Island hopping

Bouba

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I spent my teenage years on a small island and so have a real affinity for them. For the first time this season we had more than one boaty day in a row, we had a whole week :encouragement: so we took to the high seas. If you like your islands small and perfectly groomed then I have a treat for you
Bienvenue dans l’île des Embiez


 
Embiez (also shown on some maps as île de la Tour Fondue) is one of two Paul Ricard islands that he left to an institute of oceanography. As well as the drink that bears his name and made his fortune, he will be known to forumites because of the Circuit Automobile Paul Ricard, just north of Marseille where the French Formula One takes place

 
It’s a thirty nautical mile journey to the island, so to break it up we left in the evening and stayed the first night on Porquerolles. This gave us a chance to have a pression and watch the sunset


Next morning, very early, it was dead calm so we made our way. Only twenty five nautical miles to go;)
 
Pay attention to the cardinals. There are some very sharp rocks:disgust:


Safely at the capitainerie. We booked ahead for three nights


Everything you need in a port is on hand including fuel (€1.79:ambivalence:) and we stayed in this row
 
The problem with dog walking on an island is that it is never ending


Dad, can we stay there? And we did anchor there for a morning to launch the water toys and explore
 
Such beautiful views everywhere


I especially love the above spot because it’s exactly where you can buy a hotdog from an Airstream! Does it get any better? I thoroughly recommend it:encouragement:
 
Anyhow we enjoyed our stay, including walks and restaurants, and left this morning and arrived home safely. But it was choppier this time. We did both legs of the journey at the unheard of speed of 10.5 knots
 
Great pics and good cruise report, thanks for taking the time to post it. Nice to see the dog too :D:encouragement::cool:
 
We visited Embiez many years ago with our boat. I agree its a really pleasant spot and well worth a day or two stopover
 
I was admiring the cabriole legs! Was that you? Last time I saw legs like that they were on a grand piano! Never mind, the boat's looking good.
I wish we had islands like that down here - loads of pretty creeks between here and Roses but no islands to visit. I also spent part of my formative years on islands - The Scillies - and would love to have the boat there now. If the water was warm there it would see off the Med by a long way, but it isn't. Go swimming for 10 minutes and spend the rest of the week looking for your b@lls!
There's something very attractive about islands - I've been to many Med ones but not by my own boat. The Balearics are fine but too far away and, according to everyone on here, too expensive! I'll just have to make do with what we've got - the pros far far outweigh the cons! ….. :encouragement:
 
I was admiring the cabriole legs! Was that you? Last time I saw legs like that they were on a grand piano! Never mind, the boat's looking good.
Well, obviously they are my dog’s legs! I’m the one on the right:(
I love the Scillies especially Tresco:encouragement: the Île des Embiez is only a little past Marseille so well within range of you:encouragement:
 
Bryher was always my favourite but I used to love them all.
I'll have to get a chart out and check on Embiez - not familiar at all ! I've got the excellent Rod Heikell 'Mediterranean France & Corsica Pilot' so will check it out in there. I hadn't thought that Marseille way would be in range but why not? - we've got all the time in the world.
 
Bryher was always my favourite but I used to love them all.
I'll have to get a chart out and check on Embiez - not familiar at all ! I've got the excellent Rod Heikell 'Mediterranean France & Corsica Pilot' so will check it out in there. I hadn't thought that Marseille way would be in range but why not? - we've got all the time in the world.
I estimate Embiez is about 150nm from you if you hug the coast. You can go direct but you are a very long way out to sea just to save about 30 nm. It’s definitely a windy place around the Camargue so keep an eye on the forecast. And the added bonus after coming all that way is that you not far from me;):disgust:
 
Port Camargue is 70 miles from where we keep the boat, St.Cyprien, and would be a good stop-over place on the way - don't know the distance from there to your way. I always wanted to have a boat there when we holidayed at Bormes and Le Lavandou. I suppose we could make it a few weeks trip. Would be fun although we need to be elsewhere several times this year for classic race meetings at Magny-Cours and Dijon and probably Spa. Always something to bugger up your plans!
 
Bouba, nice photos and places, well done!
however, you seem to be there alone, no hordes of boats that we usually see in the other places, so what's the catch? why don't some of that lot come to these small isles then?
or put it another way, what percentage of the boats we see in the boatsoup pics you and others post of SOF anchorages are used solely as dayboats?

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