The Way to St Tropez.

After giving number one son the tour of the Iles D'Hyeres, (not the nudist one) it was number one daughters turn and we met her at Marseille airport. Didn't take her long to fit in as crew. Dropped son off and set off to Port  Cros. Pretty little port on the island of the same name where we had to pick up mooring bouys. Just like Queenborough, well that was the only thing about it like Queenborough except the three attempts to pick up the bouy.

Had to get the new tender out to get ashore.

Daughter totally at home, all at sea.

Another lovely stop at Porquerolles island for lunch and a swim.

If you look closely you can just make out mother and daughter making for the beach on one of their epic swims. I did manage a circumnavigation of the boat myself after a ten minute ooh! aah! entry in to surprisingly cold water.

Then on to Porquerolles Marina again, this time, although I got told off for not listening to where my berth was, I made a faultless forwards entry in to it. In my defence I was listening but in the wrong language.

Do you sometimes get that feeling you may not be required on certain trips?

 "The water tanks need filling and while you have the hose out the decks need a good scrub. Oh and the bilge around the holding tank needs a clean and you said you would check all the sea cocks again." Jess and I will go and take a quick look at the shops to keep out of your way. 

What a thoughtful wife!

Getting out of the berth wasn't so easy. If you go in backwards you can use your thruster to straighten you out in a crosswind but we had to revert to the long line ashore being slipped carefully by daughter while being kept straight on the main engine, a masterpiece of rope work by daughter.

As the cost of marinas is rising the further East you go we decided to anchor off Hyeres for a night which seemed like a good idea but there was a certain lumpyness to begin with although it settled down to what turned out to be a very comfortable night made so much nicer by the knowledge that it was costing us nothing.

In to Hyeres Marina where, during tying up with the very nice harbour team, daughters rope work  

took a slip as she carefully threw the port dock line at the very nice young man, who catches all of it, including both ends. 

Drop daughter at Hyeres station for the homeward journey to Blighty and go on to visit Hyeres (hide from the pirates) old town on the hill. Very pleasant and worth the walk.

Next stop Cavaliers. En route we were subjected to thunder and lightning and rained on. Not what was expected.

Cavaliare is a nice spot with more life than expected. The following day we sail in to St Tropez, -- on the bus! Well it was three Euros to bus it and when we got there the St Tropez Capitainerie had a notice on the outside that said if you can answer any of the following questions with a yes or a maybe then don't bother asking to berth your boat here.

1. Do you know where your own oil filter is?

2. Are any of your crew unpaid?

3. Have you ever anchored to save money?

4. Is your home port up a muddy river?

5. Have you ever spilt food on yourself?

Well I wasn't even sure I would be allowed in but Mrs K had made me shave and put a proper shirt on and we had a lovely visit. They even had a Citadel whose sole purpose seemed to be attacking the village it was meant to be defending.

I was interested to find out that St Tropez got its name from a strange incident in AD 68. Apparently a Roman officer called Torpes got himself converted to Christianity after listening to St Paul and when asked by Emperor Nero to renounce his faith, he refused. Nero, after considering pre-sentence reports, lopped his head off and, strangely, he, and his head, were placed in a boat together with a cock and a dog and set adrift from Pisa. He washed up at St Tropez, or, 'port I wonder what we should call ourselves' at the time. So, conveniently, they adopted the saints name.

Luckily he didn't wash up in Yorkshire or there would be a seaside resort called Port Chicken Dog now.

Safely back to Cavalaire and nod off to three competing Karaoke bars. Heaven!