After a couple of days in Pornichet we set off for our most southerly destination this year - Ile de Yeu. We had hoped to get down to Ile de Re and La Rochelle but the storm at the beginning of march left so much damage that some marinas are still closed whilst others are only accepting a yacht for one night. Having heard all this from a number of sources we decided that that part fo the trip could wait until next year.
The passage to Port Joinville was made in glorious weather and we actually managed to sail for part of it rather than use our engine which has been the case on nearly all the passages to date. The entry to Joinville was littered with lobster pots and trying to avoid them was something of a challenge - one boat which entered the marina after us had not been so successful and required a diver to cut them free from the pot and its flag.
Since this was to be our most southerly stop for 2010 we decided to spend 4 nights at Port Joinville, a very pretty town with a Med feel - whitewashed houses and terracotta roofs. There is a large fishing fleet and I made several calls on the excellent poissonerie on the harbourside.
The island is very flat and I had suggested we hire a jeep to explore - we ended up with two bikes as skipper thought we needed the exercise....in fact it wasnt hard as there were dedicated cycle tracks which meant we didnt pose a threat to the motoring popualtions. We actually managed to cycle right around - all 30 kms - which was no mean feat in the temperatures we've been having.
Also used the dinghy to explore the coast near to the marina. We found a wonderful beach where the water was actually warm enough for us both to venture in.
This will definitely be on our list for a return visit next year.
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