Marina Salivoli to Rome

 MONDAY 10 - THURSDAY 12 AUGUST 2009

We spent the next three days sailing to Rome where we intended to book a berth for the winter.  I flew home on 13 August.

Porto Azurro, Elba to Marina Salivoli, Italy

Deck shower

SATURDAY 8 - SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2009

We had a gentle morning sail to Cavo, and after a swim in the clear water had lunch followed by a siesta. We then dinghied ashore to the pleasant holiday village of Cavo, where we sampled the local beer and ice creams.

The next day we had an excellent sail to Piombino on mainland of Italy, about 5 miles away, and managed to secure a berth in Marina Salivoli for the night. We walked the two kilometers to the train station to see where it was and after a rest on the boat, went out for a meal in the nearby Pizaria.



Diane and Graham left at 6 a.m. on Sunday to catch their flight home from Pisa. We had all had a fantastic week and Diane and Graham had got some more sea miles to add to their log books. Roger and I then sailed about 40 miles to the Island of Giglio. The bay seemed quite large but the water was very deep, and where it was shallow enough to anchor it was either a restricted swimming area or other boats were anchored. In the end we anchored in a small cala in the north of the bay with one other yacht..


Marina Salivoli: 50 euros per night

Diesel: 1.17 euros per litre, 53 euros

Graham's Blog - a Scoot around Elba

My bike after the acciden

FRIDAY 7 AUGUST 2009

We could go diving today … “Is my ear infection better? Do I want to get wet? How much would a scooter cost? So many questions, so early in the day. We eventually decided that a scoot around the island would be good, so we left Roger opting to catch up on his reading. The 125cc Honda for Diana and me cost 52 euros and Sheila’s 100cc was 40 euros. With the miserable rental employee’s words “you covered for car hitting you but any damage to my bike and you pay” ringing in my ears, we planned a route on the useless recommended map (6.50 euros) – there are better ones – and set off along the south coast.

When we reached Porto Ferraio in the north – yes, we got lost frequently and only reached planned destinations by default. All was well, fantastic scenery and quiet roads, and when we stopped to check the map again, “where’s Sheila?” “Oh my god, she’s down!” Sheila’s bike was lying in the road, having been shunted up the rear by an Italian motorist. Miraculously, Sheila’s injuries were mainly limited to bits of her which she wouldn’t show us and the Italian was helpfully rebuilding and restarting her bike. He then ‘phoned the rental office and promised to sort things out at the end of the day, admitting liability.

Anxious to go on, Sheila, plucky to the last, dusted herself down and we set off on a series of further missed turnings and serendipitous bays and roadside café/bars. Lunch was on a hillside overlooking a brilliant blue bay at the Hotel Paradiso, Veticcio, and ice cream on the south coast, beach side.

Back at the rental shop, misery’s mood was even darker as he checked the bikes for damage and full fuel tanks. He then called up the Italian motorist who said that he’d be there in 30 minutes to sort things out. The girls went in the sea and I went to a bar. When I got back to the rental shop, Sheila had been charged with three days loss of rental income for repairs to be made to the bike. Beware – lack of blame does not cover you for this charge. The Italian motorist split the charge 50/50 but the cost to Sheila was still 72 euros. As we were leaving, misery finally enquired as to Sheila’s well being and almost smiled – or was it the Italian’s equivalent of wind? The girls, not wanting to miss out, then insisted that we went back to the bar for a beer.

After getting some provisions, it was time to get back to Roger, who had been stranded at anchor on Susannah - it was now past 8 o’clock and we had left at 10 a.m.

We found our dinghy completely rammed in at the quay, and got out with much pushing and shoving. As we cleared the harbour, the fuel ran out and the girls paddled back to Susannah – well, I would have unbalanced the boat if I had moved to a comfortable rowing position!

Bastia, Corsica to Porto Azurro, Elba with Diane and Graham

Di and Graham trying to sort out our fishing problems

MONDAY 3 AUGUST TO THURSDAY 6 AUGUST 2009

Monday was spent cleaning the boat and getting things in and out of cupboards to make room in the forward cabin for Diane and Graham, who had been holidaying in Nice and arrived on the ferry about 9 p.m. They brought some wind with them, giving us a Force 6 – 7 – so glad we were in a Marina for this one!

There is a Dive School in the Marina, so after some sightseeing in Bastia, the four of us took the opportunity to go diving on Tuesday, although the wind was still quite strong in the morning. We all piled into the Dive Boat to be taken just outside the Marina by the beach – we could have walked there! The dive was called The Aquarium, but it was one of the least interesting dives we have done – only about 12 meters with not much flora and fauna.

There was a lovely atmosphere in the Marina and we met some very friendly people. Marcelle, a Swiss, was on the boat next to ours and he gave us some tomatoes and cucumbers from a friend’s garden. Andrew is a Doctor and he gave us all diving medical certificates over a drink on their boat, which they keep in Bastia. We had a lovely meal in the picturesque old port in the evening.

We set off for Elba on Wednesday, exchanging French waters and wine for Italian once again and anchored in the bay of Lacona. The next day we sailed to Porto Azurro in a gentle breeze, except for the last hour or so when the wind piped up to a strong Force 6. As the boat heeled over, and no one seemed to be attending to the sails, I did ask if the boat was under control!

Saint Florent to Bastia, Corsica where we were robbed!

The two men who robbed our boat

SAINT FLORENT TO BASTIA, CORSICA

FRIDAY 31 JULY TO SUNDAY 2 AUGUST 2009

We have had to motor-sail most of the way up the west coast, because of the lack of wind, and the last two days were no exception. However, I would rather have no wind than a strong westerly, which would leave us with no shelter. The anchorages on the west side of Corsica seem to have more of a roll than we experienced in Sardinia but the scenery is spectacular with the high mountains rolling down to a few beautiful towns and villages. 

On Friday we anchored just around Cap Corse, the northern tip of Corsica, and then went on to Bastia, where we anchored south of the citadel. Another British boat joined us later. It’s a very exposed anchorage with a slight roll to it, so we decided to investigate marina prices and were pleasantly surprised that both marinas charge about 40 euros a night – not bad in August!

After a meal and exploring the town, we dinghied back to our boat, and the men on the British boat told us we had been boarded first by two young men, and then one of the men had come back with a woman and child! The men had taken photos of the boarders when they got back to the beach. When we got on our boat, we realized they had got in through the aft hatch, which we always keep open for ventilation, and had broken the locks on three lockers in our aft cabin, pulling all my clothes out. They had also pulled stuff off the shelf above the sink in our cabin, and stolen some of my jewelry. The next day they were back on the beach again! I wanted to report the robbery to the police, particularly as the thieves were still there, but Roger felt it would involve too much bureaucracy and take too much time.

We went into Port Toga marina, which is very convenient for the laundry, shopping and dive centre. This was the first time fore five weeks that we had had access to water, so we gave the boat a good wash. It is also the first time we’ve had electricity and I can use a hairdryer!

Marina Port Toga: 123 euros for three nights, free WiFi

Porto to Saint Florent

Saint Florent, Corsica

WEDNESDAY 29 - THURSDAY 30 JULY 2009

We had an excellent French breakfast ashore and did some shopping before motor-sailing the 35 miles to Calvi, which is set in stunning scenery. The 15th century citadel looked spectacular against the backdrop of the 2706 meter high Monte Cinto, - we could even see a couple of patches of snow! During the 1794 battle at Calvi against the Genoese, Captain Horatio Nelson was wounded by splinters of rock and lost the use of his right eye.

Most of the large bay is taken up with buoys, and although there were a lot free, we didn’t know if there was a charge for them, so we anchored nearly a mile away, which meant a long dinghy ride. The town was bustling with all the amenities – I even found a much-needed hairdresser! The mountains seemed to turn pink as the sun went down, and after a supper of crepes, we managed to find our boat in the twilight.

The next day we passed Corsica’s 5000 hectare desert on the way to Saint Florent, a lovely French town at the base of the 20 mile long northern peninsular of Corsica.

Diesel at Saint Florent: 1.19 euros per litre - 70 euros.

Ajaccio to Porto, Corsica

Porto Valley

MONDAY 27 - TUESDAY 28 JULY 2009

After getting diesel in the Marina, we motor-sailed the 35 miles to Porto, The Pilot Book warns that Porto can be very dangerous with strong westerly winds, which are strengthened due to the deep valley, but luckily light easterly winds were forecast. The setting is magnificent with the beach set under spectacular cliffs and the village of Porto spreading up the deep gorge by the river, lined with eucalyptus trees and oleander.

Because of the clear water and the local marine park, Porto is a major diving centre, so we booked in with one of the centres and had a lovely dive in clear, warm water where we saw nudibranch, fan coral and had an excellent view of a moray eel. We found a launderette, an internet café and had excellent meals in a couple of the many restaurants. The anchorage was very calm the first night, but the second night it was a bit of a roll.

Diesel in Ajaccio: 1.21 euros per litre; 96 euros

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!

Cagliari

Julia, Gert and me

FRIDAY 26 JUNE - SATURDAY 27 JUNE 2009

We intended leaving Cagliari on Saturday but the Mistrale was still blowing and the forecast was for a Force 4 for the next 2 days, with gusts of 37 miles an hour, and as we were going to be at anchor, we decided to wait until Monday. 

The wind had eased by lunch time, but as a friend of ours once said “I’d rather be in here wishing I was out there, than out there wishing I was in here”. By late afternoon there was a strong Force 5-6 so we were definitely pleased we had stayed. It also meant we could go out with everyone for a farewell pizza (which was the best we had ever tasted) and join in with the marina Bar-B-Que on the Saturday.

Nouro to Cagliari

Fonni Street Scene

WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE 2009

After checking out from the hotel we headed for Fonni, which is another village with murals. At 1000 meters it is the highest village in Sardinia. The village seemed to be preparing for a fiesta as one of the main roads out of the village was blocked and green covering was being laid. We’d seen a lot of horses around the town, and we think they were preparing for some kind of horse race. 

 A lot of the men (more than usual) were gathered in various groups in smart clothes and there were a lot of children who’d obviously got the day off school. When we couldn’t find the right road out of the town (again) one of the locals told us to follow him in his car and he showed us to the edge of the town. We cannot get over how friendly and helpful everyone is.

We headed on to the main fast road to Oristano and went to visit the murals in San Sperate before going back to Cagliari.

Eastern Coast of Sardinia

TUESDAY 23 JUNE 2009

As we will be sailing up the Eastern Coast of Sardinia, we thought we’d visit Cervo, on the Costa Smeralda but managed to get lost in Nuoro, ending up in some extremely narrow streets, and then took a wrong turn and found ourselves about 6 miles up a mountain and the only route was back to Nuoro. The lack of signs is even worse in Sardinia than they are in Spain!

Once again, the scenery was fantastic, whether it was in the mountains or by the coast. Cervo is the playground of the rich and famous, but we were slightly disappointed by it. It seemed very artificial with no real heart to it – we’ve certainly seen better and livelier marinas.

Needless to say, we got lost in Olbia on the way back and nearly ended up on a ferry!

We called in to Oliena on the way to our hotel, where the women were out doing their shopping. Most of the older women in these mountain villages wear black, with a black shawl.

Golfo di Marinella, Costa Smerelda

Mountains of Sardinia

Monte Albo

MONDAY 22 JUNE 2009

Sardinia touches all the senses. The aromatic smells from the wild flowers, the sounds of the bells on the sheep cows and the superb views. Beautiful pink, red and white Oleander are everywhere. The mountains are so breathtaking it makes driving dangerous as it was difficult to keep my eyes on the road and not on the view. Some of the hairpin bends were hair-raising! 

After a visit to Dorgali, we drove to Monte Albo north of Nuoro, passing through the mountain towns of Lula, Sant’Anna, Lode and Bitti. Apparently, Bitti’s local dialect is said to be the closest thing to Latin! At one point we caught a glimpse of Isola Tavolara and the Mediterranean.

As all roads seem to point to Nuoro, we visited the town, but got stuck in a café for over an hour as it was pouring with rain.

Oliena and Orgosolo, Central Sardinia

Orgosolo Wall Painting

SUNDAY 21 JUNE 2009

Oliena is a mountain village where many of the houses seem to be falling into ruin, but others are well cared for. The older women wear black or dark clothes, with a black shawl. Some of the walls are decordated with murals, but the main centre for wall paintings is Orgosolo.

Murals first began to appear on the walls of Orgosolo in the 1960s and the practice has since spread to other towns and villages in Sardinia. The themes are usually political, but often deal with issues such as emigration and the tough pastoral way of life. The surrounding countryside was bandit country, in particular Orgosolo, and during the 1960s Orgosolo was the subject of a film by Vittorio De Seta ‘Bandits at Orgosolo’. Knowing this, it was rather disconcerting to notice that most of the signs on entering villages had bullet holes in them!

Central Sardinia by car

Main tower of 'Su Nuraxi', c 1500 BC

SATURDAY 20 JUNE 2009

We hired a car (quite expensive at over 200 euros for 5 days for a Fiat 600!) and drove through the middle of Sardinia, stopping to look at some of the wall paintings in Villamar. We also visited the impressive ‘Su Nuraxi’ near Barumini, where there are the remains of the largest nuraghic fortress in Sardinia, parts of which date from 1500 BC. It was amazing to actually walk inside the central keep and the four main towers. The whole complex had been buried until a flood in 1949 exposed part of it and it was then excavated. There are over 7,000 of these nuraghi dotted all over Sardinia.

The rest of the drive was magical through mountain passes, passing through quite large mountain towns such as Aritzo and Fonni. It took a lot longer than we expected because of the mountain roads, and we didn’t arrive at our hotel until about 9 p.m. The hotel we stayed at is about 5 kilometers from Oliena up Monte Maccione, with superb views of the valley, Oliena and the mountain opposite with the town of Nuoro.

Calgiari, Sardinia

Cape arriving back from their trip around Sardinia

FRIDAY 12 JUNE - FRIDAY 19 JUNE 2009

Over the weekend we met up with Sarah, David & their two children Bryn & Bethany who are sailing on ‘Cape’. We first met them in the Rio Guadiana in Portugal last year, and later met up briefly in Barbati in Spain and then Morocco. They had overwintered in Calgiari and had just arrived back after a month’s cruise to Corsica. They’re planning to get to Turkey by the autumn in order to join the rally to India.

Roger and I enrolled on a week’s Italian course to give us a kick start as we will be in Italian waters for quite a while now. We also have a couple of excellent Italian courses on board which we have started.

Pula to Cagliari, S. Sardinia - 18 Miles

Cagliari

THURSDAY 11 JUNE 2009

We are now sailing in the Tyrrhenian Sea and motor sailed to Cagliari, arriving about lunch time, where we were met by Gary who has lived in his boat in the Marina del Sole for about 6 years. We met Gary about 6 years ago when we first sailed ‘Susannah’ to Northern Spain for a summer holiday, and that was the year Gary had set off to see where the wind took him. We had a couple of drinks with him and his girlfriend, Julia, and then went off in search for a new Italian ‘dongle’ to give us internet access. In the evening we went out with Gary and Julia for a Chinese and met up with some others later on in a restaurant for drinks. Late to bed!

Malfanto to Pula, Sardinia - 17 Miles

WEDNESDAY 10 JUNE 2009

We sailed to Pula which is on the southern coast of Sardinia and anchored in the bay about lunch time. We tried anchoring in the corner but the weed was too thick – we also had to avoid getting the anchor tangled up with underwater rocks and underwater remains of the Roman city of Nora. The impressive remains of Nora are on the Cape of Pula and include a forum, a marketplace, houses, some with mosaic flooring, a temple, roman baths and loos!

A yacht called Gipsy Rose anchored near us and we recognized them from Ibiza last year, so we ended up having drinks with Norman and Pam on their boat

Remains of Nora, Cape Pula 

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Calasetta to Malfatano, S. Sardinia - 49 Miles

Malfatano Anchorage

MONDAY 8 JUNE - TUESDAY 9 JUNE 2009

It was a lovely calm day, with a smooth sea, although there was a slight swell. We motor-sailed down the coast of Isola di Sant' Antioco and were approached by the Italian coastguard telling us there were military operations in the area and we had to go 5 miles out to sea around Capo Teulada – this added about 8 miles on to our journey! Not only that, as they passed behind us they managed to cut Roger’s fishing line with his hooks and ‘chinaman’ on! I’m sure replacing lost fishing tackle has been far more expensive than eating in the most expensive seafood restaurants! 

We arrived at Malfatano about 6.30 p.m. which is a beautiful unspoilt bay with a few campervans parked on the shore, and we spent the next day there at anchor.

Carloforte, Isolo di San Pietro to Calasetta, Isola di Sant' Antioco

Susannah in Carloforte, Sardinia

THURSDAY 4 JUNE - SATURDAY 6 2009

Thursday morning we went to see the friendly Marina Manager, Andrea, and negotiated a price to stay an extra night. It should have been 30 euros a night, but he offered a price of 50 euros for the two nights as it is not the height of the season and he had plenty of space. He also said he would get our gas bottle filled for us.

Carloforte is a lovely town with pastel painted houses and winding back streets on the island of Isola di San Pietro, about 7 km off the coast of Sardinia.. Although ferries run to and from the island, tourism is very low key. Eating out is more expensive now, so we will have to start cooking more on board. However, it is very enjoyable shopping in the local stores and trying out our Italian.


On Friday, after getting our filled gas bottle back from Andrea and filling up with diesel in the fishing port, we sailed the 4 miles to Isola di Sant’ Antioco and anchored in a lovely wide bay by Calasetta. Although there was about a 20 knot wind, we were quite sheltered. Also anchored there was another British boat, and French, Dutch and Swedish boats.

The forecast was not very settled for the Saturday, so we decided to stay at Calasetta and took the dinghy ashore. Calasetta is even more low key than Carloforte, with almost every corner being a surprise, culminating in the lovely ‘main’ street and piazzo a few streets back from the sea front. We stopped to talk to the people on the British boat, Gin Rummy, Simon and Katie, and they came over for a drink in the evening.

We stayed at Calasetta for three nights altogether, as I had a migraine on the Sunday.

The heat has definitely been turned on and most days are about 30 degrees.

Diesel - Carloforte: 1.12 euros a litre – 137 euros.

MARINA MARINATOUR, Carloforte: 50 euros for 2 nights.

Fornells, Menorca to Porto Torre Grande, Sardinia, then Carloforte, Isola di San Pietro

SUNDAY 31 MAY - WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE

The lazy line we had to cut

We left Fornells when it was still dark at 5.15 a.m. It seemed strange to be leaving Spanish waters behind us, as we have been in Spain on and off for the past 18 months. We’re heading for a new culture, new cuisine and a new language.

As I was sick on the last night passage, I decided to put on an anti-seasickness patch – they last about 72 hours, so are great for longer journeys. We motored the first 100 miles and had to transfer diesel from our containers, but we were then able to sail most of the way.

During the night there was thunder, lightning and rain. It was quite enjoyable tracking the rain squalls on the radar and watching the sheet lightning light the sky but when the fork lightning started, I got worried. The only tall thing for miles around was us and if it was looking for something to hit, ‘Susannah’ could be the target! During the whole journey, we only picked up one ship on our AIS – and that was 35 miles away! I turned the radar off and contemplated turning the chart plotter off and putting both of them in the oven for protection, but in the end I didn’t want to be without the chart plotter. I’ve found the best way to pass a night watch is with my i-pod listening to Faithless and Metallica – it’s even better when you have your own light show to watch!


As we were nearing Sardinia, a securite message gave a strong wind warning of 7 – 8 for the area, which decided us that we would have to go into the Marina tonight. The Pilot Book says the charge band for Torre Grande is 3, which is quite high, but the charge was only 22 euros a night. We arrived in a strong Force 5 and booked in for 2 nights because the wind is forecast to remain strong until tomorrow lunch time.

We spent the next day doing the washing and trying to get to grips with the Italian language, now we’re in Italian waters.

Our exit from the Marina on Wednesday was slightly embarrassing as we managed to catch our own lazy line – although we were right in the middle of the marina when it got caught in the prop. Roger had watched it sink, but it must have sunk very slowly! We called the Marineros to help us rebirth and Roger managed to untangle it – not easy with the Marineros watching as they didn’t want any more of their line cut! We finally left about 10.30 a.m. and motor sailed about 50 miles to Carlaforte, arriving about 7.30 p.m.

MARINA TORRE GRANDE: 44 euros for 2 nights, including water, electricity and showers. No internet.

Barcelona to Fornells, Menorca - 120 Miles, 22 Hours

Fornells, Menorca

THURSDAY 28 - FRIDAY 29 MAY

We left mainland Spain for the last time to go to Menorca, ready for our crossing to Sardinia. We managed to sail over half the way there and only used about 40 litres of diesel. Small sail jelly fish accompanied us the whole way to Menorca. We had only seen these once before when we sailed to Tenby a few years ago. The only other wildlife we saw on the trip was a dolphin which jumped right next to the boat as I was looking into the water and scared the life out of me! I was feeling a little seasick late afternoon and couldn’t eat any tea. I took the 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. night watch, during which I was sick. It was a very clear night and the stars were magnificent, although I was feeling too ill to enjoy them.

We picked up one of the free buoys in Fornells about 8.30 a.m. and after a bacon and egg breakfast (I was feeling better by then!) had a siesta. There didn’t seem to be so many buoys as last year, but it may still be a little early in the season. Luckily, the wonderful cheap restaurants were open, still serving excellent Menu del Dias during the day and evening for about 8 euros.

Diesel: 1.05c, 40 euros.

Wildlife: Dolphins, Sail Jellyfish

Barcelona

Chimneys of Casa Mila

SUNDAY 24 - WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2009

After my two week visit to see Jess and help her find her first house, I returned to Barcelona.  We managed some more sightseeing including the Plaza de Espana with its famous Magic Fountain, Montjuic, the Poble Espanyol, which was built for the 1929 International Exhibition and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya which has an impressive collection of art dating from 12th Century. 

 

During the next couple of days we concentrated on Gaudi, visiting the Parc Guell and various Gaudi buildings, including the Sagrada Familia. We also managed a visit to The Ice Bar, where the temperature is kept at about -5 degrees and everything is made of ice, including the glasses you drink out of!

There is certainly plenty to keep you occupied in Barcelona, and would be an excellent choice for overwintering, as the prices at Port Olympic are very reasonable for long term stays.

We booked an extra couple of nights at the Marina as the weather looks better to make the 120 mile crossing to Menorca on Thursday.

MARINA: Port Olympic, Barcelona - 51 euros for 2 nights, including electricity and 30% discount.

Barcelona

WEDNESDAY 6 MAY 2009

I was flying home to see our daughter and help her look for her first house.  My flight to the UK was late afternoon, so Roger and I managed some more sight seeing including the fantastic Maritime Museum and the Museuo de Erotica. We had visited the Museuo de Arte Erotica about 10 years ago, which had included pictures by Picasso, amongst others, but were disappointed in it now as it was about a third of the size and they had definitely taken the ‘art’ out of it.

Barcelona Maritime Museum

Montserrat

Montserrat

TUESDAY 5 MAY 2009

We took the train and cable car to visit the monastery at Montserrat – how come the monks always get the best real estate? The views were outstanding, as the monastery is situated 725 meters up the 1236m high mountain of Mont Serrat, which is made up of weird shaped conglomerate rocks. 

The excellent Museum houses world famous paintings by Picasso, Dali, Ramon Casas and Caravaggio. There are some superb walks up the mountain, with hermits’ caves and small chapels on the way. It was especially beautiful with the spring flowers.

Vilanova to Barcelona - 31 Miles

La Rambla

MONDAY 4 MAY 2009

We arrived at the friendly Port Olympic Marina in Barcelona just after lunch and managed a stroll up the Ramblas, a visit to FNAC with our faulty Television, and a meal at The Hard Rock Café.



PORT OLYMPIC MARINA:  Cheaper than Port Vell.
Diesel – 0.95 c. per litre, 70 euros

Castello de la Plana to Bahia des Alfacs, Ametlla de Mar and Vilanova

A strong Force 6 blowing, but fairly comfortable anchorage

WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL - FRIDAY 1 MAY 2009

Getting diesel was quite a palaver, as we had to say how much diesel we wanted and couldn’t just fill the tanks up, so we had to guess. The machine would not accept my cards, so the marinero used his card and we had to give him cash. We finally left about 10.00 a.m. in sunshine. We managed to sail for a while and then Roger put the cruising shute up for the first time this year – it only involved two swearing sessions putting it up, but a few more getting it down. The boat is sailing very well and managed about 6.5 knots in a gentle breeze with the spinnaker. 

Bahia des Alfaces is a very large bay sheltered by a sand spit and salt lake. We motored about 6 miles to the further end of the bay to get the most shelter from any swell and anchored. The holding is excellent in sand or mud and should be protected in any weather.

The next day we relaxed at anchor and Roger gave the Seahopper another outing, trying to perfect the lug sail rig. He only seems to be able to go down wind at the moment. Luckily it’s got oars!

The wind blew up to a strong Force 6, so we decided to spend another day at anchor in the sheltered lagoon.

Diesel: 95 euros; 95c litre


2 MAY

BAHIA DE ALFACS- AMETLLA DE MAR - 47 MILES

The wind was still quite strong in the morning but had eased by lunch time, so we set off about 12.30 p.m. Roger wanted to sail off the anchor, which we managed, but almost immediately we ran aground in the shallow waters – a bit worrying when there is little tide to help lift you off! We managed to get off using full engine and using the sails to heel the boat slightly.

We managed to sail most of the way using the Spinnaker and later with the head sail poled out, and only had to motor the last 5 miles – our carbon footprint has just improved! Dolphins welcomed us to the port about 8.30 p.m.

3 MAY 2009

AMETLLA DE MAR - VILANOVA - 57 MILES

Set off in a Force 5 – 6 and had two reefs in the main, but within half an hour the wind dropped to a Force 3 and then a Force 2

MARINA VILANOVA - 31 euros

Puerto Saplaya to Castellon de la Plana

Planaterium, Castellon de la Plana

SATURDAY 25 APRIL 2009

This coast of Spain is called the Costa del Azahar, the coast of Orange Blossom, and we have been smelling orange blossom quite strongly for the past few days, which reminds us of Seville. We set off in a fairly calm sea with the wind on the nose, but the seas gradually built up and were quite uncomfortable. We arrived in Castellon de la Plana in a strong force 5, which made Mediterranean mooring even more tricky, despite the help from the Marineros. Although our forecast had not shown winds stronger than a 4, the Marinero said the next couple of days there were going to be some very strong winds, so we decided to stay put for a few days. We were therefore delighted to find out that the cost at this marina is only about 15 euros a night and has free WiFi!



SUNDAY 26 APRIL 2009

There wasn’t too much sign of the forecast strong winds at first, but during the day the wind got up to about a Force 5.
In the morning we visited the nearby Planetarium, which was excellent value for 2 euros – slightly cheaper than Madam Tussaud’s I think! The wind became stronger later on with rain and thunder, and the Marineros came round to check we were OK and said to call on Channel 9 if we needed anything.

We were very impressed with Castellon de la Plana.  It is quite a large city, being the capital of Castellon, and has a lovely 18th century Plaza Mayor

MARINA: 15 euros a night; free WiFi, electricity, showers (although cold when I used them). For some reason, they have changed the men’s and women’s shower rooms around, which means the women get the urinals!

Valencia

Mercado Centrale, Valencia

FRIDAY 24 APRIL 2009

What a fantastic city Valencia is! No wonder El Cid fought the Moors for it. There is a contrast between the ultra modern of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and the medieval old city, where many of the buildings date from the 14th Century. The magnificent art nouveau Mercado Central was opened in 1928 and is one of the largest markets in Europe. 

Opposite the market is the colonnaded hall of the 15th century Lonja de los Mercadores. We made our way through the narrow streets via the city gates of Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos to the Plaza de la Virgen, passing the Palau de la Generalitat which was built in the 15th century and still looks like new! This is where the Valencian regional government is based. 

Next to the Cathedral is the 16th century Basilica which has a beautiful painted ceiling and an ornately dressed statue of the Virgin. The Plaza de la Virgen is on the site of the original Roman forum, and we had a guided tour of the archaeological site La Almoina. The magnificent art nouveau station was completed in 1917 and looks like an enormous palace, and the nearby Post Office has a wonderful glass ceiling.

To do Valencia justice, more time was needed than the two days we had allowed. Definitely a city to return to in the future!

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

THURSDAY 23 APRIL 2009

The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias is an amazing futuristic design incorporating various buildings to house the Palau de les Artes, Hemisferic with an IMAX Cinema, Museo de las Ciencias and Oceanografic. It is quite expensive at 63 euros for the two of us. The Science Museum was not that impressive, but the Oceanografic was. 

We had lunch in the Submarino restaurant, which has an aquarium going around the whole of the restaurant. There are several massive aquariums with different habitats from tropical to polar zones. The highlights for me were seeing the sea dragons, sea horses, walruses and the Mola Mola (sunfish). We have seen sunfish when we’re sailing, in the Med and UK, but usually only see their top fin, so it was interesting to see what the whole fish looks like!

As it had taken about 1.5 hours to get to the Centre by bus, we got a taxi back which took 10 minutes and only cost 10 euros.

Benidorm to Denia, then Puerto Saplaya, Valencia

First fish of the season

TUESDAY 21 APRIL 2009

BENIDORM - DENIA - 47 MILES

We were woken about 7.30 a.m. by a knock on the hull – always disconcerting when you’re at anchor – and the police were there because we’d moored slightly inside a swimming buoy. It was a beautiful sunny day and flat sea. The wind got up to about 20 knots as we were nearing Calpe, so Roger decided to sail, which quickly heeled the boat, and one of his expensive sailing boots fell into the sea. We tacked about 5 miles offshore but by the time we turned for the homeward stretch, the wind had reduced to about 5 knots, so we ended up motoring the rest of the way – typical!

We arrived in Denia at about 4.30 and were shown to a berth in the Marina where a very pleasant girl in the office dealt with our paperwork. She said she had been working there for two years and we were the first English couple to speak to her in Spanish. After we changed our gas bottle in the chandlery we had a cocktail in one of the bars. There’s good a choice of restaurants and bars in the Marina so we went out for a meal later on. Although we didn’t have time to explore Denia, it looked a very attractive place.

MARINA: 20 euros, electricity & water metered, lovely individual bathrooms.

WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 2009

DENIA - PUERTO SAPLAYA, VALENCIA - 53 MILES

Visibility was not so good, so we put the radar up – more toys to play with, but it turned into a lovely warm day. The countryside in this part of Spain is very pretty with houses and villas dotted up the slopes of the mountains. The highlights of the trip were spotting a sunfish and Roger catching the first fish of the season – a Bonito (like a small tuna). We motored the whole way, arriving in Puerta Saplaya 3 miles north of Valencia about 5 p.m. The port only has about 2 meters charted depth which silts up and we ran aground a couple of times trying to maneuver. We were about to give up and go somewhere else when the Marinero called over to us and directed us to a berth. There is no water, electricity or showers, but there is a massive El Campo supermarket and shopping centre nearby.

MARINA: 25 euros per night, no water, electricity or showers. 3 miles to Valencia. The Americas Cup Marina would be better, but we didn’t know where it was and had no charts for it.

WILDLIFE: Sunfish

Torrevieja to Benidorm - 45 Miles

MONDAY 20 APRIL 2009

After three weeks of strong afternoon winds, I was feeling a little nervous at leaving our safe harbour of the past six months in Torrevieja. The yacht club had everything we needed and had become like home and we’d made some good friends there. However, our mooring was paid until 20 April so as long as the forecast was good, we would be leaving.

We couldn’t have left any earlier, not only because of the weather but various things we’d ordered didn’t arrive until the last week. We ordered a Seahopper wooden collapsible dinghy from the Boat Show in London at the beginning of December, and it only arrived the Thursday before we left. A very expensive book Roger had ordered on the internet three weeks previously only arrived on the Friday. Tony from the Dive School kindly took our regulators to be serviced about three weeks ago but when he chased them, they still hadn’t been done, so after making sure they were safe but not serviced, Tony brought them to us on a very wet Sunday the day before we left.

We woke to blue sky and sun – quite a relief after the constant rain the day before – and after getting diesel we said goodbye to our home for the past six months. The first thing we noticed was that the auto helm wasn’t working! This meant we had to hand steer the whole way. The log was also not working, even though the boat had been lifted out of the water and any barnacles etc. stuck there had been removed. I spent the morning trying to learn how to operate our new Horizon chart plotter which is linked to our AIS system – great fun as when I put the cursor on the symbol showing another boat it gives me their name, call sign and speed. Roger had read that it was best to run our engine at about 2500 revs which meant we can now average about 6 – 6.5 knots instead of the previous 5 knots. It may also be going faster since we have had its bottom cleaned.

The gas ran out when Roger was making our toasted sandwiches for lunch, which meant emptying the cockpit locker to change it. The weather changed later on and we could see heavy showers and lightening on the coast. There were some heavy showers later on, but luckily I was having my siesta at the time and was tucked up in bed. 

We arrived at Villajoyosa about 4.30 p.m. and asked for a berth on the radio but were told there weren’t any (although we could see empty spaces), so we anchored just around the corner off Benidorm. Roger spent about two hours trying to sort out the auto helm – a wire had come loose, probably when the men were wiring our new LED masthead lights. We had an uncomfortable night as, although there was only a slight swell, the boat lay sideways on to it.

Learning to sail our new dinghy, the Seahopper

Overwintering in Torrevieja

ROGER'S BLOG

Torrevieja proved to be a good choice for overwintering on the Costa Blanca, the town has everything one needs, except charm! The Club Nautico offers friendly staff, immaculately clean facilities and a good, relatively cheap, restaurant. Sheila and I quickly settled into the routine of eating out every day as there are many cheap and interesting cafes and restaurants – it seemed to work out cheaper and easier than shopping and cooking on board. In addition, there are several well stocked and helpful chandleries which made the many maintenance jobs easier.

People who ask us how do you fill your time have, obviously, never lived on a boat. During the sailing season many things malfunction (the salt-water, high ultra-violet environment is not kind!), and most jobs are bodged pending a winter refit (see, for example, our earlier account of the blocked bog!). We arrived in Torrevieja in October and I only finished my job list in the following April! Among the tasks undertaken were the following:

(1) Drain outboard motor of petrol (it goes off if left over winter and coats the spark plug, preventing ignition) and change outboard oil;
(2) Drain and replace inboard engine oil. Fit new oil filter, diesel, and air filter;
(3) Engage mechanic to fix/replace malfunctioning fuel, oil pressure and water temperature gauges;
(4) Remove sails and engage sail maker to replace zip in stack pack and fit new sacrificial strip to headsail;
(5) Fit new compass, chart plotter and AIS system;
(6) Make new access panel for heads, replace and refit all head pipes and valves; including fitting new shower head and basin drain;
(7) Teak oil hand rails and cockpit grating;
(8) Varnish companionway and wash boards;
(9) Paint headlining in heads and aft cabin;
(10) Organize lift out, pressure wash, the fitting of new anodes and the polishing of topsides;
(11) Fit new bilge pump;
(12) Drain suitcase generator oil and petrol and replace oil;
(13) Clean and pickle water-maker;
(14) Grease rudder stock and stern gland;
(15) Remove and wash all halyards;
(16) Remove cockpit canopy;
(17) Fit new LED anchor and tricolor lights at masthead
(18) Grease all sea cocks
(19) Dose diesel tank with biocide (I use the Marine 16 product)
(20) Make and fit new plugs for sealing anchor and chain locker;
(21) Fit additional buoyancy bags to new “Seahopper” dinghy;
(22) Service winches and fit new spring (the old one was lost during a previous service!).

In addition to all this work, we enjoyed the company of three lots of visitors. The first were Diana and Graham, friends who we seduced into sailing some years ago (and who are still talking to us!), who visited us in October. Unusually, the weather was very bad and we only managed to go sailing for a few hours one morning, only to return to the Club Nautico in time to see a large waterspout head for the coast! Our other visitors were our friend Junko from our Spanish class in Seville and our daughter Jessica and her friend Ruth who came out to complete their PADI open water diving qualification in warmer conditions than the UK could offer.

We caught a bus to Alicante one day and saw the preparations for the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.  When the boat was out of the water we hired a car to spend a few days in Granada.

Around the World Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante

We enjoyed a good social life in Torrevieja; eating out and drinking with other overwintering sailors. I regret not having more time to practice sun sights from the South facing harbor wall and not sailing the new “Seahopper” in the sheltered waters of the harbor, but there will be other opportunities. As always, we set sail with both excited anticipation of new adventures in new places and the ever-present fear of the unknown.

Jess and Ruth's Visit to Torrevieja

17 - 22 MARCH



Roger and I are now back in Torrevieja, and Roger is doing all the boat jobs needed before we set off sailing again.

Our daughter, Jessica, and her friend Ruth came out to visit us for a few days so they could finish off their PADI Open Water Diving course. They wanted to do it in warmer waters than the UK (who can blame them?), but it seemed pretty cold to us at 15 degrees! Max Scuba Diving is run by Tony and Lin, a very friendly and accommodating couple, which enabled Jessica and Ruth to enjoy their diving and feel confident. On the first day Roger and I used our semi-dry wetsuits and went diving as well, but wimped out on the second day, preferring to wait for warmer water when we can use shorty wetsuits and a lot less weight!

We managed to pack a lot into four days, including a lot of eating. The first two days were spent diving, and then a meal with the people from the Salinas Marina in our regular Chinese Restaurant.

The next day we spent a couple of hours on the beach, had lunch, visited our friends in the Salinas Marina, had enormous ice creams at a Heladeria and then cycled to the salt lakes. In the evening we visited the local stalls and funfair before going to the German restaurant.

On the last day we visited the Torrevieja submarine, went to a Pasteleria (cake shop), had lunch on Alistair’s boat (Koala) and then watched the Wales v. Ireland rugby match in a local bar. We finished off with tapas in another bar, after which the girls left us about 11 p.m. to see what night life they could find without the oldies.

Salt Lakes, Torrevieja

Qualified Divers

Walking the plank ashore

Postcript to our Road Trip - The Bushfires

It reached 45 celsius the next day!

No doubt by now many of you will have read or seen news resports of the horrific fires that have swept through Victoria. This is Australia’s worst disaster. The confirmed death toll this morning was 173, but that will rise a lot more. Over 750 homes have been destroyed, 5000 people have been evacuated and vast swathes of land have been destroyed. It has been heartbreaking to watch the news and hear of parents who have lost their children, and children who have lost their parents. The ones who count themselves lucky are those who escaped with their family and just the clothes on their backs.

Many of the areas that Roger and I visited have been badly affected. The Rochford Winery, where we saw Leonard Cohen, is on the Maroondah Highway near Healsville, which has been under serious threat since yesterday. The Tidal River campsite we stayed on in Wilson’s Promontory was evacuated yesterday as a rapidly building fire was affecting the Promontory. We had passed very close to the town of Marysville which was all but wiped out.

The Australians are an amazingly resilient people and offers of help poured in immediately. Funds have been set up to help those so badly affected. Lisa’s firm, Amcor, have offered to match any money raised by the staff. A newspaper group has offered $1,000,000.

On Australia Day I listened to the radio where people were asked what made them proud to be Australian. I think the reactions of people to this unprecedented disaster would make any one proud to be Australian – apart from those murderers (the Prime Minister’s words) who started the fires.

Phillip Island to Mentone- 170 Km - 45 degees

SATURDAY 31 JANUARY 2009

We drove back to Tony’s house in order to clean the very dusty vehicle before returning it to Britz. It had been a great trip with varied countryside and a fantastic way to visit Victoria.

The temperature reached 45 degrees in Melbourne yesterday, breaking all records. Some serious bush fires broke out in Gipsland on Thursday, not far from where we had been travelling. It took about three days to get them under control and about 29 houses, several cars and a wide area of farmland and bush were destroyed. Problems continued in Melbourne with about 750 trains cancelled and power cuts across the city and suburbs to limit the use of electricity, resulting in people being stuck in lifts, air conditioners failing, and the cancellation of the Roberta Flack concert on Friday. About 30 people died due to heat related causes, and many of the vineyards in the Murray River and Yarra Valley areas have lost a most of their crop.

The state of our van at the end of 4 weeks!