Life On Sail

June 2025 overview June is our 2nd biggest spending! So many things happened, we had a streak of bad luck, losing our battery, holes in our dinghy, having to cut the anchor, losing our shower bag into the water etc...  Total spending reached  €8010  for the month. June 2025 details This month's highlights - Standing rigging: We had to pay the balance of the standing rigging repairs before we did the passage from Hyeres to Calvi in Corsica.  - We started our Starlink subscription this month! But found out we didn't pay for the offshore option.  -We rented a car while waiting for our parents to come and stay with us for 1 week. We had a blast traveling to mainland Corsica vs only staying close to the coast.  June 2025 vs Budget With five months into our sabbatical,  we’ve spent 78% of our total budget,  leaving  €22700  for the remaining seven-eight months.   Repairs and Maintenance Budget:   -  Original allocatio...

While waiting for a friend to arrive Corsica, we are visiting the nearby islands.  We decided to moor there after our parents left today.    A little tour of the island

 In the morning we took them to the Ile de Piana to take a dip in the shallow water.  We then had lunch on the boat. But it might have been a bit too wavy fo r Nico's mom who didn't feel well.  We left before dessert. Anyways, we had to come back on time to drive my mom to the airport.  But we didnt let her go before celebrating her bday in advance with a birthday cake.  We drove to the Figari airport on time. All went smooth. 

  We left Bonifacio early morning to take a 1h30 drive towards Zonza where the Col de Bavella is. We stopped by the Ospedale lake to enjoy the view before heading to the mountains for a hike to the Trou de la bombe. My mom had a hard time with the mild ascent. Nico's mom and her stayed at the beginning of the ascent towards the Trou de la Bombe. We went there on our own. Then went back to pick them up before taking another route to the car. We went to eat on a nearby restaurant.

  Change of plan again, we woke up early to go hiking but nico wasn't happy with the mooring and the wind changing direction at noon would worsen his worry. So we decided to visit Bonifacio instead. And come back before noon to move the boat closer to the Marina. We visited the Bastion de l'étendard and the infamous Roy Aragon stairs with its 183 steps that go down 60 m to sea level. It's said to have been carved in one night during a siege. We moved the boat to the Calanques of Catena, nearby the Bonifacio marina. It's the most beautiful port entrance we've experienced. Not sure if any port will top that, you are welcome by dramatic cliffs, and fortifications in a fjord like set up. In the evening we went back up to the village up on the cliffs. Visited churches and the cemetery while walking along the fortifications. We had a local Corsican dinner and went back to the boat.

  Nothing turned out as expected today. We finally arrived our mooring spot in Bonifacio pretty fast after a 2 h navigation with wind. But like yesterday, we changed the anchor location twice and it wasn't satisfying enough for Nico so he didn't want to leave the boat. Instead we brought our parents to the boat and changed our afternoon plan. Instead of visiting Bonifacio by foot we just went by boat first. We were planning to do it by boat few days later anyway. We then changed our mooring spot. I didn't record the navigation as I usually do. I thought it d be quick and I was pretty tired. Now that I think of it I should have taken some videos as it was during sunset. Once again we had some issues finding a good mooring spot avoiding the algae. And we also hit the sand in shallow areas...

  3h20 to get there. We had to anchor three times while our parents were waiting for us at the beach. We had a picnic and then went to Figari. All churches were closed. Then we finished the day at the vineyard, trying Corsican wine and Muscat. Here is our stay at Figari

  We left in the morning to Propriano, my mom came with us. First sail with us. But there was no wind and it turned out to be longer than expected. It took 5h, she slept twice. we got to use the spi. We didn't take much videos because I was at the helm or manoeuvring all the time. We met with Nico's parents at Propriano and went straight to Sartene, the most Corsican of Corsica's village. It's a medieval village and we attended the Polyphonic Corsican concert at the Ste Marie church. We went back to the boat at nigh, under a starry sky. But there was swell. Hard to sleep. Here is our Sartene stop over

  First day visiting Corsica with the parents, it was a Napoleon centric day. We visited the family house where he was born, and had a Napoleon immersive meal. we didn't have time to get the dessert we had to leave the marina on the dot. Before they charge us half a day. Our parents stayed and visited more places. We met up at Propriano for a dinner on the boat. Here is our vlog about the Propriano sail:

  There was really no wind this morning so we used the engine throughout the 1h30 navigation to reach Ajaccio which is literally next door. We are waiting for both our parents to board Vogue today. So Nico is busy prepping the guest room which is our usual storage room. It's packed with garbage! Anyway everyone made it. My mom brought Chinese food. We took her to her hotel and went by the city during the Fete de la musique. Had an ice cream and visited what we were supposed to visit the next day.

  It was our shortest navigation. Barely 4h to reach the Îles sanguinaires, we didn't even use the engine this time! what's a surprise. However the mooring spot was full so we moved to the Pointe de la Parata instead. I gave Nico a haircut, I was sick of seeing him looking like Einstein. Nico also finished installing all his network of cables under the boat, resulting in 12V plugs scattered in strategic spots on the boat. In the cockpit, in the saloon and map table and of course on both sides of the bed. We are fully 2.0! We are getting closer to Ajaccio where we are to pick up both our parents for a one week trip to southern Corsica.

  We had a great hike early in the morning at the Calanques de Piana, gorgeous red rocks with fantastical shapes. We walked 18km that morning before getting back to the boat. We had to take advantage of the small window of wind to head closer to Ajaccio. But we didn't know it'd take us 7h for 29 nm... We arrive for sunset.

  5h to get to destination against the usual 7h it took us the 2 other times to get nearby Scandola from Calvi. The wind was with us, blowing at 17 knots and not stopping at night. It's still blowing now but we are kind of well sheltered.

 We decided to moor several days in the Bay of Calvi.  We also went for a car rental in order to visit the infamous Corsican villages and landscape.  First village we visited was L'Ile Rousse, we went by train. It was quick half day tour.    The next 2 other days, we had a car.  We visited several villages such as Speloncato, Sant Antonino or Belgodère. They are all beautiful.  We couldn't visit Pigna, the road was closed!! What a pity as it is the 2nd and last "Plus beaux villages de France" in Corsica.  At least we got to see Sant Antonino. Vlog below:  Second day, we went Central Corsica, in the old capital of Corsica when it was independent.  The city of Corte is beautiful, we spent the afternoon there.  In the morning, we went to the Gorge de la Restonica taking advantage of the cooler temperatures.  However, the roads were closed, we wanted to hike to the Melo lake. But due to the road closure, you cannot go to the trail'...

We decided to go back North...  We under-estimated the size of the island, we still have plenty of time to visit the Balagne area.  Our return trip to Calvi from Scandola was much like the outbound journey—light winds and a whole lot of swell. The waves kept Vogue rocking for most of the 7-hour passage, forcing us to rely on the engine for nearly half the trip to maintain progress. It wasn’t the smoothest ride, but we powered through, adjusting sails and keeping a steady course under a cloudy sky that seemed to mirror the choppy seas. Thankfully, Calvi Bay greeted us with calm waters this time—no sudden wind gusts or pesky swell to complicate things. We moored smoothly, the boat settling into the gentle rhythm of the harbor, and finally got to unwind. After a long day battling the elements, it felt like a small victory to just rest quietly, savoring the stillness and the soft lapping of waves against the hull.

We set off from Calvi this morning, greeted by a bit of wind but challenged by a hefty swell that rocked Vogue more than we’d hoped.  The 7-hour-and-20-minute journey to Scandola Nature Reserve felt longer with the waves tossing us about, but we threw everything we had at it to keep moving.  We hoisted the spinnaker when the breeze allowed, fired up the engine when the wind faded, and switched to the genoa alone when the conditions called for it. It was a dance of sails and strategy, but we finally arrived at the stunning Scandola Reserve, a UNESCO-protected gem where setting foot ashore or hiking is off-limits to preserve its pristine beauty. The dramatic red cliffs and turquoise waters were worth every bumpy moment. We’re hoping to return tomorrow if the swell calms down. The forecast promises little to no wind, so we won’t venture too far, but the calmer seas should make for a smoother ride. For now, we’re soaking in the wild, untouched scenery and planning a relaxing day a...

  This morning kicked off bright and early with a grocery run at 8 a.m. We stocked up on essentials—fresh produce, snacks, and plenty of water—to fuel our adventure. Back at the boat, we rolled up our sleeves and gave her a thorough cleaning, scrubbing the deck and tidying the cabin to make sure everything was shipshape. With the boat sparkling and our supplies stowed, we cast off from the dock, bound for Corsica, a 120-nautical-mile journey ahead of us, aiming for an average speed of 6 knots. The wind greeted us early on, pushing us along nicely, so we took the chance to catch a quick nap under the sunny skies. But when we woke, the breeze had vanished, leaving us crawling along at a sluggish 3.5 knots, sometimes dipping even lower. Not ones to dawdle, we decided to hoist the spinnaker, and just like that, the boat came alive, picking up speed to a lively 5 to 7 knots. The sail billowed beautifully, and we were back on track, slicing through the waves. As night approached, the hor...

  Today was a big day—the mast has officially been removed! Early this morning, the technician maneuvered the boat over to the dry docking area, just a short hundred meters from our spot. The process of dismasting, however, didn’t go quite as smoothly as planned. Despite all the prep work the team had done yesterday, some parts of the standing rigging stubbornly refused to budge. It was a bit of a headache, but Nico stepped up, diving in to remove the stuck components himself from below deck. His hands-on approach saved the day, and we were back on track. In the end, the job was wrapped up surprisingly quickly, much to our relief. With the mast safely down, we shifted gears and headed out to run some errands. First stop: picking up a few Amazon parcels we’d been waiting on—always exciting to see what boat gear or gadgets we’d ordered this time! Then, we swung by the grocery store to grab a few essentials, restocking the pantry with fresh supplies for the days ahead.   4 days l...

 This Sunday was the 100th anniversary of the naval aviation base of Hyeres.  We were lucky to be able to watch this incredible aerial show from the sea.  The aircraft came so close, the sound was deafening.  What a treat!  

 So far, four months into our sabbatical, we've earned just €127 in income .  Not many people are using our Insta360 camera referral code to make purchases—I thought more sailboat enthusiasts would want this great camera!  Meanwhile, Nico is doing an excellent job selling our unwanted belongings second-hand after upgrading to new ones."  

  May 2025 overview April was our fourth-highest spending month to date, driven by ongoing boat renovations and unexpected setbacks.  Total spending reached €4,675  for the month. April 2025 details This month, we faced several challenges:   - Travel costs: We returned to Paris, incurring additional expenses.   - Anchor loss: We lost our anchor and 15–18 meters of chain in St. Tropez, requiring us to cut the chain.   - Dinghy damage: Water leakage damaged the dinghy, causing the battery to fail, which added €900 in unplanned expenses to be spread across May and June.   - Standing rigging replacement: We are currently stationed in Hyères for a planned standing rigging replacement, costing €6,000, with payments split between May and June.                                     May 2025 vs Budget With four months into our sabbatical, we’ve spent 71% ...