Hey,
We unintentionally put our little wooden boat to the ultimate test in some of the roughest conditions yet!
The ocean has been relentless lately, with either massive swells hitting the shore or powerboats sending waves our way, rocking us like crazy. As a result, getting enough sleep to stay energized has been a bit of a challenge. We ended up staying longer than planned in Bandol after finding a spot with minimal swell.
Afterward, we spent nearly a week in Porquerolles, which was absolutely magical. But with a heavy mistral storm brewing in the west, we decided to head over to St. Tropez—a place like no other. It’s as if every mega yacht in the world is paraded out during the day, turning the bay into a whirlpool of wakes. Evenings at the harbor feel a bit like a zoo, with the wealthy on display for all to see.
As the weather forecast shifted and St. Tropez was set to be hit by the storm as well, we made the call to cross over to Sainte-Maxime, just 1.9 nautical miles across the bay. We figured we’d have a calm evening crossing, but instead, we got caught in a sudden, violent thunderstorm. It hit us just a quarter of a mile from the port. The gusts were nearly 100 km/h, visibility dropped to less than 10 meters, and torrential rain poured down—while we had full sails up!
For a solid half-hour, it took everything we had to keep the boat (and ourselves) safe. When the storm finally eased, we entered the port, soaked to the bone and a bit shaken. The passengers on the nearby powerboats were equally shocked—but they were dry at least!
Our boat, however, proved its worth. Apart from some minor rips in the sail stitching, nothing broke… except maybe a bit of our confidence! Lesson learned, and now we’re enjoying a few days in port, waiting for the mistral to pass.
Oh, and no, I didn’t manage to capture any of it on camera—I was too busy trying to survive! Maybe next time, I’ll be better prepared and sail with just a storm sail.
Always remember, you only live once. Live life to the fullest.
All the best,
Floh
