Sardinia to Marseilles advice please

[Captain Crisp]

Hi, I'm part of a six man crew bringing a friends parents Rival 38 back home from Sardinia. We're hoping to complete the trip from NE Sardinia to Marseilles over a week at the end of May. Be very grateful for any tips anybody may have over this particular stretch. If the weather permits, we're planning on heading straight for St Tropez area and then working along the French Coast to Marseilles. We're all experienced sailors back home, but novices in the Med! Boat's in excellent condition.
Cheers,
Crispin

 

[Carmel2]

Cap Corse can bite you on the backside without warning. Have fun!

 

[ripvan1]

We did the trip in reverse some years back in May, think we had Mistral for day and half after leaving Marseilles and near gales after leaving Bonofacio. We weren't planning to go to Sardinia but that's another tale.

 

[vyv_cox]

As the others have said, very Mistral dependent. Forecasts are excellent, especially French Navtex ones, so plenty of warning. With your strong crew you will make good progress up the east side of Corsica if strong winds are expected. Several good ports up there, head for Bastia Port Toga (or Vieux Port which is rather less sheltered) to await quieter conditions.

If weather is nice the west coast of Corsica is a beautiful cruising ground. Once you hit the French mainland there are not too many anchoring opportunities and some marinas may have little space for visitors.

 

[tri39]

I kept AB in Campoloro for a couple of winters and explored Corse and Sardinia.
Many French boats heading north sail up the east coast to anchor/berth in/nr Macinaggio.
Wait for a good fcst (no Mistral!) from French Navtex as Vyv says, and then head west for the French coast.

It is normally possible to sail the east coast while a Mistral is pounding the west coast of Corse, at least once you're past Porto Vecchio anyway! In the more unlikely event of easterlies, sail up the west coast of Corse.
But exiting the Bonifacio straits westwards can be hard work in normal northwesterlies.
There's a strong funnelling effect in the afternoons. Good luck and beware time pressures affecting judgement!

 

[Mrnotming]

Hi, I'm part of a six man crew bringing a friends parents Rival 38 back home from Sardinia. We're hoping to complete the trip from NE Sardinia to Marseilles over a week at the end of May. Be very grateful for any tips anybody may have over this particular stretch. If the weather permits, we're planning on heading straight for St Tropez area and then working along the French Coast to Marseilles. We're all experienced sailors back home, but novices in the Med! Boat's in excellent condition.
Cheers,
Crispin

Good advice re east coast of Corsica to Macinaggio for the jump off.The further east you make a landfall on mainland France ,usually,the less felt is the Mistral.
However each month of May brings differing weather in the Med,2013 was really unsettled till near end of May in Marseilles area, as Far East as St.Tropez.(for example).
On the other hand,in another season,we got a good enough forecast to make one hop from Ajaccio,straight to Porquerolles,but kept on until Port de Bouc in the Golf of Fos,whereupon the Mistral began to howl as we found our shelter.There would have been shelter in the Hyeres area if it had gone pear shaped sooner.
The Italian forecast describes settled conditions as a "high flat field over the Mediterranean basin" and this can be a phrase to use as a starting point in seeking a window of opportunity.
Italians use a VHF channel to propagate forecasts,and the French do likewise,not forgetting Monaco Radio, also on VHF (they play music,the national anthem over the vhf ) who give a forecast in French and in English.
Good luck with the passage.

 

[Captain Crisp]

Hi all, many thanks for this excellent advice. We're actually starting from Fertilia which is, of course, NW not NE Sardinia... Would you still advise going up East coast of Corsica? Also, we're certainly very conscious of not being tied to our timetable - we only have a week so we're quite happy to abandon the attempt if the weather looks at all dodgy. Secretly rather hoping we have to spend a week pottering about North Sardinia! Any more advice very welcome!
Cheers,
Crisp