We could see the coast of Corsica in the distance – about 25 miles but the wind was, as ever, in the wrong direction to sail directly there, so we headed out in the opposite direction and prepared to tack our way towards Cap Corse. This is the narrow peninsula that sticks out from the top of Corsica and where the winds are always forecast to be strong. It was going to be a longish day sail as there was no real safe anchorage on the peninsula coast and we planned to sail round the top of the island and down the west coast. The sea was quite rough off the island and we hoped this was not a foretaste of the waves around the top. The sun was shining though, Gemini was sailing well and fast even in the rough sea and we really enjoyed the sail. Six hours later we were rounding the cape and although the sea and wind did pick up it was all manageable and fun Martyn was optimistically fishing, convinced all the fish in the med had decided to live around Cap Corse – it wasn’t the case and again no fish for dinner. I think the only fish that survive in the Med are in the fish farms and tuna only comes in tins ….
In the early evening we started looking for an anchorage for the night but every one along the west side of the peninsula was open to the wind and waves and were too rolly so there was nothing for it but to head down to Saint Florent about 17 miles away where the coast changes direction. We were both tired and would really have liked to stop for the night but the wind had dropped and it looked like being a moonlit motor down the coast with a hot chocolate. We rarely motor any distance, always sailing however slowly, but this was an exception. By midnight we were only 4 or 5 miles off Saint Florent and we were looking forward to stopping for the night , having been travelling for over 12 hours when suddenly the engine sputtered and stopped. Our engine, like most diesels, never has a problem and just plods on regardless. Martyn keeps it very well serviced so we never give breakdowns much consideration. Well we had to now! Our first thought was that we had run out of fuel as we knew the fuel level was lower than usual. The last time we bought any fuel was back in San Pedro in Spain nearly a month ago and we had intended to fill up in Saint Florent anyway. The gauge was showing a quarter full but we convinced ourself the gauge must be wrong. We always carry a spare can of fuel but it was buried deep in the outside locker so we emptied it of all its various items ie dinghy, fenders, fishing tackle boxes, shoes, water containers, sundry rubbish – it just went on and on but at last we got to the diesel can. It took a further 10 minutes to locate the pouring nozzle. Perhaps in future it would a good idea to keep them together...
At one o’clock in the morning, by torchlight, (keeping batteries and torch together another good idea) we were pouring the diesel in to the tank – this brought the gauge up to half full. Looked like the gauge was working after all and we hadn’t been out of fuel. (All that emptying and scrabbling in the locker in the dark for nothing!!) This was the case as the engine still would not run. It would start but not keep running under load. Now we either had to fix it in the dark or stay where we were until morning. The latter seemed a good bet as it would be daylight in 3 or 4 hours but the wind dropped completely and we couldn’t sail or control our drift at all. Luckily when the engine had stopped we were 3 or 4 miles off the nearest coast (could have been in a much worse place) but we were drifting and now we were only 1 and a half miles off and the lights of the land looked very close... Also a couple of boats had gone past us quite closely on their way in to the harbour and it was not very comfortable having to rely on them seeing us and avoiding us as we couldn’t control our direction of drift. Nothing for it but to have a look at the engine. Martyn`s apprenticeship on diesel engines comes in very handy sometimes. It was, indeed a fuel problem but caused by a blocked fuel filter. This was located under the bed in the back cabin and in a very tight space, so we had to strip out the back cabin for Martyn to squeeze himself, tools, the new filter and a bowl for catching the diesel in a space that definitely wasn’t big enough. And all by torchlight! Amazing what necessity does! The filter was blocked with a stringy, waxy substance – no wonder the engine stopped. We hadn’t (and still haven’t) any idea exactly what it is – it didn`t look like diesel bug but who knows? Any with the new filter fitted and the pipes cleared the engine started and we headed in to the anchorage at Saint Florent. We were too tired to negotiate through the other boats and moorings so we dropped anchor at the first suitable place. It was 4.30am and the first glimmer of dawn was in the east. We put the curtains up and went to bed.....
Next morning we stock of our surroundings. All things considered we hadn’t anchored too badly in the dark but we decided to move a bit closer to the shore. There were plenty of boats at anchor but loads of room and the bay was very pretty. We spent the next day at anchor, went ashore and bought some groceries – so much easier when the butcher spoke French to me and not Italian.
Saint Florent was in full holiday mode - after all it was August and the whole of France is “en vacances”. The town was bustling and very lively- we even listened to a live gig by Franz Ferdinand. Jet ski hire, water skiing and banana boat rides were everywhere in the bay – this was a complete change and culture shock after the Italian islands. We enjoyed it for a couple of days but then had enough and it was time to move down the coast and see some more of Corsica.
We went in to the marina to refuel – the engine was still running well so hopefully the blockage was a one off and maybe caused by a diesel additive waxing. We don’t use our engine much so maybe the fuel had had time to settle and the wax to form. We still don’t really know.
The weather settled in to a pattern over the new few days, mainly hot sunshine but some cloudy spells every day and wind in the afternoon for few hours then mainly calm. The water was warm and we settled in to a pattern of moving 10 -12 miles when there was enough wind to sail and then anchoring in the early evening and swimming. We stopped at Ile Rouse, Revellata and also anchored off the small village of L`Argentella. At every anchorage there were more boats anchored inside the no anchoring buoys than there were outside, especially at Revellata. It was as if the French yachtsmen had decided that the authorities had put the buoys in the wrong place by mistake and therefore they would just ignore them... When in France etc etc......
When we had met Erich, Francine and Damian weeks ago in Sardinia they had insisted that whatever else we did we should not miss Girolata and the Bay of Porto. “Fantastique” they had kept saying and had marked the area on our chart to reinforce the point. Well tomorrow after rounding the next headland we would be heading for Girolata. Hope it lives up to its reputation....