David's Diary: Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Cassis, France

Cassis Harbour
Cassis Harbour

We left Marseilles and headed for the small fishing village and harbour of Cassis. The wind was blowing around twenty knots past the Massif des Calanqes. This is a protected area that can only be reached by foot or by boat. A calanque is a narrow and steep-sided coastal valley, which has been created by a river. This is different from the fjords in Vancouver, which have been created by retreating ice during the last ice age.

The final approach to Cassis proved challenging. As we headed closer to the wind we lost control of Dragonsinger and did an accidental head-up. When this happens the boat cannot be controlled at the helm and the bow of the boat heads up into the wind. If the helmsperson is not careful, the boat can keep going, doing an accidental tack. Before things got serious, we let out the sheets, reduced the power of the sails, and got the boat under control. But it is one of our early lessons in how to keep Dragonsinger under control.

The Boys Enjoy Cassis Beach
The Boys Enjoy Cassis Beach

Cassis is both a fishing village and a popular tourist resort. In the summer, the beaches are packed with people, but at this time of year only a few people brave the wind and temperatures to be on the beach. We still feel it is warm, but we do have to wear a fleece top, even if the boys are wearing shorts.

Boules In Cassis
Boules In Cassis

We spent time walking up the hills and finding viewpoints back towards the harbour. After walking back to the village, we stopped at the central square to watch many people playing games of boules. This popular game involves throwing a small ball, which is used as a target for larger balls to be thrown at. The player with the closest balls to the target appears to win. It seems that any village we visit has boules games going on in the center square and when we see it we are reminded of the game of curling, which while played on ice, seems to have similar rules. Of course, none of us has actually played either game, so we may need more hints on how to interpret what we see.

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