Back to Calvi

Marg and Terry O'Hare left yesterday morning and it's just as well that Greg took them and their cases into the port before the change in the weather. The mistral is a strong cold wind that starts in the French mainland mountains and blows down the Golfe du Lion across the sea to Corsica. We experienced that little honey all afternoon and all night, blowing mostly at 30 knots. We were safe on the mooring, even though it was a bit rolly-polly, but were very pleased not to have the sound of the wind when it abated this morning.

Susie, Greg and I were happy last night to have dinner below on the yacht - grilled baby lamb and a variety of veges plus strawberries, raspberries and blueberries mixed with a little strawberry liqueur and served with ice cream. An early night at last!

This morning was perfectly clear and sunny with just enough breeze to help keep us cool. We picked up our laundry in town and then Greg walked around the citadel while Susie and I stocked up on food as we planned to head south to a cove at Girolata where we would anchor for the night.

We headed out in perfect weather but once we rounded the point occupied by the citadel we realised that the mistral had left behind a present - an uncomfortable swell that we were beating into. We decided to pull into the cove around the corner, in the Golfe de la Revellata, dropped anchor in 26 metres and ate our baguettes, enjoying the peace and serenity of the place. Unfortunately the swell was rolling into the bay so we decided to return to our more sheltered mooring in Calvi.

Weather determines everything when you are living on a boat. We had hoped to be further south in Ajaccio by Sunday night and be ready to drive Susie back to Calvi for her flight out of Corsica on Tuesday. Now we will stay here until Susie leaves.

It's early Saturday evening now and the breeze has built a little again and we are even getting rolly-polly here. We have watched with anticipation a large concert stand being erected on the shore at the point beneath the citadel and the bands have begun to practise. The music sounds fairly good (in fact one of the groups sounds a bit like Dire Straits), but as noise travels easily across the water we will probably hear the bands even more than those paying for seats. We doubt it will be an early night tonight!