Navigation #24 Bormes-Les-Mimosas-Hyères, a serie of bad luck

We’ve reached our final destination, but not without some challenges.

As a reminder, we’re returning to Hyères to repair our standing rigging before heading to Corsica. We also took the opportunity to meet up with friends on the mainland while we’re still close by.

After visiting the stunning medieval village of Bormes-les-Mimosas, with its colorful, flower-lined streets perched 154 meters up a hill, we made the 4km trip from the harbor on our e-scooters.

Back at the boat, we had lunch and set sail. However, there was no wind at all, forcing us to rely on the engine for two hours. The wind eventually picked up, but only briefly. It was an on-and-off struggle, making for a slow and frustrating journey—covering just 17 nautical miles in nearly five hours at an average speed of 3.1 knots, thanks largely to the engine.

 

 

Our troubles didn’t end there. We managed to reach Hyères on time to meet up with Nico’s friends, and we had a great time together. 

However, when we returned to our dinghy, we noticed a suspicious smell and were shocked to find the battery smoking. The dinghy was slightly submerged, and the contact between the water and the battery had triggered a chemical reaction. We quickly turned the dinghy over to drain the water and discovered holes in its underside.

These were caused by the dinghy rubbing against the dock throughout the previous night during strong wind gusts. We couldn’t have been unluckier!