The Bennetts do Hermy!

Hiding from strong winds in Toga Marina, Bastia we had a chance to explore and find such locations as the Laundrette and a Le Clercs albeit not a very impressive one. 

Dropping son off at the airport gave us the chance to experience the bus journey to and from the airport. 

A dry run for meeting up with our next visitors and crew Mr and Mrs Bennett.

It is always a little concerning having none family crew as you feel a real sense of responsibility. 

They have come a long way to have a nice, safe time on your boat. Would they be seasick? How will they get on with moving about a moving boat? What about sea toilets? Water from a tank? Boat showers? Tippy sailing? Anchoring at night? Sleeping in bunks? creaky ropes? And it goes on.

Well we needn't have worried Julie and Martin fitted in fine.

So after numerous safety talks, life jacket fittings etc we prepare to set off on our first short sail to Santa Severa, Luri Marina via a lovely little lunch stop at Erbalunga.

Careful preparation to go. Mr Bennett assisting Mrs K on the fore deck. Mrs B in the cockpit ready to helm once clear of the harbour. Being watched makes you handle the boat with a bit more precision everything done slowly and carefully, your seamanship is at stake.

Released at the front we backed out very gently and headed for the exit. All was well, Even our new French friends were waving, rather enthusiastically from the dock, must have made a good first impression with them.

Although,  they did seem to be trying to communicate something, now what on earth could it be?

Hermy was still attached to her stern dock line and we were attempting to tow the dock, four moored yachts and a motor boat out to sea.

Mrs K jumped to the rescue and without the added embarrassment of wrapping it around the prop. We continued on our journey. Credibility in its usual place.

Erbalunga is a lovely little village with beautifully clear water. We anchored and went ashore on the dinghy for a beer with the only hazard encountered being the naked old man on the only other anchored boat, aptly named Saga. We named him 'Nobby'.

A beer, quick walk round and the crew swam back to the boat, carefully avoiding Nobby. Only marred by Mrs K, not wanting to be out done by her son, running in to a jelly fish leaving a nasty sting to her arm. Martin sensibly used both women as a jelly fish shield.

A gentle sail with Martin helming took us quickly to Santa Severa harbour where Hermy was the biggest boat.( I think I may have a sub conscious issue?)

 After explaining the winter tarriffs to the young and enthusiastic harbour master  Martin and I settled down to some almost fruitless fishing and then a nice meal at the harbour side restaurant. I say fruitless. Martin, and then I, caught what can only be described as an ugly fish each. Too ugly to be photographed. Both were returned to the sea. Ugliness has its advantages.

Next stop Elba.

A thirty nautical mile crossing. We are able to sail for the first two hours and we are unable to get Martin off the helm.

Even tickling doesn't work! 

I think he likes it. Helming, not the tickling!

Julie spots a pod of about 30 dolphins about 300 yards away. Motor sailing we arrive at Marciana marina on Elba.

We pay and are informed there are showers 200 yards away but despite the Bennetts following anyone carrying a towel they allude us and boat showers are the order of the day.

We then decide to catch the bus to the highest point on Elba, or at least the base camp. The rest of the journey requires stepping in to what can only be described as a canary cage attached to a wire in order to ascend on a cable cage affair.

We are convinced by the womenfolk that this is a good idea. "Think of the view!"

And what a great view it is.

Did we expect rain? did we bring brolleys?

No.

There wasn't a shopping bag to protect my hair!

Anyway a lovely lunch and a bus back down then a quick motor around to Porteferraio. 

Night at anchor then a cheeky run in to the harbour to chance our arm for a berth. It all works and we drop Mr and Mrs B to do the forts and Boney's place while we do a bit of boat cleaning and chores.

We then pop up to Boney's theatre which we had not seen before and what a pretty little theatre it is.

I'm a natural!

Now we knew the weather would  worsen and we had to decide whether we could make a run for San Vincenzo on the mainland or hide at Porteferraio and make Julie and Martin catch one of the many ferries to Piombino.

We decided to make a run for it as the weather should come a little later on.

Didn't expect to see this baby in the Piombino channel.

Lifejackets on just in case it came our way but it didn't.

We arrive safely at San Vincenzo where the weather changed and we hid from wind and the rain in the boat with beer and cards.

Oh and a bit of reflexology. Our feet have never felt better.

Well we got them here with no major catastrophes by my standards and they were able to hop on a train to Pisa without issue. A successful mission in good company.

Mr and Mrs B.