summertime goes south

27th June Calvi to Girolata
We spent far longer in Calvi than intended. After meeting up with Sue and Pete for a very congenial lunch, we awaited delivery from the UK of the navigation lights to replace the ones destroyed in the storm. One of the lights arrived as promised but there was no sign of the other and information from the supplier was either non-existent or misleading. Eventually they agreed to ship the missing light to Bonafaccio, so we could leave Calvi at last.
The coast between Calvi and Ajaccio, some 60 miles, consists of spectacular sea cliffs backed by high mountains. The rocks are a vivid red and erosion has carved them into fantastic shapes. The view is wonderful but there is only one sheltered bay along the whole, virtually uninhabited, coast.
We set out at 6 am intending to go directly to Ajaccio, but it soon became evident that the combination of wind and waves would inhibit our progress so much that Ajaccio became a very long way away indeed.
We decided to make for Girolata, the only shelter along the coast and we ended up moored fore and aft in the buoy field laid for visitors. The bay is lovely and lonely, with a couple of restaurants, a small shop and the obligatory ruined castle on the promontory. The beach consists largely of stones and dried seaweed, inhabited by cattle of the local farmer and a three-legged dog. It is only accessible by sea or on foot.
We stayed 3 days whilst the south-westerly blew itself out. The bay was subject to significant swell and breaking waves and as other boats sought shelter there were some entertaining and dangerous moments. Young students driving dinghies direct boats to appropriate buoys and also assist mooring. In benign conditions this is relatively straightforward but in the windy conditions with a big swell and breaking waves this was a dangerous enterprise. The combination of the inexperience of some skippers and the very rough water made for some very hairy moments. One powerboat almost ended up on the rocks and was only saved by the dinghy managing to pull them off at the last moment. The margin for error in those conditions was minimal. The bay became very crowded as more and more boats sought shelter.