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Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into the world of epic moments in motor boating. Here is one of the stories we were most passionate about.
From Motor Boats 1990, no. 1, March, pp. 100-109.
A guide to sailing along the world’s most famous coastline, to dive into the most exclusive social life, to visit the most beautiful bays, to moor in the best equipped ports, to experience the longest nights, to not miss the most important appointments, to unearth the most famous yachts, to cruise more… (Part One)
The Côte d’Azur is, with the Emerald Coast, the most refined and elegant corner of the Mediterranean; it is no coincidence that “L’Avvocato,” who is at home here, has elected it as the base of his maxiyachts. In its turquoise waters cross the world’s most prestigious hulls. Just past the Ventimiglia border, it is a succession of small villages and marinas, making it one of the best-organized cruising areas anywhere, with a first-rate capacity and level of boating services. It is possible to plan a cruise in comfort, stopping for the night in one of the thirty or more super-equipped marinas that extend in the fifty miles from the border to Cap Lardier. This is where the actual French Riviera ends, but further west the natural beauty continues with the Hyeres Islands (Porquerolles, Port Cros, and Ile du Levant). In this first part, which includes the stretch of coastline between Menton and Antibes, we will accompany you on a cruise, stopping at the most beautiful bays and pointing out the best equipped ports and the most famous restaurants, as well as the discos and appointments you cannot miss.
It is the first marina you will encounter past the border, less than a mile by boat. We do not recommend the old port of Menton, although charming, because the Garavan is definitely better equipped, and moreover convenient for taking care of entry paperwork (by the way, remember to pay the French parking fee). Good conspicuous point for recognition is the harbormaster’s tower, a white parallelepiped with a wider blue top. The harbor has 800 berths, including 150 for transit, which are located in the first three groynes after the entrance. Water, electricity, television and telephone at the dock, showers and toilets in four places, fuel just inside on the right, a shipyard with a 30-ton crane, and ship away from 100. Supermarket stores and restaurant in the harbor area. The VHF channel for booking at the marina is 9. Leaving the boat at this marina, you can go and enjoy the delightful town of Menton, famous for its lemon groves, mild climate, and 17th-century St. Michel Church, a typical example of Baroque architecture. A fine chamber music festival is held in August. Finally, don’t miss a walk to the scenic Annonciade Monastery. Between Menton and Monaco, the bay we recommend is Roquebrune, sheltered to the east by Cap Martin, taking care not to get too close to Pt. de la Vielle, where for a radius of 400 meters from the shore anchoring is prohibited.
Easy to recognize from the open sea due to the presence of several skyscrapers. You will have two mooring options: the old port, noisier but more exclusive, a destination for large and famous yachts: you can take advantage of the north dock docks (Etats – Units) for boats up to 10 meters and with the greatest possibility of vacancies in high season. Fuel and captain’s office at the head of the left dock, restaurant at the end of the same dock, water and electricity at all berths. Groceries require walking a few hundred meters. VHF communication with the harbormaster’s office is always on channel 9. Monaco offers a remarkable amount of shore excursions, first and foremost the Oceanographic Museum, for which Jacques Cousteau is in charge (opening hours 9-21). It is one of the most beautiful and complete aquariums in the world. At night, Monegasque life revolves around luxurious discos or behind the green roulette carpet where you can try your luck. From Monaco to Beaulieu Sur Mer, you can find daytime anchorages in the bay of St. Laurent, or in the bay of Mer d’Eze: unfortunately, you will be exposed to southerly and easterly winds. The harbor is beautiful, with a series of villas perched on the cliff rocks; seabed not very good tenors due to the presence of seaweed on the bottom.
And it is precisely in Monte Carlo that our hunt for megayachts begins. In fact, the Principality has always been a parking lot for the most important “yachts” in the world. Here, in fact, for 11 months of the year it is possible to find (at the Yacht Club pier) Atlantis II. 124 meters long, owned by Greek shipowner Niarcos, valued at around 40 billion lira, she is the fourth largest yacht in the world. Not far from the pool dock we find the Mau Mau V, a 53-meter Benetti owned by the Agusta family. Also on the same dock the Maria Alexandra, a 67-meter Codecasa; My Gail III, a splendid 61-meter Amels owned by British tycoon Gerald Ronson; Rio Rita, a 56-meter De Vries armed by Greek tycoon John Latsis. Last on the left side of the pier is theIstranka, an old 47-meter yacht that belonged to former Yugoslav premier Tito. Two hundred meters from the border of the Principality here is the French port of Cap d’Ail. Here on the breakwater it is possible to admire Cedar Sea II, 68 meters long was built in the Dutch Van Lent shipyards for a famous Swiss jeweler. In Beaulieu we find F 100, Gianni Agnelli’s original 30-meter boat that looks more like a fishing boat than a yacht. In Antibes we point out: Smooth Operator, a classic 40-meter shuttle by Luciano Benetton; Togheter II, a 31-meter classic De Vries by Italian industrialist De Silva; Pup III, a 30-meter by Swiss industrialist Moretti (Inventor of the Momo Design brand); Bianca, a 30-meter Alalunga by Mario Valentino; Klementine, a 70-meter from a German shipowner moored near Southern Cross III of Australian financier Alan Bond (the man who managed to wrest the America’s Cup from the Americans). Also in Antibes, you should not miss a visit to: Mystere, a 42-meter built in Australia; Sheergold, a 42-meter Amels; Le Pharaon, one of the latest boats from the Van Lent shipyard 60 meters long; and, dulcis in fundo, Never Say Never, the boat used by James Bond in one of his films, 33 meters long, with futuristic lines, now owned by an American entrepreneur.
We now continue our journey until we reach Beaulieu Sur Mer. A beautiful marina, with a capacity of 770 berths, it is often very crowded in summer. We point this out especially for those with transportable boats that need a slipway. Fuel on the north pier head, water and light at the moorings, captain’s office (VHF channel 9) behind the west dock. In town you will find many stores, including for nautical equipment; restaurants and bars are concentrated on the waterfront. Immediately after Beaulieu is the Cap Ferrat Peninsula, where in addition to the marina at St. Jean (always very crowded), you can count on some very pleasant bays. The first is the roadstead d St. Hospice, which opens to the north of the peninsula itself, with very rich vegetation and several beautiful villas in between. It is well sheltered from winds from offshore, open, however, to northern and easterly winds. Fair bottom tenor on the 6 meters. At the head of Cap Ferrat two adjoining bays, l’anse de Fosses and l’anse de Lilong, afford good shelter from all but meriodional winds. Seabed of seaweed and sand on 7 to 8 meters.It is dangerous to get too close to the shore due to the presence of semi-submerged rocks. To the east of the peninsula opens the large bay of Villefranche with another small harbor that is always crowded and with a good shelter on the east side, theanse de l’Espalmador, where you will anchor on a 3/5 meter sand and seaweed bottom. The speed at the entrance should not exceed 5 knots. The houses on the shore have structures resembling pile dwellings; vegetation of pine trees. The northern part of this last bight has rocks covered by just 50 centimeters of water. East of Cap Ferrat is the town of Nice.
If you are not more interested in a “historic” port, avoid the one in Nice, which is more commercial than yachting, with no fuel supply, and a shortage of berths. Opt then for the nearby Baie des Anges marina, super-equipped, with water, electricity and fuel at the dock and a shopping center, harbormaster’s office and restaurants nearby. It is recognizable from offshore by a futuristic building in a clear pyramid shape. There is another marina near the Nice airport, St. Laurent du Var, which we do not recommend stopping at because it is very noisy; in any case, it is a very well-equipped port. In Nice, in August, there is a wonderful floral battle festival in the park of the gardens of Cimiez. If you are interested in painting, be sure to visit the Matisse and Chagall museum. From Nice to Antibes, other than the two marinas mentioned above, you will not find any interesting bays.
It is definitely worth a stop here; it is a very old town, whose earliest settlements date back to the Greeks, and the harbor (1,200 berths) is nestled between the old part and Fort Carré, clearly recognizable from afar. Entering on the left is the pier for large yachts, just ahead is the harbormaster’s office with the transit quay and fuel pump. Water and electricity for each berth, the crane and slips are located in the innermost dock(cove St. Roch). There are several shipchandlers in the harbor area, and the galley can be conveniently purchased at the adjacent market. There is also a good shipyard for repairs. See the Picasso Museum, one of the most comprehensive collections in the world, and hear theJazz Festival held in August. Just south of Antibes, at the head of the cape of the same name, there is a beautiful bay, theanse de l’Argent Faux, well sheltered from the dominating westerly and easterly winds but open to the southerly. You will anchor in a beautiful setting of sheer rocks and pine forests on a 5 to 8-meter sand and gravel seabed, a discrete tenor. From Cap d’Antibes we recommend a visit to the Isles De Lerins. It can be found abreast north of the largest, St. Marguerite, just below the wonderful citadel that we recommend you visit. Another good shelter is north of the second island i.e. in the channel between the two islands on 2-meter depths. Be careful that the depths at this point decrease to 1.3 meters. There is also a small marina where smaller units will find some space.
(Continued…)
by Antonio Drai
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