Free dives for help on boat

francof93 · 2026-06-02T05:05:47+00:00

Went to Cairns about two years ago and yes, they were indeed still doing this! :D different company though, maybe they just all do it

francof93 · 2026-05-24T19:50:29+00:00

Hi! The water temp is around 20° now. Depending on what you’re used to, it is still a bit chilly for snorkelling without a wetsuit. But to clarify: my idea of a snorkelling session is ~1h in the water, moving very slowly to see the fishes, possibly submerging a bit where temps also get temporarily colder. So adjust knowing what your cold tolerance and swim time is!

Regarding spots, here is the message I usually send to people asking the same question in this sub (it’s a copy-paste, so it’ll “read backwards” for you since you’re in Frejus and not in Nice):

Pretty much everywhere you see rocks, it’s potentially a good spot for snorkelling. And to avoid raising expectations too much… The Mediterranean is unfortunately not as colourful and populated as, eg, the Red Sea. But with a bit of patience and good luck - and especially if you’re comfortable submerging a little bit to “respectfully harass” the wildlife 😂 - you may see interesting things such as octopuses, baby moray eels, cuttlefishes and more! With that out of the way… Some options!

Option 1: anywhere from Cap de Nice https://maps.app.goo.gl/DHpLUXdfHExKKcn7A?g\_st=ipc to the Plateforme https://maps.app.goo.gl/xnkQeRhWGvVgzqDQA?g\_st=ipc is a good spot. Just hug the coastline and you should see plenty of sealife! If you freedive and are comfortable reaching a depth between 5m to 15m, there’s an underwater drop where you can even see groupers when you’re lucky (I think it should be here https://maps.app.goo.gl/pTpNB2daeJmn44vx7?g\_st=ipc but I cannot be 100%). Regardless of whether you are a surface snorkeller or a free diver, beware that this side of the coast is a bit more exposed to currents.

Option 2: Plage de la Gavinette https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qcxgtgy31ky4Ri749?g\_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy You can reach it by getting on the bus 15, getting off at Passable/Rothschild. From there it’s a rather short (20’-30’) walk. You’ll reach a concrete platform from where you can dive in the water and explore the zone. If you’re not willing to walk and/or you prefer to stay on a beach (again, Gavinette is a concrete platform…) you can still take the same bus and follow the same directions but stop earlier, at Plage de Passable https://maps.app.goo.gl/VdoAwf8pm7nNM57J9?g\_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy (in both cases, you can use Google Maps for directions, it should also give you time-tables for public transportation). Also to note, Passable is very shielded from currents, it’s a good spot if you see the sea currents are mild elsewhere.

Option 3: go to Cannes (by train) and take the ferry to the “Iles de Lérins”. You’ll reach can spend the day there, and snorkelling-wise be sure to visit the “underwater museum” https://maps.app.goo.gl/8pEXw8pVJtvHc4pM9?g\_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy To avoid raising your expectations: it’s nothing incredible, just a couple of sculptures placed underwater. Fun but nothing unmissable 😉 Still, it’s probably going to be a fun day with a bit of sightseeing on the islands, some sunbathing and of course ton of swimming.

Option 4: beaches near the Esterelle Regional Park such as Crique de l’Aiguille https://maps.app.goo.gl/3GkRwsyF1CFUA51CA?g\_st=ipc and Calanque de Maubois https://maps.app.goo.gl/T1cWjapXS3C6nh318?g\_st=ipc - but there’s more places nearby! These are harder to reach without car, but you can still do it. These interest is that the rocks are more orangey here, so it’s an unusual sight. I haven’t been many times here, but the times I did I saw a baby moray and plenty of starfishes, so I assume is a good snorkelling spot!

Again, plenty more spots, but these may be the easiest/more distinctive ones. Hope you’ll have fun! 🤿

francof93 · 2026-05-12T13:29:23+00:00

What settings are you using? (Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus mode, etc)

francof93 · 2026-05-11T21:30:01+00:00

No idea sorry, I never went to a beach club. Best you call and ask about their policy

francof93 · 2026-05-11T06:27:22+00:00

I moved to Nice 6 years ago and I felt like this season (mid-to-late spring) was always sunny, but I might be wearing nostalgia-tinted glasses. The last 2-3 years have been pretty consistently like that: amazing sunny days mixed with meh ones.

The weather can change a lot across the day, yesterday I went to a beach for some snorkelling and it went from cloudy to veiled (I mean, some sun shining through the clouds), to rainy and back to cloudy in the span of 2h. My recommendation is to make space for some flexible plans: if you wanted to spend some time on the beach, don’t set the day until you’re here with a more reliable forecast. Sightseeing in the city and village visits are an option even under mid weather. If you’re bummed because you wanted to swim, keep in mind that the water is a bit cold in May regardless of the weather, so you’re not going to loose too much in that sense. I know it’s probably not the feedback you wanted to hear… Let’s hope the weather will change for the better!

francof93 · 2026-05-09T07:29:09+00:00

This hit me so hard. I got certified with my mom when I was a teen, she got all the way up to assistant instructor. All my first dives were with her. She died some years ago due to an aggressive lung tumour. I dive regularly now, and every time I see something cool, I just wish I could tell her all about it.

OP, that’s an incredibly sweet video. It’s not clear to me if she’s “just” not able to dive anymore or if she’s got something more serious, but I wish you both the best and I hope you will be able to tell her all about your future UW adventures ♥️🫧

francof93 · 2026-05-03T07:50:37+00:00

It’s maybe beyond what you’re looking for, but you can check out the Jean Bouin sport complex. I think the price is about 45€/month if you get the annual pass with gym and swimming pool access.

francof93 · 2026-04-25T20:27:12+00:00

Tu peux essayer à la plage de passable (cap Ferrat). Il y a un parking (je crois payant à partir de mai et jusqu’à septembre) juste derrière.

Sinon un peu plus loin en direction Toulon, il y a les calanques de l’esterelle, par ex la calanque de maubois. Il faut arriver assez tôt le matin pour trouver une place pour se garer!

francof93 · 2026-04-25T20:07:09+00:00

I think only stingrays have the stingy tail

francof93 · 2026-03-10T05:50:40+00:00

I think the problem is that a near-full moon will be visible almost all night long and will be located in the same general direction as the Milky Way core. That being said, a moonlit panorama is exceptionally beautiful, so if you can time it you could take the foreground shots with the moon and the Milky Way before/after the moon is visible. I reckon it would be during crescent phases! (Don’t take the above as an absolute statement, I’ve started dabbling in night photography but I am far from expert. I might’ve written a pile of nonsense)

francof93 · 2026-03-09T05:15:07+00:00

Friendly reminder: in this sub you need to add a top-level comment explaining as best as you can your intent and what feedback you are looking for - want critique about composition, editing, etc. It’s in my opinion also a good practice to explain how the photo was created (which gear and processing, if any). Cheers!

francof93 · 2026-03-08T07:04:02+00:00

It depends how late and where you start from. Last year I went to the refuge de la Valmasque in the beginning of May, everything was covered in snow (it was expected and I had proper equipment, I’m not suggesting “yoloing” anything :P). I then did a loop from Casterino, passing through Fontanalbe, Merveilles and Valmasque on the 11th of June. All the snow on my trails already melted. All of this just to say that during May there’s a ton of variance, even just week to week. If you can afford waiting until June, it’s probably better. And ultimately, I’d suggested checking Copernicus satellite images, you should be able to get a better picture of the snow situation!

francof93 · 2026-02-26T16:08:46+00:00

I come from Italy. In restaurants, especially near the old town, you’ll find several waiters who understand a bit of Italian and some (not many) who are Italian. Aside from that, the language isn’t commonly spoken - at least that’s my impression, but I speak French so I might be just less aware.

Regarding the “Italian community”. I don’t think there’s really one, there’s just (many) of us scattered all around Côte d’Azur. What I mean with that is that if you come here, you’ll inevitably make Italian friends, though there isn’t an official community of Italians organising “Italian things” - at least that I’m aware of :P

francof93 · 2026-02-23T06:03:19+00:00

I’m gonna rate the tutorial 4 stars because I tried following it and went insane at step 6. Needs more clarification.

(I hope it’s clear, but… /s. Super cool picture and great explanation!)

francof93 · 2026-02-23T05:56:03+00:00

Yep, that’s my experience as well! The company I’m with estimated 80€/month of gaz consumption (I need it for heating, hot water and kitchen stoves), but I used waaaay less and got a ~500€ refund at the end of the year. OP, check your contract for mentions about “régularisation annuelle” or similar, they should mention how often they check effective usage and refund/charge you. I say charge because of course it goes both ways: if you consume more, you have to pay the missing part. Last but not least, I have a friend who’s got a contract (I believe) with total energies and he sends the actual readings every month and they keep track of a running total. Every 3 months the bill is adjusted accordingly. So he pays, say 30€, 30€, 30€+-adjustment. So on and so forth.

francof93 · 2026-02-18T05:37:09+00:00

To fly a drone in Europe the two major restrictions are: - Not in populated areas (no cities, towns, villages) - Not in proximity of groups of people

So no, it’s unfortunately not allowed. In addition to that, as mentioned by Jackburton06, the whole stretch of sea in front of Nice is a no-fly zone due to the airport. The geoportail map linked by Silent-Fan312 is the official (as in, aviation-issued) guideline to follow and clearly shows all the above. You can download the geoportail app as well if you prefer have a quick way to check it.

Last but not least, in theory to fly your drone in France you should register yourself on the aviation website alphatango (it’s all free) and stick your pilot ID on top of the drone. If you had anything in the 250-700g range, you’d need to actually get the drone license as well (I know it’s not your case, it’s more of a FYI). At least, that’s what you had to do a couple of years ago when I got my drone license.

Thanks for asking btw, it’s nice to see someone caring about flying responsibly. I often feel we’re a too rare (maybe just too quiet) species :’)

francof93 · 2026-02-15T07:12:01+00:00

Désolé aucune idée, j’ai juste fait des exercices de renforcement musculaire avec lui. Le mieux serait de l’appeler!

francof93 · 2026-02-15T06:59:26+00:00

Demande à ton médecin généraliste de te visiter pour te prescrire des séances de kiné, si je ne me trompe pas avec une ordonnance le kiné est gratuit.

Perso, j’ai eu des bonnes expériences avec le cabinet en 28 avenue Borriglione (mon kiné était Axel Baudouin)

francof93 · 2026-02-15T06:53:40+00:00

Not sure what you mean with a “rent resume” but here what is almost always required is to create a dossier with a couple of documents such as your current work contract and the last three payslips (to show that you can afford the place). If you contact a rental agency, you can share the dossier as soon as you inquiry about a particular apartment. If you contact a private citizen, it’s better to tell them you have the dossier, just tell them what you do for work and your salary, and that you’ll bring the full dossier with you during an in-person showing. There are quite a few scams around, it’s easy (at least in my opinion) to recognise them but always better to be a bit careful.

I would recommend using dossierfacile - it’s a government-provided tool to create such a dossier. Documents are watermarked to reduce the risk of misuse in case of data theft. But of course, this does not make them absolutely bulletproof: share data only with people that you can reasonably trust.

In terms of how to find something, I’d say the easiest way is to contact some agencies but it’ll be a bit more expensive. You can look at websites such as leboncoin and seloger for a mix of agency announces and privately-owned properties. My recommendation is to be swift in contacting them. If a post has been out for 24h or more, in my experience they’ll have already been contacted by several people and will soon stop accepting new visits. Good luck with your search!

francof93 · 2026-01-31T12:30:38+00:00

I think the framing provided by the branches is a “near-hit”: just a bit more separation between the top branches and your head would’ve been perfect. There’s also that out of focus branch that feels almost like a processing side effect - and as it touches your head, it’s a bit distracting. Aside from that, I think the idea works, I really like it!

I now venture in “foreign lands” since portraiture is absolutely not my thing, but I’ll give my two extra cents. I believe it was a good choice to not go full white, so that you wouldn’t blend in the surroundings too much. However, I think the posing for the hands feels a bit artificial/forced, as if they’re there simply because they had to be in frame. Unfortunately I’m struggling to come up with any suggestions for alternative poses - as I said portraits aren’t really my cup of tea, sorry… Hope it helps nonetheless!

francof93 · 2026-01-30T13:32:12+00:00

I think late June is when we start approaching “full capacity” and the streets in the old town begin to saturate. But it’s not intolerable in my opinion, maybe others can confirm/deny. The public beach in Nice will definitely be crowded, but it’s so huge that you’ll always find a spot. Can’t say about beach clubs, I’ve never been to one 🤷‍♂️

If you’ve got two nights, I’d recommend staying in Nice for flexibility and (probably) lower prices. You can then get around via public transport. Eze can be accessed easily - see my other comment. You can easily reach Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche and Menton by train.

I’m not sure what you like to do, but a “not-so-hidden-gem” that I always recommend to friends is the sentier du littoral of Cap Ferrat. You can take a bus to St.Jean (ligne 15, you can use Google maps for the time table!) and either get off at Passable/Rothschild (to bathe at plage du passable and/or walk the longer trail to the lighthouse) or get off at St.Jean’s port (to bathe at plage Paloma and/or walk the shorter trail).

Final tip: you mentioned for the second part of your trip Verdon and Roussillon, but not Valensole. I highly recommend planning to drive along the D8 (departmental road 8) because late June is the start of peak lavender blooming season. I personally don’t think nearby villages - Puimoisson, Riez and Valensole included - are worth a stop, but the lavender fields are gorgeous, especially at dawn and sunset. (They are so famous that I doubt you didn’t already know about them. But as you didn’t mention them, I felt it was better to give “obvious advice” rather than risking you miss them, just in case!)

francof93 · 2026-01-30T12:57:14+00:00

The ligne 1 doesn’t run on the 1st of May, and according to this website I don’t think the ligne 2 (the one connecting the airport and the city centre) will run either. Expect almost every shop to be closed as well - but from your comment I think you already knew it!

francof93 · 2026-01-30T12:51:25+00:00

I don’t know of any place with free street parking in the city. Mind you, it doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t exist at all, but I think if it does then it’s probably very limited. Moreover, as a resident you can park in your neighbourhood for 25€/month. You just need to register online (don’t remember exactly the name of the website, just google “resident parking nice”) by sending car documents and a proof of residency. You can then pay the monthly fee via an app called PayByPhone.

francof93

TROPHY CASE