👉Heeling squealing and bailing, a day of two halves

Heeling, Squealing & A Bit of Bailing: Our Not‑So‑Calm Cruise to Cap d’Agde

After days of barely-there breezes on our way to Sète, the promise of actual wind in our sails felt exciting. Off we went, spirits high, dodging what felt like hundreds of fishing pots. Following the coastline is great for landmarks… less great when every few minutes a red or black flag pops up sometimes from what feels like nowhere!.

Just as we were settling into the rhythm, the ocean put on a show for us. We’d loved seeing dolphins back in Port Napoleon, but today it was tuna leaping out of the water — not hanging from hooks in Sète’s market, but alive, powerful, shimmering in the sun with seabirds in hot pursuit. It was magical.

With both sails up and billowing, Novera leaned into the wind and glided beautifully. Hair blowing, hearts full — this was the sailing dream.

Until… beep - beep - beep.

A soft but unmistakable alarm. “What’s that?” I asked Tim. His face said it all.

A water alarm. In the stern cabin. And the compartments under the bed? Full. The bathroom cubbies? Also full. 😱

Quick action from Tim and the portable bilge pump which we only recently found, showing its importance immediately. Sails away, engine on, we motored toward port with a new level of concern.

Then, because why stop at two surprises, we opened the rope locker and found that full of water too. By the time we were safely moored, Novera looked like a floating laundry line — wet towels draped everywhere — and we looked like the least organised sailors in the marina.

Thankfully, Tim’s talent for reverse engineering (and thinking sideways when needed) saved the day. The culprit was found. A redundant pipe from the old diesel heater. The fix was made. They say every boat is sinking — some just do it slower. Earlier today, Novera felt like she was in the faster category.

Cap d’Agde is one of the largest marinas on the Mediterranean, a lively mix of waterfront apartments designed for retirees, holidaymakers, and long-term liveaboards. With water parks and music in the distance and relaxed older groups gathering for line-dancing and a beer, it has a cheerful charm.

After the day we’d had, it all felt welcoming. So as the evening was warm and sunny if still windy, it felt like an occasion to open one of the bottles of bubbles we had bought but had yet to open. Celebrating the hights and lows felt right. We had a great sail and worked as a team to overcome the challenge we discovered.

What can I say it went down very well indeed!

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