St.Tropez.

We English obey the rules. We English expect everyone else to do the same.. The pilot said that the “Acqueil” is to starboard after the marina and we should go along side and request a berth from the Capitainerie. With 15 kts of wind from astern the Yachtmaster Instruction Manual said go in to the old harbour, turn around, and come alongside portside to and into the wind. This done Tim walked off to the capitainerie.

Having tied fore and aft lines and springs we became conscious of a queue forming on the dock and leading to our stern quarter. We tried to ignore it but every time we looked up another family had joined the end. All of them looked at us without expression but we were not what they were expecting.

“Why are these people here?” asked Colin.

“They think we are a ferry,” said Anne.

“Why?” I asked.

“Those notices say so,” remarked Tony.

We stared at the queue and the queue stared at us and I hoped that Tim would return before the ferry.

“Berth B26” said Tim and started to untie the lines. “I’ll walk round and meet you.”

Untying the lines whipped the queue into a deadpan excitement as they stood along the dock waiting for something to brighten their day. Leaving the stern spring attached and a fender on the stern quarter, 1000 revs astern brought the head out across the wind and with the rudder in the middle, 1500 revs in forward got us safely off the dock and denied the queue another something to write on their postcards.

Going astern between Pontoons A and B would bring the now 25kts of wind on the port beam. First I tried coming downwind and turning to port but as soon as I turned, the bow went racing down wind and all I could do was follow. The next approach was in reverse upwind but even with 2500 revs and the bowthruster the bow refused to come up into the wind. When you are beaten-give in. The third time was bows first and we tied up bows first. Much easier and safer. The only problem was that the mains cable wasn’t long enough to run the length of the boat and the 6 metres along the pontoon.

A Beneteau 45 followed us in attempting to moor stern first on pontoon A but the boat wouldn’t turn and he was blown broadside onto the bows of 3 boats.

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