For the first time since La Ciotat, we came into a marina. Nice, after extensive phone research, is the cheapest marina on the Cote d'Azur. We wanted a few days to plug into shore power (use tools, printers etc), do a little boat work and hire a car for some explorations and a major grocery stock-up. It helped that this is the week of the Nice Jazz Festival.
We'd phoned ahead, with all our details, but when we arrived we were directed to H4. Be warned! This is really a small boat spot.
It wasn't actually our first stop. We tried G4, but were told that we needed to move. So we headed to H4, which was down a dead end, between small power boats and spectacular superyachts. On the way, we stopped briefly on H24 to avoid a huge superyacht that was coming in; GJW (our insurers) might not cope with tangling our anchors with several million pounds worth of fancy toy.
The pontoons are quite low here, giving Pip the willies about jumping off the anchor. So she took the helm as we nosed in and stopped us beautifully. We needed to cool off afterwards, with a hosedown on the deck.
Along came the man from the Capitainerie, to tell us we had the line from the quay on the wrong side. So we moved it. Then, along came the lass from the Capitainerie, the one Sarah'd spoken to while we were ensconced on G4.
If you want to stay till Sunday, she said, you need to move.
Where to? Sarah asked politiely.
Back where started, Pip muttered gruffly.
G4, she said. Pip was right.
We took a deep breath and discussed it. Then very slowly, we backed off the quay and turned (about 15 forwards and backs on the gear lever) till we could come straight out again. Pip was on the helm, while Sarah managed lines, called distances and hovered with a roving fender. Every boat in the vicinity was watching us, including the crew of the superyacht behind us. People were standing on the bows of their power boats and yachts, boathooks in hand, to fend us off.
Never a hitch! Roaring Girl and crew managed it beautifully, nobody shouted, nothing touched anything it shouldn't touch. Just as well there wasn't any wind.
When we finally took our papers into the Capitainerie there was the familiar questions about being two women.
Just the two of you? Just two women?
Yes.
We got a round of applause!