l’Olivette People No.6
Bernard, Pointu Owner.
Meet Bernard, Pointu owner in the Port l’Abri de l’Olivette. He ownes Anthias, or the Hippocampe as I like to call it because of the wooden Seahorse on the bow. Believe it or not Bernard is turning 80 years old this month. He must be doing something right as you would never guess. Maybe it’s the Cap d’Antibes air and his wifes’ fish soup which is keeping him looking so young! I hope I look this good when I turn 80, all I am missing is the fish soup, I’ve got the exposure to the Cap d’Antibes air covered 🙂
Bernard, how long have you owned your Pointu?
I have had Anthias for 22 years.Before owning this Pointu I used to have a small Catamaran.
Why did you change to a Pointu?
I loved sailing my Catamaran but unfortunately it gave me a lot of back problems, it’s hard work so I had to find something which was less physical. In any case now I am nearly 80 years old, my birthday is in September, so a Pointu is much more sensible for a man my age.
Have you had a boat for most of your life?
Yes, but always sailing boats. I love to sail. A pointu is a completely different experience of being on the sea.
Why is your Pointu called Anthias?
Anthias is a type of fish. They are a little like the Castagnole, the little black fish which you see here, except Anthias are pink.
What’s the significance of the hippocampe on the bow?
The wooden Hippocampe was made by the person who sold me the boat. He wasn’t a carpenter or anything like that he just made things from wood for pleasure. I liked it so I never considered removing it.
How often do you go out on Anthias?
During the summer 2 or 3 times a week, maybe more. With the motor I often go over to the Baie des milliardaires, it’s such a peaceful place to be especially in the mornings. My wife and I love to spend the mornings there. In the afternoons the bay starts getting busy so this is when we leave and go back to the l’Abri de l’Olivette.
However, at the moment I find it a bit of an effort to use the boat. I am currently having to use an outboard motor as the inboard motor is broken. Unfortunately I can’t leave the outboard motor on the Pointu overnight as people will steal it. This means every time I use the Pointu I need to bring the outboard motor with me. It weights about 27kilos!!! It’s a bit of a disincentive to be honest.
Do you ever use the sails?
Sometimes, it obviously depends on the wind. You can travel much faster using the sails. With just the motor it can take me 15 minutes just to get to the Hotel du Cap. If you like going fast then a Pointu would not be the rigth boat for you.
Do you ever fish when you are out on the Pointu?
Yes I do. There are lots of fish to catch around the Cap and of course my wife then makes fish soup with whatever I catch. I think most of the fish caught on the Cap probably end up in someones soup.
Read Story No.5 here
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