24th July 2016 Port Miou 43 12.1N: 05 30.9E
This morning Mike telephoned Cassis marina to see if there was a berth available, the lady confirmed she could not speak English but did say "Non Bateaux" which we took to mean they had no space for a boat. On the basis of this information we decided to move just around the corner to a larger marina called Port De La pointe Rouge, maybe we would manage to get a berth in Cassis during the week when things are quieter. Given the size of the marina Mike felt there was no need to call for availability. It was only a few miles round the coast and there was little wind but we put the sails up and drifted slowly towards the marina.
Our arrival was like joining Wacky Racers with boats flying left right and centre. The pilot book spoke about mooring on the fuel berth and then be allocated a berth but there were several boats jockeying for the fuel berth so our only option was to radio, which we did multiple times but got no response. Our presence in the entrance was not making it easy for other boats and Mike said "call one more time and if we get no reply we will move on". My last attempt did get a response but he said he had no spaces, the impression we got was he couldn't be bothered. Like Mary and Joseph we were turned away as there was no room at the inn. The sea was picking up and we had to sail around and between a few rocky outcrops. On our course we passed a small boat with 2 women and 2 children on board who had obviously rented the boat and lost the power of their engine, fortunately for them a passing fisherman threw them a line and towed them back to where they had come from.
We muted our options as we sailed through the rocks, waves crashing against them. Not far behind us we spotted multiple bright sails also coming through the same gap and tacking out towards the open sea, obviously racing each other. The trouble when there is a race at sea you are never quite sure of the course and where it takes them. Within minutes these small Catamarans were flying around us across our bow, towards our starboard and one across our stern, with multiple others following. Now was not the time for naked sailing, time to put our swimwear back on, if we are going to sink I would rather have some clothing on when I am rescued. With that the boat crossing our stern changed course and was inches away from our stern, it was one of those moments when times went so slowly, waiting, watching for a clash of hulls that fortunately did not happen. A quick turn and we were out of their way thank goodness.
Mike then decided to telephone a small marina called Port Miou, just a short distance before Cassis, fortunately they had a berth available. The marina is set back in a valley and has two types of moorings. The first ones you pick up a mooring buoy as you reverse in and tie a long line to a ring in the cliff face. You have to keep an eye out though for cliff divers, as if you don't have enough to do when you're trying to moor. The other type of mooring a bow or stern to pontoon mooring, we opted for the latter. The Capitanaire told us over the radio he would help us, help meant shout and point. The pontoons are very rustic bits of wood balanced on scaffolding posts and barely the width of your shoulders. To pay the bill you had to walk 1km around the valley on the pontoon, you daren't look up because if you meandered off very slightly you would be in the water. The other side of the valley was more like a cross country trek with boulders, trees and running water to navigate. There may be no water, electricity or showers here but the price is equal to places like Barcelona, Marseille etc, but here you pay for the quirky, back to basic type location.