Sailing course in POGO 1250 - Mediterranean

Departure from Bormes-les-Mimosas, you will first familiarize yourself with the sailboat and its basic settings, then head for the island of Embiez, an internationally renowned site for boaters and divers! After a night at anchor, you will sail to Bandol, then La Ciotat, and drop anchor near the Calanques de Cassis: Port Miou, Port Pin, and the most beautiful Calanque d'En Vau. Located most to the west, this last one is a long corridor with translucent water bordered by high cliffs where a few pines cling. In the background, a pebble beach and curious stone chimneys sculpted by erosion form a grandiose backdrop.

The night spent at anchor, you will then head for Marseille, more precisely on the Frioul archipelago made up of four islands (Pomègues and Ratonneau, If and Tiboulen), the scene of exceptional flora and fauna, an ideal destination for passionate about nature, history, unusual walks and snorkeling.

Instead, we will drop our anchor in Morgiret cove which opens to the west of Ratonneau, between Soldat point and Eyglaudes islet. Surrounded by steep and high rocks, this very wild harbor offers excellent protection from easterly winds. There is a slipway to disembark in the dinghy at the bottom of the cove and easy access to the Lazaret marina.

Ile Riou is the largest and highest of the islands that extend beyond the coast of the Calanques. The stone needles at its summit reach nearly 200 meters. The Calanque de Monasterio is one of the few places to stop over.
The navigation will then set off again towards the East with a possible stop in the Figuerolles cove which looks like a den of smugglers and located at the foot of the vertiginous Bec de l'Aigle, then heading towards the magnificent islands of Hyères (Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant, also known as the Golden Islands).
By continuing to navigate further east, you will reach the pretty port of Saint-Tropez, Cannes and the Lérins Islands.
Facing the bay of Cannes and the Estérel massif, the Lérins Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat Islands, archipelago of legends.
Between each stopover, you will operate the Pogo 12.50 under the advice of your state-certified instructor who will guide you in your actions in order to acquire autonomy on each position: helm, mainsail, headsail trimmer, piano, mast foot and foredeck.

If the weather allows it, you will leave for a crossing to Corsica counting a total of twenty hours. It will be necessary to organize the night shifts to keep an eye on the road while being assisted by the AIS on board our Pogo. For your watch, with a little luck you will come across playful dolphins and, who knows, a whale, more precisely one of the fin whales present in the northern third of Corsica.

You will improve your skills in navigation techniques on a nautical chart with a bearing compass, Cras ruler and dry point compasses, but also by using on-board navigation software.

With the right weather window we will leave for a day and a night of navigation towards the French Riviera.

While sailing at night you will be able to admire the starry sky which seems to revolve around the North Star and may have the chance to see phosphorescent plankton illuminating your wake or dolphins. Even without it, you will feel like you have had an adventure.

If the weather (weather and timing) allows it, we will make a last anchorage at the island of Porquerolles before reaching the port of Bormes-les-Mimosas, the end of our cruise.

You will improve your skills in navigation techniques on a nautical chart with a bearing compass, Cras ruler and dry point compasses, but also by using on-board navigation software.
A certificate will be issued to you at the end of the course if you wish.