines. Quite an amazing place. We plan to stay here a couple days to set foot on land and perhaps to shop in the nearby town of Cassis. We also need to try out our dinghy. When cruising on a sailboat, the dinghy is your “car.” You carry it with you elevated on davits on the back of the boat, and when you are moored, you can lower it into the water for local transportation (to land, for example). Our dinghy has two power sources: oars and a Honda 20hp outboard motor. If we want to get to shore tomorrow, we will have to get the dinghy operational, otherwise we will need to swim.

October 12, 2022

Shakedown

Part 1

New boats are not like new cars. A brand-new automobile usually works flawlessly when it drives off the lot. High volume production and standardization create reliable devices. Boats are just the opposite: low volume production and customization. This leads to an extended process of testing and adjustment following the purchase. Typically, new boat owners will spend at least six months ironing out the problems before undertaking a long journey. We are on an accelerated schedule; we must leave LGM in early November so we can cross the Atlantic and reach the Caribbean by Christmas. Then we are joining the World ARC rally (more on this later) which will take us on a whirlwind (by sailing standards) tour of the world in 14 months. Hence the shakedown cruise we have just begun. We will sail on our own for a couple weeks then return to LGM for servicing before our big trip.

We left LGM this morning and encountered light winds. We sailed on a reach for a distance of about 20 miles to the east to a quiet anchorage. All of our maneuvers went very well. Our plan is to continue easting tomorrow to Marseilles. We will hop, skip, and jump our way to the Cote d’Azur then head south to the island of Corsica.

This is our first night on the boat away from the marina. When we are at the dock, life is easy: unlimited electrical power, abundant fresh water, and solid mooring. At anchor, we rely on lithium batteries for electricity, we utilize fresh water from storage tanks, and we depend on an anchor to keep us in place. We have the ability to recharge our batteries with solar panels and a hydrogenator. The hydrogenator is a device that looks like small outboard motor but performs in the opposite fashion: the propellor is dragged through the water by the force of the sails and turns an alternator to create electricity. If all else fails, we can run the diesel engines to recharge the batteries as well. In this lifestyle, we practice conservation of power and water. During then next two weeks, we hope to gain confidence in the management of our resources and in anchoring securely.

October 9, 2022

The Handover

No, not the Hangover. The Handover refers to the official transfer of Leviathan from the factory to us. It starts with paperwork and a handshake and is followed by four days of intense training on the boat systems (plumbing, electrical, etc.) each morning and sailing/harbor maneuvers each afternoon. Despite the previous week of sailing, there is much to learn. We are not there yet, but we are getting closer.

I had an unplanned swim at the end of the week. This misadventure occurred at the dock, and I lost my glasses and my iPhone. We hired a diver to have a look, and he recovered my glasses, but my SE remains buried on the sea bottom confusing the fish and invertebrate life.

We plan to relax over the weekend, finish some boat adjustments on Monday and Tuesday, and take off for a 2-week shakedown cruise to the Cote d'Azur and Corsica on Wednesday. We greatly appreciate the great work done by the Outremer team and we especially thank Eloi, Julien, Marc, Thomas, and Stephane for everything.

October 3, 2022

Biella

Or How I came to not hate roundabouts

Following Outremer Week and sailing in the informal regatta on Saturday, we decided to take a day off from sailing in order to do a little sightseeing. We drove to Biella, Italy, which is about a six-hour drive from LGM. We took the northern route which took us through Grenoble and into the Alps. I remember Grenoble from childhood as the host town for the 1968 Winter Olympics. From the American perspective, there were two major stars in that edition of the Games: American figure skater Peggy Fleming and French skier Jean-Claude Killy. Killy won all the alpine skiing events, and was catapulted into worldwide fame for decades thereafter. Anyway, present-day Grenoble is a pretty interesting place and has become a hotbed for scientific research. For this discussion, the primary significance of Grenoble is that it is the entry to the Alps and a magnificent drive through spectacular scenery and tunnels past nearby famed ski resorts such as Chamonix, Val d’Isere, and Alpe d’Huez, and with vistas of the Matterhorn in the distance. The journey took us through the 7-mile Mont Blanc tunnel which connects France to Italy. Upon our descent into the foothills of the Alps on the Italian side, we finally reached Biella, a town of about 45,000 which has the charm of Avignon without the tourist burden and a little more elbow room. For the active skier, Biella is strategically located a short distance from 28 ski resorts. Our friends John and Vicky just purchased a lovely apartment in Biella, and they gave us a tour of the town, which is really beautiful.

One unique feature of Biella is the funicular which scales a steep grade and connects the old historic part of town to an even older, more historic region. A funicular is a tram which is pulled by a cable from underneath the car, usually up a steep hill; the funicular operates in tandem with a reciprocal counterbalancing twin that moves in the opposite direction. The Biella version is free to ride. We had a fantastic time with John and Vicky, and they will be joining us later in our sailing adventure.

After a brief stay in Biella, we returned to LGM via the southern (coastal route). This took us through the Italian Riviera, Monaco, and the French Riviera. We detoured through Monte Carlo which was really quite amazing. We paid homage to the Cardiothoracic Center of Monaco which is located near the Casino in the prime part of town. The Center was founded by Vincent Dor who developed the eponymous left ventricular remodeling procedure that bears his name. We lunched in Antibes, looking for mussels, but apparently the current shellfish crop was inadequate in size. Ultimately, we returned to LGM a bit tired and ready to get back to sailing.

One feature of driving in France and Italy that must be highlighted is the large number of roundabouts utilized by the civil engineers. I have a particular dislike for roundabouts. I find them to be confusing and often dangerous with merging cars, disappearing lanes, and unclear exits. Over the last two weeks, I have gained a measured appreciation for them. There is no doubt that the major advantage is that traffic flow is much better maintained without long waits at traffic lights, and I must admit that despite traversing hundreds of roundabouts, I have not yet seen an accident or even a near miss. I will admit that if one knows the route (or has excellent turn-by-turn navigation advice) then roundabouts are quite tolerable; however, I maintain that the inverse remains true.

October 1, 2022

Outremer Week

To make a long story short, Outremer Week was fantastic. We sailed our boat Leviathan every day and experienced a wide range of sailing conditions. The boat seems to be fantastic in all wind speeds and directions. Leviathan is fitted with a self-tacking jib (solent) and main (both are Incidence DFI and are superb). We also have a furling staysail on a hook system, a code zero, a furling gennaker (code D), and a symmetric spinnaker (heavy wind). This sail arrangement gives us quite a bit of flexibility to optimize speed in most conditions, and we are happy with our choices. The DFI sails are black (carbon laminate) and look great. The only problem with a black jib is that you can’t see the telltales on the leeward side of the sail. We are continuing to learn and become more comfortable on our boat. We sailed with a small fleet of Outremers (45s, 51s, and a 5X) today and although it wasn’t a race, Leviathan was fastest on both the upwind and downwind legs.

We are still on target for the “delivery” of our boat next week. We plan to visit Biella, Italy this weekend to visit friends (and future crew). Our dogs (Jake and Pogo) have been enjoying Europe so far and have been on their best behavior. They have been relaxing in our Airbnb each day while we sail. They are great travel companions and excellent sail dogs.