Baia Reparata, Sardinia to Ajaccio, Corsica

Napoleon's House, Ajaccio, Corsica

FRIDAY 24 - SUNDAY 26 JULY 2009

After breakfast and a swim, we set sail for Porto Pollo in the Golfe de Valinco, on the west coast of Corsica, and arrived about 6 p.m., managing to sail about half of the 40 mile trip. We are quite nervous about sailing on the west coast of Corsica, as the prevailing winds are from the west and the winds coming down from the Golfe de Lyon, including the mistral, can be vicious.

The forecast for Saturday was a Force 7, but we decided to set off for Ajaccio, about 20 miles up the coast. The winds did not reach the predicted Force 7, but it was about a Force 5 with a very nasty sea, which made me feel very seasick. Much looking at the horizon was called for! The anchorages at Ajaccio were quite crowded and the holding was not very good in weed, so it took us over an hour to anchor.

On Sunday we went ashore in the dinghy, but the prop on the dinghy wouldn’t go round, so we had to row. Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica and the birthplace of Napoleon. Even though it was a Sunday and the main shops were closed, there was a lively atmosphere in the town, including the open air market. We visited the Musee National de la Maison Bonaparte where Napoleon was born and spent the first nine years of his life. The Corsican nationalists in 1793 and the English in 1796 ransacked the house, but it was later restored by Napoleon’s mother.

The wind was stronger by the time we got back to the dinghy and it was a long way to row, so we decided to pull the dinghy on its wheel along to a beach nearer the boat. We had to manhandle it over rocks to get it on the beach, but were helped by a couple of very helpful teenagers who also pushed us out through the surf. As we were struggling to row against the wind, a family came and gave us a tow to our boat. Roger managed to free the prop shaft, which had completely seized.

Cannigione, Golfo di Arzachen to Baia Reparata, Santa Teresa di Gallura

Leaving Cannigione, Sardinia

THURSDAY 23 JULY 2009

We managed to get some provisions in the lovely town of Cannigione and to post an important letter which I have been carrying around for nearly two weeks. Whenever we get to small bays with Marinas, we are told it is about 6 miles to a post box. It was also the first time we had found an ATM since leaving Olbia and funds were running low, even with several days of not being able to go ashore due to high winds.

Just as we were about to leave, another yacht with no skipper nearly hit us as it dragged its anchor and was making its way over to the very expensive yachts moored in the Marina. I tried calling the Marina on Channel 16 and Channel 9, but as there was no response I did a ‘Pan Pan’ which the Corsican Coastguard answered. Just as I finished giving him the details, the Marina staff came out in a dinghy and dealt with the yacht. I’m not sure if they had heard my original message or the ‘Pan Pan’.




We sailed and motor-sailed to Santa Teresa di Gallura on the northern tip of Sardinia, very close to Corsica. The anchorage there did not look inviting with rocks all around and no real protection, so we headed for Baia Reparata around the corner. The holding is weed and rock – which we discovered when first of all the anchor wouldn’t dig in, and then caught on a rock with a jolt which broke the warp connected to the hook which we put on the anchor chain. This is our last anchorage in Sardinia before crossing to Corsica and we will be very sorry to leave Sardinia, which has proved a magnificent cruising ground.

Porto Palma to Porto Garibaldi then Golfo di Arzachena

Garibaldi's House, Isola Caprera

TUESDAY 21 - WEDNESDAY 22 JULY 2009

We sailed around Isola Caprera to Porto Garibaldi, where there is a beach and a Club Med, although it seems deserted. Isola Caprera is the second largest island in the Maddalena Archipelago and was bought by Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1856. He and his family lived there on and off for many years and he died there in 1882, where he is buried with his family. 

The island was occupied by the military until 1981 and the following year was declared a nature reserve. Roger & I took the dinghy along the coast to the causeway for a guided tour of Garibaldi’s house, which is in a beautiful setting. The wind was about a Force 3-4 on the way back, and I was thinking ‘I’m glad Roger got the outboard motor working, because I wouldn’t be able to row against this wind’. Just then, the engine ran out of petrol! Roger had to row over half a mile back to the boat, making very slow progress.

The wind blew up to about a Force 5, and we had a fast sail to Golfo di Arzachena on the mainland where we anchored near the Marina and village of Cannigione. A fire had just started in the nearby hills and we watched 3 helicopters and a plane swooping down for water in the Cala to put it out.

Cugnana to Porto Palma, Isola Caprera

John and Nicky on 'Out of the Blue'

SUNDAY 19 - MONDAY 20 JULY 2009

Although calm first thing, the wind soon got up to a Force 5- 6, preventing us from going ashore again. Roger spent the morning repairing the dinghy, and it’s as good as new now. It finally calmed down enough for us to go ashore by about 6 p.m. After using the Marina Portisco showers, we had drinks with John & Denise on ‘Out of the Blue’ and went for a well-earned meal together. The Tender from ‘A’ had been moored next to John & Denise during the Storm because it was too rough to get it back on board.

The next morning we bought some provisions from the Marina, including the most expensive gas we have ever bought – 35 euros! Gas was 20 euros in Cagliari, and we thought that was expensive. We motored into a head wind to the Island of Caprera, where we anchored in the lovely bay of Porto Palma. Park authorities in a dinghy asked us for 17 euros, which is the cost of the permit to cruise in the Maddalenas. Apparently, it is 17 euros a day which includes the cruising and mooring permit, but is 30% cheaper if you book in advance on the internet or in a local port. I pointed out that four weeks ago we had searched the Park’s website, where there is no clear information, we had e-mailed them and had no reply, and we had asked the port authorities in Porto Cervo who didn’t know. His response was ‘Welcome to Italy!’


Denise had gone home, and their daughter Nicky had flown out to help John sail ‘Out of the Blue’ to Spain. They arrived in Porto Palma and had a meal on the boat with us. It was a beautiful calm, star light evening.

ANCHORING IN THE MADDALENAS: 17 euros a night. 30% cheaper if booked in advance on the internet or in a Port.

GAS: 35 euros - Marina di Portisco

Golfo di Marinella to Porto di Cugnana - 10 Miles

Our semi-submerged dinghy

THURSDAY 16 JULY - SATURDAY 18 JULY 2009

We motor-sailed the short hop to Porto di Cugnana on Thursday and anchored in the bay. We’re starting to see the really big yachts now, as this is the playground of the rich and famous who come over from the French Riviera. Calpe de Volpe looked like Gin Palace city. 

We took all our washing in the dinghy to the Marina, where there was a launderette and we could use the machines for 8 euros a load. Washing was becoming a bit of a problem as we don’t want to use our precious water supply for washing clothes and because we’re no longer using Marinas, we don’t have access to water. John & Denise were also anchored in the bay, and they come to our boat for a meal in the evening. They have booked into the Marina for three nights because a fridge engineer is coming to see them and Denise is flying home – the cost is 115 euros a night – increasing to 138 euros from 28 July!

Gale Force winds were forecast for late Friday and they weren’t kidding! It started about 6 p.m. and got up to a strong Force 9. Roger had shackled an extra anchor onto our existing one and luckily we didn’t drag at all but our anchor ball blew down. Other boats, including a very large sailing vessel, had to re-anchor.

On Saturday the wind was even stronger, and we recorded 53 knots on the wind indicator, which is the top end of a Force 10. After that, it was under-reading by about 20 knots, so we think one of the balls on top of the mast has come off as the wind did not lessen. The wind generator sounded like it was going to take off at any moment. 

The dinghy was in the water and the rear bracket with the outboard motor came off and was floating in the water – luckily still tied to a rope. We got that on board and Roger had to do some emergency work on it – wash it down in fresh water, and take out spark plugs etc. It wouldn’t start when he tried it, so we will have to try to find an engineer. We then re-tied a second line to the dinghy, but within 10 minutes the original painter had pulled the fitting out of the dinghy, and we had to put another temporary line on it. One of the buoyancy bags and the bailer came loose, but we retrieved these with the boat hook. The dinghy was so full of water it was in danger of sinking. 

The boat nearest to us realized they were dragging, and as they tried to re-anchor, their dinghy blew sideways on to the boat, acting more like a sail. It took them over an hour motoring around before they finally anchored again. One of the large mega yachts anchored in the bay is the one we saw last year in the Balearics called ‘A’. It was launched last year at a cost over £250,000,000 and is owned by a Russian.

Porto Brandinghi to Olbia - 10 Miles

Susannah moored at Olbia

SATURDAY 11 - WEDNESDAY 15 JULY 2009

John & Denise from ‘Out of the Blue’ came over on Saturday evening when the wind had calmed down, and we finally managed to leave Porto Brandinghi on Sunday.

We piloted our way between the beautiful islands, including Isola Tavolara, to Olbia, where we tied up to the quay wall. Olbia is a lovely town with plenty of cafes and restaurants and a launderette, but they were so busy they couldn’t do any washing for over a week! There is also a well stocked supermarket close by. John & Denise arrived on Monday and we went out for a couple of meals with them. A 30 meter motor yacht came in stern-to but the Harbour Master insisted he come alongside. This involved shuffling several yachts, including us, to make a space large enough. The harbour master just stood there, so Roger and I helped the skipper tie up and he managed to get a 30 meter boat into a 34 meter space. He was very friendly and gave us a bottle of wine later on.

A strong wind was forecast for Tuesday so we stayed in Olbia and went to Golfo di Marinella on Wednesday, where we anchored. After putting up the wind scoops & hammock we went swimming and gave the hull a scrub. The water is a wonderful temperature.

OLBIA - 5 euros a night, we paid 10 euros for three nights

La Caletta to Porto Brandinghi, Sardinia

This boat eventually moved!

MONDAY 6 – FRIDAY 10 JULY 2009

La Caletta is a holiday town where we managed to resupply, and left on Tuesday for a short (very slow) sail up to Porto Brandinghi, near Isola Tavolara. It is a very sheltered anchorage, which was just as well as we have been stuck here for four nights with winds of over 30 knots at times. It was too dangerous to get into the dinghy so we were stuck on the boat. An English couple we had met in La Caletta was anchored behind us but we could only wave at them. The only excitement was when the hill behind the beach caught fire and the fire planes were swooping down into the anchorage to collect water. In the end there were four fire planes and a helicopter.

Capo Ferrato - Capo Failis - La Caletta

Cala di Luna

FRIDAY 3 JULY - SUNDAY 5 JULY 2009

We motored the 37 miles to Capo Frailis, just south of Arbatax and anchored in the bay, which is now a holiday resort.

This part of the Sardinian coastline is spectacular, and the Golfo di Orosei especially so and forms part of the Parco Nazionale del Gennargenti. According to the chart all small craft are supposed to keep 2 kilometers off shore, but as we were the only ones obeying the rules, we decided to creep in nearer to see the wonderful cliffs. We saw either porpoise, dolphins or a whale but they did not come near enough for us to see clearly enough to identify them.

We anchored near the Grotto del Bue Marino and took the dinghy into the cave, joining a tour inside. The caves extend for 17 kilometers, but only 1 kilometer is accessible to tourists. They were magnificent with some amazing pillars and underground lakes. One of the caves was the last place in Sardinia used by the almost extinct Monk Seal, last seen here in the early 1980s.

As the weather was so settled, we anchored off the magnificent Cala di Luna, which is backed by a lagoon and the beautiful pink oleander.

On Sunday we motored the 25 miles to La Caletta, where we had been told we could moor on the outer pontoon for free for a couple of nights. Two young Marineros told us we could only stay 12 hours – as it was 4.30 p.m. that would mean leaving at 4.30 a.m., or we had to go inside and it would cost us 60 euros! It had been about 15 euros three weeks ago! We said we would stay on the outer pontoon, and another couple told us they had been told it was free and they had been here two nights. We saw the Harbour Master in the morning and he said the regulations say boats can only stay 12 hours. He then said we could stay for another night, but would have to leave by 8 a.m., as the night time hours don’t count!

We had run the water maker for 4 hours on Friday, but it still hadn’t come out of the overflow pipe, indicating a full tank. The next day we ran it again but it still wasn’t filling. We then discovered water in the bilges and realized the water was coming out the top of the water tank where Roger had drilled holes for the water gauge. This was easily fixed with some mastic.

Diesel: 1.22 euros a litre; 86 euros

Cagliari to Capo Ferrato

Cala Pira

MONDAY 29 JUNE - THURSDAY 2 JULY 2009

Having finally managed to tear ourselves away from Cagliari, we set off for a very slow cruise up the eastern coast of Sardinia. The weather was very settled and we had very comfortable anchorages.

We stayed for two nights in Villasimius, where there is a well stocked shop. Apparently the marina is very expensive, but the anchorage is very sheltered. We swam ashore to the bar at Cala Pira, which was like a tropical island with white sand and palm trees.


On Thursday, we anchored just south of Capo Ferrato. There are rocks and stones nearer the shore but we anchored in 4 meters in sand. After snorkeling over the rocks we swam ashore where a fisherman had set up a summer camp in his caravan, and he invited us to share his lunch of freshly grilled fish, bread, cheese and a red wine with peaches soaking in it. We then ate the peaches were divine! It was a test for our Italian as he spoke no English!