l’Olivette People No.5
Pascale, Pointu Owner
Meet Pascale, Pointu owner in the Port l’Abri de l’Olivette. I first met Pascale in 2017 during the annual Pointu race at Port Salis. He was racing for team Safranier in ‘ La vie en Rose’ a pretty Pink Pointu also anchored in l’Olivette. I remember being struck by his bright orange and rather small swimming trunks at the time. It turns out that Pascale has quite a selection of swimming trunks in various colours and patterns. So far I haven’t seen him wear the same pair twice and I have met him several times now. I met up with him for a chat back at the beginning of June when all the boat owners were preparing their Pointus to go back into the water.
How long have you owned your Pointu?
I bought my Pointu 5 years ago. It’s the first boat I have ever owned. I’m not sure what made me decide to buy a boat, it certainly wasn’t something I was planning to do. Basicaly the opportunity came up to buy a Pointu with a friend of mine so I thought, why not? We shared the cost which made it affordable however I have since bought my friends share of the Pointu.
What do you love about having a boat?
I love the sea and being on the water and I love fishing. Fishing is my passion and has been since I was young. Before I had a boat I often came to Cap d’Antibes to fish which I did from the rocks here.
What I love about having the Pointu is that now I can fish from the sea. I go out at least three times a week once the boat is in the water and sometimes more often. To be honest I don’t know why I never thought of owning a boat before.
Is owning a Pointu a lot of work?
It can be if you own a classic wooden Pointu. I have a plastic Pointu though so it only takes me maybe three or four days to prepare it for the water. Mine is the only Pointu here which is not made from wood.
Do you think you will always have a boat now that you have experienced owning one?
I am 61 years old now so I don’t think I will keep this boat forever. I think when I retire I will sell the Pointu and buy a camping car instead. The boat is too physical for me so a camping car will be a better I think.
Aside from the fishing do you have any other passions?
Motorbikes! That’s my other passion however I don’t own one anymore. Now I just have a large BMW scooter. I had many motorbikes before but a scooter is more practical for me now.
What is the significance of your gold pendant in the shape of Italy?
My family are originally from Southern Italy. They moved here when I was just 6 months old. Like many other Italian families at that time, they came to this area to find work. That’s what brought many Italians to the Cote d’Azur and especially to Antibes in the 1950’s and 60’s. Many of the people you will meet here have Italian heritage. I have spent all of my life in Antibes but I still have very strong Italian roots which is why I wear this necklace.
I can’t help but notice that I have never seen you in the same pair of swimming trunks. How many do you own?
I own probably around 50 pairs of trunks and then I also have about 20 strings (he is serious) and then a few pairs of swimming shorts but I hardly ever wear those.
At this point his wife joins in the conversation….
Whenever we pass a shop and he sees swimming trunks he buys them. They are not expensive brands or anything like that, he picks them up in different shops or at markets. If Pascale spots a colour or style he doesn’t already have then he has to have them. It’s definitely a passion of his, or maybe it’s an obsession I’m not sure what to call it. At home we have a massive drawer where he keeps all of his swimming trunks. He owns more than I do, I only have a couple of bikinis!
Read Story No.4 here
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