Bastia

Leaving Solenzara   

Despite having enjoyed the Bastille Day celebrations until the early hours, we decided to get up promptly on 14 July. I washed BV’s decks down and she looked much smarter, especially as she had been covered in soot from the previous night’s fireworks. Meanwhile Nicky went foraging ashore and came back with fresh baguettes and pain au chocolate. She had also taken a look at the fuel station directly ahead of us and discovered that the diesel was €0.35 a litre less than it had been on Sardinia. So, at 0830 we moved from our mooring and filled our diesel tanks to the brim before leaving Solenzara and continuing our journey north.

After an hour and a half of motoring the wind allowed us to sail. It was grand sailing and there was even a 17-metre yacht going in the same direction to provide some racing sport (we overtook her).

Approaching Bastia   

Sadly, however, the fun was not to last and wind died away, so we switched to motor sailing. Our destination was Bastia which has an old harbour outside of which is a large new breakwater and the commercial ferry port, and to the north of that is the modern Toga Marina. The old harbour is written up in our pilot book as being very rolly in almost any conditions but Toga Marina is quite a long walk from the old town. We judged that with the settled conditions we could stay in either and so Nicky telephoned ahead to see who could fit us in. Both could but the old harbour was our preference and so that is where we aimed for.

Our mooring in the inner basin at Bastia   

Arriving at the entrance to the old harbour we saw where the majority of visitors’ moorings were, backed up to the quay just inside the entrance with a bow line run out to a buoy. We looked for a space but then saw that the marina staff were waving us further into the old harbour. We ended up being put right in an inside corner, squeezed between two local boats. That suited us fine because the visitors in the normal visitors’ area were rolling gently, whilst we were in complete shelter and also right in the centre of the town. It felt a little like being in Honfleur in Brittany.

After sitting in the cockpit catching up on emails (which included an invitation to visit an old chum in St Tropez) we ventured out to stretch our legs. The old town area around the harbour largely dates from the 18^th century and is slightly shabby in places but overall has lots of character. The waterfront area is filled with bars and restaurants and behind them, one street back, the narrow streets with tall buildings on either side were filled with numerous shops. We noted that all of the shops were closed because it was just after 5pm; we’d need to adjust to French opening hours, rather than having Italian-style late opening from about 4pm.

Around the new port is a large open area with a funfair and lots of restaurants and cafés. There’s also the conning tower of the WWII submarine Casabianca which landed commandoes at the Bay of Topiti on 13/14 December 1942 in order to set up a resistance movement which eventually contributed to the liberation of Corsica on 4 October 1943. In the fading light, we made our way back to the old harbour and the steps up to the citadel which dates from the 14^th century when the Genoese controlled Bastia.

Clambering up the steps was worth it. Close to the top is the arched gateway into the citadel and walking through that we found ourselves in a small square with the town’s museum on our left and a series of restaurants on our right. Ahead we saw more bars on a terrace with fabulous views down onto the old harbour.

But, having enjoyed the view it was time to sort out our own dinner and so we headed back down.

BV’s mooring was right in the middle of all of the evening hustle and bustle, which was great fun…..

….and then suddenly the Bastille Day firework display started and everyone, including us, moved to the corner of the old harbour to watch it. It was another excellent firework display; our second in as many nights.

In the morning we needed to make a decision. Visit Elba, which we had been aiming to do for the last week, or head for the French Riviera. Ultimately the weather made the decision for us; it continued to be unfavourable for a passage and stay at Elba but it looked like there might be a light wind to carry us to St Tropez. We also got word from our friend Sean that he could host us during the next week but would then be busy. So, the decision was made: St Tropez next!

Bastia, Corsica, France