Life plain sailing for ship-shape CJ

A BRONZED and fit-looking Charles Haughey is celebrating life on the high seas.

At the helm for most of his political life, the former Taoiseach has discovered life is plain sailing in a playground of the rich.

But his presence with wife Maureen on the Cote d'Azur is causing a few ripples among the super-rich in Antibes.

"They seem nice enough," said a yacht owner in the millionaire resort, "no different from any other well-heeled couple".

Twinned with Kinsale, Co Cork, the yearly cost of a berth in the exclusive south of France harbour is nearly €17,000.

The Haughey's are aboard a 60-ft ketch, Jasmin, while their favourite sailing boat, Celtic Mist, is undergoing repairs in Malahide.

Last year, Mr Haughey skipped his annual trip to the Mediterranean due to ill-health.

But, in recent days, the ex-Fianna Fáil leader appeared to be in the best of health as he was pictured aboard the luxurious €500,000 yacht, registered in the British Virgin Islands. The yacht, with a full-time crew of three and with the services of a full-time maid, is home for the Haughey's.

Harbour watchers said the yacht has made short daily leisurely cruises in the azure waters between Antibes and an equally famous neighbouring port, Cannes.

Mr Haughey, in port, was seen pottering around the yacht, taking it easy and reading Irish and British newspapers.

Onshore, he has been spotted at the quayside Hotel du Cap, where a set lunch at its famous Eden Roc restaurant is €135.

The relaxing lifestyle is a far cry from the corruption and tribunals which bedevilled Mr Haughey's retirement from public life.

Four years ago, his health advisers told the Moriarty Tribunal that Mr Haughey was too ill to give evidence and the strain of the inquiry was a risk to shortening his life expectancy. Mr Haughey has not given substantial evidence to the tribunal since 2001. It was investigating how he maintained an extraordinary lifestyle on a modest public representative's income.

The tribunal, which has cost the State €14 million, uncovered payments totalling €11m to Mr Haughey from businessmen. The tribunal indicated it had finished talking to him, but is yet to make a final report. In midsummer last year, sections of the media reported Mr Haughey was almost at "death's door".

However, being ever the great survivor, Mr Haughey did manage, a few months later, to make his traditional August sailing pilgrimage to Kerry and his private retreat on Inisvickillaune.

Later last year, Mr Haughey, in one of his rare public appearances in 2003, attended the funeral of his brother Jock.

However, as temperatures reached 30 degrees centigrade in the south of France this week, wine connoisseur Mr Haughey has picnicked on some of the Lerins islands, several miles off the coast. One of the islands he visited was St Hanorat, where working monks produce a special white wine very exquisite and very expensive.

CJ, it appears, continues to have a taste for the good life.