Monaco

Well, here we are in Monte Carlo, for what turned out to be an over-the -top wildly fun week!!! We ventured to Monaco to meet our dear friends, Carol and Larry Cobb. Larry is the fantastic drummer for the Kevin Costner band Modern West, and Costner and the band were in Monte Carlo for a benefit concert. Sooo, meeting with our friends we were able to be band "groupies" and play in their world all week long.



The first day we boarded a 92 ft yacht and motored over to Cannes for a wonderful lunch on the beach with Costner, the band and their wives. It was a treat for us to experience the difference between a fast motor yacht and our sail boat, re-enforcing our preference for EcstaSea. Back in Monte Carlo we enjoyed a quiet evening on the yacht, listening to the band jam and just play around.

The next day we got a special treat as we were invited aboard the super mega yacht Lady Moura. Lady Moura is a 200 million, 340 ft long vessel owned by a Saudi billionaire that we have seen all over the Med last year and this summer. We got the full tour and it was spectacular in an unreal sort of way. The best part was the fantastic lunch served aboard with truly the best food we have ever tasted. We left with the realization that the only aspect of that lifestyle we envied was the food and the cooks!!!!!

Here's a picture of our beloved EcstaSea overlooking the harbor from the palace gardens........Hmmmm, Lady Moura or EcstaSea..........We'll take EcstaSea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kevin Costner being a friend of Prince Albert afforded us a tour of the private quarters in the palace unseen to the public. Inside the residence and the beautiful gardens gave us a glimpse of the life of Princess Grace. She designed the pool and garden area herself and it had such a tranquil energy. We have toured many palaces in our travels but this was the first one that is still very much lived in and still a working palace in every way.


The next day it was truly our privelege to take a few of the band members and their wives out on EcstaSea for an exciting sail along the coast. She sailed strong, powerful and free as always. We truly enjoyed getting to know the band and their wives, all of them authentically wonderful in their own way and are proud to call them friends.

We got all dressed up (different for us as we have spent the last 5 months barely dressed at all along the islands) and Richard pretended to be Bond, James Bond with his Pussy Willow and we went to the Casino. Lost a few euros but had great fun with the rich and famous making their appearances.
And yes, Willow will take Stone, Richard Stone over Bond any day!!!!!!
The final event was the benefit concert by Costner and the band at the Moods nightclub. The concert was a benefit performance for Prince Albert's charity. Costner and Modern West are truly a first rate band and it was an awesome performance.We are grateful to Kevin and our dear friends, Carol and Larry for their generosity and inclusivity in allowing us to share in this wildly fun and outrageous week. Thank you...........


Richard's big "aha" from this experience of interacting with billionaires and celebrities is this: "They would all benefit tremendously from hanging out with us more, but we just don't have the time!" (ha ha)

And with that said, we are once again ready to enjoy our life of peaceful solitary togetherness and sail away on EcstaSea.

We are sailing south to Sardenia where we will put EcstaSea up for the winter and we will arrive back in our Tucson home around the first of November. What an awesome summer it has been and we are forever grateful for this time in our lives........................

French Riviera

France, specifically the French Riviera has been so much more than we could have imagined......
Sunny, sweet sails and breathtaking beauty as we have travelled from St Tropez to Cannes, Nice and on to Monaco. After our "Dream come True" time in St Tropez, we sailed into Cannes right in the middle of a Classic Sailboat Regatta and amazingly enough secured a berth for the night. Seeing the old beautiful boats under full sail and at the dock was quite a treat. We were berthed 100 yards from the auditorium of the Cannes Film Festival and right in the heart of all the "happenings". We walked along the beach and along the very upscale shopping streets enjoying our surroundings as well as our Hagen Das icecream. Meandering through the old town area and up the cobblestone twisting streets we had a romantic French dinner outside, complete with rose petals adorning the floor as well as our table. It reminded us of the rose petals scattered at our feet during our wedding.

Once again we craved the sweet solitude of a tranquil anchorage and found it between two islands off the coast near Cannes---Ile Ste-Marguerite and Ile St-Honorat. On Ile Ste-Marguerite there is a 17th century fort which is famous for imprisoning the "Man in the Iron Mask." His identity has never been established and the mask was really made of velvet, but the mystery and theories are still intriguing.
On the other island, Ile St-Honorat there remains a fortified tower built in 1073 and a monastery founded in the 4th century. It is a green beautiful island and was wonderful to walk and explore. We came upon a little stone chapel in the woods and thought it was a great photo-op until we saw about 10 robed monks in deep meditation within. It is still an active Cisterian monastery. We climbed the old stone stairs of the tower and tasted some wine made on the island before returning to EcstaSea.


We spent a number of timeless days anchored between these two beautiful islands in blue, clear waters as we celebrated the Full Moon on Yemaya. It was Harvest Moon and she rose pinkish-gold out of the sea.................













Enjoyed a few days at the harbor in Nice, relishing the good food, sights and sounds before moving on to Monaco.