The denny-boy arrives an hour late in Lyon, but in time for a quiet dinner for three. Pick up newly serviced regulators on Saturday morning, set off on the four and a half hour drive down south. Pick up keys to the apartments and install ourselves. Receive text from Scottish threesome telling of 2 hour flight delay, so it's another quiet dinner for 3, though this time quayside on the Côte d'Azur, in the open air. Finish eating in time for la bienheureuse to collect the Cambridge pair from Hyères airport, while we hold the fort to await the wigs arrival. Eventually all eight are reunited, and a magnum of Coteaux du Tricastin is nearly polished off.
Diving rustiness and expectation of first night hangovers means only the afternoon dive on Sunday is scheduled. Pleasant little pootle in the lee of Cap Benat beneath the now Russian owned former Luc Besson residence. More noisy meal for 8 in the Brasserie du Port, rating 7 on the JeB soupe de poisson scale.
La Gabinière, jewel in the Port Cros scenic crown, is on the agenda for Monday morning. JeB cries off with blocked ears, and the soggydiver cries "too much swimming!".
The more modest attraction of la Formigue in the afternoon, enjoyable nonetheless, even if I get stuck with Eduardo the non-professional Italian photographer. Cartoon beach restaurant for the evening meal, a startling 9 on the JeB SdP scale, though the entrecôtes drag down the overall dinner score.Tuesday morning, first wreck of the week, Le Grec, means that JeB is dragged into the water. Lovely dive, highlight a soggy screaming to alert everyone to a passing Mola Mola. Less lovely is the sight of JeB's blood & sinal fluid filled mask at the end. La galère in the afternoon, by name of site and by description of dive. The gardening builder and I start off being accompanied by Eduardo, but immediately manage to pass him on to la bienheureuse and the denny-boy. Dinner at la Rade, chosen for proximity to TV screen at neighbouring café. No soupe de poisson, no score, no more Euro 2008 for our hosts.
Dive deep, dive wrecks is the motto for Wednesday. JeB (still leaking nasal blood) and Simon take advantage of the two 50m dives on offer, the barge aux congres and the Wildcat, la bienheureuse and I do the former in the somewhat disconcerting company of Eduardo - dancing with congers and a strange plongeur italien. Soggy & the under-qualified gardiner stick to plants and animals on the Pointe de Montremian. The four of us then complete an hour long full circuit of la Formigue in the afternoon. "Not so much swimming after all!"
Stroll over to Le Lavandou for dinner, soupe de poisson score 8, top score from Mlle H for the proprietor, but there's no beating marvellous Mirko for the diving girls.
Hooray, it's the Donator on Thursday, last dive with videographer Greg on the boat. Great dive, no-one gets stuck with Eduardo 'cos he's gone home. The gardiner is sadly leaving too, so the rest of us use taking him to the airport as an excuse to do some above water sightseeing for a change. Summer has now well and truly arrived, unbroken sunshine and thermometer touching 30. We go from the airport to the old town of Hyères, via an unscheduled detour to a carpark which seems to be but a figment of the soggy satnav's imagination.
Another pretty, mediaeval Provençal town, with a ruined chateau looking down from the top of the hill. Soggy and listless in the heat, only three of us set off on the climb to the top, only one arrives. Still, the view was lovely. Occupants of apartment 39 carry on to Bormes les Mimosas, in search of thank-you-for-letting-me-come-diving gift for the better half of denny, left at home holding the baby. Mission accomplished.Return to le Port de Bormes in time for dinner with the cowgirl lady at le Winch. Eat far too much foie gras and duck, so not too disappointing that the fondant au chocolat is no such thing. Nobody has soupe de poisson.
Sweltering, scenic Friday. La Gabinière in the morning, not entirely enjoyed by yours truly due to a strange regression to uncontrollable buoyancy, novice diver. All is explained on return to port when I discover my cylinder was nearly 4kg lighter than normal. Had much more fun in the afternoon, correctly weighted at la pointe de Montremian, drag the soggydiver out to the pinnacle to see the giant scorpion fish and hermit crab. Alas, it's the last dive of the week. Alack and alas, also the last restaurant dinner of the week, a return to la Brasserie du Port.
Lie in till eight on Saturday morning, spend a couple of hours cleaning before the lass from the agency returns to check the state we've left the apartments in. She hands over the 800 euro security cheque with no quibbles. A final drink in the café, a wander round the Saturday market, and then we all go our separate ways. La bienheureuse & I drop the denny-boy off at St Exupèry in plenty of time for his 7pm flight home, and that's the end of another fab La Fav week.
