How quickly time flies and tides flow...

...yes, over 500 regular tides since I last picked up the pen for this blog. Hard to believe - though obviously we didn't see the tides in the Med! Another winter in Sicily has passed and a windy one it was! We finally got away during the first week in June and spent 2 days wind-bound, anchored off the Palazzo inside Cabo Passero. The Palazzo figured in one of the Montalbano episodes.

It's a good anchorage (have used it previously) though we hooked a rock which kept us solidly held as the gusts blew through. Use a tripping line if close inshore - there be rubble off the factory pier!

Then, a pleasant sail to Malta and an anchorage in St Paul's Bay. We're ashore now for a refit over the next few months.

Decisions - if only there was one to make

I've been in Sardinia almost 2 months now, and I'm chafing at the bit. Wind today E 4/5 and then swinging NW 6/7. I could be down in Gib in 4 days, but commitments and work mean I have to hang around. Med is done for me, but looks like it will be next year before I'm back in the Atlantic. Still, tonight's sunset was a tonic!

(c) James Marinero

There's a time to run...

You've got to know when to stick and know when to twist (was it Kenny Rogers?). This was time to twist

Sardinian Sailing

I was just getting used to the vagaries of the wind here, anchored near Cagliari, when Gaia came in. What a beauty! 100' of sailing superyacht spent 3 days anchored alongside: They obviously knew I was here!

Sardinia

Finally arrived in Porto Giunco last week after much motor sailing from Sicily and really uncomfortable cross seas. We've had a windy few days here at anchor and little sailing, but hopefully today will see us in Calaforte, on San Pietro (SW corner). The local Ichnuso beer is good, and was very welcome after a tough day yesterday getting the mainsail off to repair the stakpak. Fuel? €1.98 a litre - that is painful!

Strange Phenomena - the Morrabio in Sicily

By yesterday morning it had been blowing 7-8 from the SE for almost 24 hours. It was wearing, and as I stepped onto the pontoon I noticed that the water was dirty and very turbulent - in fact there was a strong current swirling through the pontoons. As I looked S towards the control tower - see pic - I could see the water level dropping as I watched. In minutes it dropped a foot, and then started coming up again. This continued for most of the morning. I estimate that the amplitude was about 6" (12" trought to peak) with a period of 8-10 minutes. I believe the phenonmenon is called the Morrabio (spelling?), and occurs in certain pressure conditions between Pozzallo and Sciacca.

Afloat Again

It's been a long winter - grim in England and not brilliant in Sicily, but at least I'm back aboard now and the sun is warm. Plans haven't gelled yet for this summer, but I'm getting there.

Problems at sea are solved in many ways, but here's one that used a digger: