The centre of the boating world

**tcm** · 08-11-02, 10:37

As far as I can make out, the centre of the boating world is Antibes. Oh, yes, there's cowes, and auckland and newport and all the rest. But that's where they makem, or used to makem, or where the cheapy types like us sail or drive our own boats oursleves. Real boats need masses of full-time crew to make food, tie things, clean things. And anyone who rents or charters a boat will poo-poo the crew suggestion of corsica or palma where the food is **** and the glitz is on a dimmer- it has to be the cote d'azur. So the centre of focus can be seen from where all the crew congregate. And whether they're from australia, new zealand or america or uk or italy, or spain or france, that's in Antibes. More specifically, it seems to be around the bars - the Blue Lady, la Gaffe, the Lincoln in the old town. All the youngish people in these bars work on boats, or are hanging aroiund waiting to work in a boat. They stay in the Crewhouse or similar hostels if looking for work. Crew agencies with adverts for "worldwide crew placement" are usually within a few doors or maximum a few streets of these bars. Or so it seems to me.

**byron** · 08-11-02, 10:41

Naah! Centre is the end of my garden on a hot summers day, dudes barbying, passing cold beers around then a sing-song "Oh we're riding along on the crest of a wave and..."

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**jfm** · 08-11-02, 11:06

Not Redditch then?

**sailbadthesinner** · 08-11-02, 11:11

No word of a lie
was checking out offices in Redditch and the particulars said it was 'the california of the midlands'

Come on brain.get this over and i can go back to killing you with beer

**ccscott49** · 08-11-02, 11:15

I'm definitely visiting there next year, only may not be able to afford the parkin' fees! Can you anchor there?

08-11-02, 11:17

Just because a bunch of work-shy antipodean sprogs hang about in Antibes looking for a job skivvying on a floating holiday home, that doesn't make it the centre of the boating world. That, as we all know, is to be found in London SE1 — King's Reach Tower, a suppository of boating lore and knowledge.

**tcm** · 08-11-02, 11:27

tons of anchoring right outside in the bay in sand and choice of 3-8 metres.

**ccscott49** · 08-11-02, 11:29

I'm on my way!!

**tcm** · 08-11-02, 11:30

huh. I understand they have daily reservations on the gatport airwick express to Nice.

**Trevethan** · 08-11-02, 11:36

Antibes... met a wonderful woman there when I was 18.

Nice boats of the huge white painted stinkie persuasion in the bay too - tried to swim out to one and was yelled at by offical looking crew types in shorts and starched white shirts.