Where has the time gone?
We had another fantastic week with Adrian and Michael. Our first trip only got us as far as northern Sardinia as there was quite a swell coming in from the east and we decided that it would be too much to try to attempt the Bonifacio Straits, so instead opted for a lovely, quiet anchorage which would be a good point for moving on the following morning. It was, and by the time we pulled the anchor up, the sea was flat calm and continued that way for the entire crossing; even the swell, which we assumed would still be noticeable, had all but disappeared. We went back to a favourite spot, Rondinara, and were relieved to find the perfect place to drop the hook. We had expected the bay to be more crowded, but it really wasn't too bad and we had a lovely day of lazing and swimming, followed by dinner at the lovely beachside restaurant (which is, sadly, also very popular with mosquitoes!)
After spending most of the following day at anchor, we eventually drifted up to Porte Vecchio, although they were unable to offer us a place in the marina and, after fuelling up, we found an anchorage very close to the port. It was a short dinghy trip to the harbour and a long hike up the hill to the town but worth it for a lovely evening and a great meal at a restaurant recommended by one of the marineros. The town was absolutely humming - it's tiny but very vibrant with loads of outside bars and restaurants.
With the forecast suggesting that the wind would rise sometime soon, we decided to head back south to Sardinia, and then to a sheltered bay more westerly than any we had visited before. By the time we got there, there was quite a breeze blowing but not enough to detract from our enjoyment of the place. We anticipated a bumpy ride back to the east coast, but it was surprisingly smooth and we returned to the bay in which we'd spent our first night in Sardinia several weeks ago, Cannignone. This time we anchored just outside the marina (another full one) in a beautifully still spot, and ate on board. Adrian and Michael went ashore for a drink and told us the following morning that there had been a fair on the quay and folk dancing - shame we missed it!
That was our last night at anchor with our guests - we had a fabulous day in a fabulous anchorage south of Olbia but the forecast had warned of high winds coming up in the evening and we knew that we had to be in port. Olbia was able to take us, so it was back into our familiar berth - and thank goodness we were there. The wind came up suddenly in the early evening and gusted like billy-o for 24 hours.
Adrian and Michael left us on Sunday for a long train ride down to Cagliari and during the 24 hours between guests, we had Zaffina cleaned inside and out (heaven...leaving it all to someone else!)
Monday lunchtime saw the arrival of Bob and Janet, and once the engine man had finished changing the oil, we were able to ease out of port and point southwards to new territory. A short hop later, we arrived in Port Ottiolu, a tiny, new port and village with a white stretch of sand right alongside the marina. And that's where we are now...although not for long! The skipper is busy making his checks and once we've bought some fresh bread to feed the masses, we'll be back to sea and looking for another peaceful anchorage for tonight.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Monday, 19 July 2010
19th July 2010
Phew, what a week it's been!
Tim and Annabelle joined us after an interesting detour through the red light district of Olbia, which Tim insists was a mistake! We stayed in port for a couple of nights whilst some work was being done on Zaffina (thrusters mainly and a service for the generator which had been working overtime) then set a northwards course back to Corsica. T&A were as blown away with Rondinara as we were and we had a couple of days at anchor, watching the world go by and then recovering from all that effort with a swim, a sleep, a meal, a glass of rose or a combination fo the above! The sea there is the clearest turquoise, and this time the one rock in the centre of the bay was marked by a plastic bottle attached to a piece of string! We ate on board one night and the other we went ashore to a rather nice beach cafe, from where we watched a load of kids celebrating a birthday party on the sands as the sun went down.
Next stop was Solenzara and a return visit to the beautiful river site we found when we were there previously. It was much much busier this time round, but we still managed to find a perch on the rocks for our picnic and spent half the afternoon swimming in the gloriously refreshing waters of the river. We debated whether to return to the restaurant we had enjoyed so much with the garden terrace and the myrtle liqueur but decided instead to opt for one right on the beach and had another memorable evening there. There was some debate about whether to stay longer in Solenzara as the marina staff tried to persuade us to stay for their Quartorze Juilliet celebrations - they were having a ball on 13th July and fireworks (yeah!) but we managed to secure a berth in Bonifacio, a bigger town and therefore we assumed a bigger celebration.
Between ports, we had one more night at anchor, this time to the west of Bonifacio in an anchorage we hadn't been in before. After an afternoon moored off a beautiful stretch of beach, we moved across the bay for shelter as the wind had got up a bit and by the morning we were rockin' and rollin'. We called up Bonifacio to see if we could go straight into port but had to wait until the berth was ready in the early afternoon. The trip back to port was over the messiest sea we've encountered for a while and whilst it wasn't uncomfortable, we were taking a bit of spray over the bridge (quite nice and cooling in these temperatures!~) We were pushed around a lot whilst we were waiting to be shown to our berth in the harbour, as the wind was being funnelled straight down the channel of the marina, and were quite worried that it would be awkward to moor up but our fears were unfounded and all went smoothly once an errant yacht had been told that he couldn't go into our berth, which he was trying desperately to do!
We went out for dinner on the quayside, keenly awaiting the 14th July celebrations...and waited...and waited...and waited. Nothing happened! Nothing at all - what a disappointment. If only we'd bought those fireworks in the supermarket at Ciprianu!
The following morning we took Le Petit Train (oh yes we did) up to the hillside town which is just amazing. The houses are so close to the edge of the cliff that it's only a question of time before they start toppling into the sea. The views were fabulous and the town fascinating, but sadly we didn't have too long to explore. As ever when shopping beckons, Frank decided it was time to move on...
Back at sea, we left Corsica behind again and after a quick nose around the island of Lavazze where it was a bit too windy to anchor, we set a course for Madelana, one of a group of islands close to Sardinia. We found the most perfect bay and even coughed up the 180e required just to hook up to a mooring bouy for the night! The ancorage was just delightful and due to the cost, there was only one other boat there for the night.
We continued back to the mainland in the morning, in search of shelter from the wind which was by now blowing straight towards us, and opted for Lascia di Vacca. The pilot book informed us that this is where you find the most expensive hotel in Sardinia and possibly the most expensive in Italy, the Pattrizi, and sure enough, when Frank and I managed to blag our way in and ordered a couple of glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice, the bill came to an eye watering 26e for the two! I kept my eye out for celebs and movie stars but they must have all been in the spa whilst we were there! We decided to eat on board.
By Saturday we knew we had to be heading back towards Olbia and we made a return visit to another favourite beach, Spulmatore. As we dropped the anchor in the bay, two dolphins popped by, paying their respects on a tour of the island! Sadly, we didn't see them again, but I have never seen dolphins so close into shore and will keep a sharp look out in the future. We lunched at another beach restaurant: overcrowded, questionable service but great fun! And then with the forecast for a six from the west, we reluctantly moved back into Port for the night in readiness for Tim and Annabelle to leave us yesterday afternoon.
Now we're waiting for our next visitors, Adrian and Michael, who're driving up from Cagliari as I write. The weather is hot and getting hotter, and we'll probably be back in Corsica by tonight. Arrivederci!
Tim and Annabelle joined us after an interesting detour through the red light district of Olbia, which Tim insists was a mistake! We stayed in port for a couple of nights whilst some work was being done on Zaffina (thrusters mainly and a service for the generator which had been working overtime) then set a northwards course back to Corsica. T&A were as blown away with Rondinara as we were and we had a couple of days at anchor, watching the world go by and then recovering from all that effort with a swim, a sleep, a meal, a glass of rose or a combination fo the above! The sea there is the clearest turquoise, and this time the one rock in the centre of the bay was marked by a plastic bottle attached to a piece of string! We ate on board one night and the other we went ashore to a rather nice beach cafe, from where we watched a load of kids celebrating a birthday party on the sands as the sun went down.
Next stop was Solenzara and a return visit to the beautiful river site we found when we were there previously. It was much much busier this time round, but we still managed to find a perch on the rocks for our picnic and spent half the afternoon swimming in the gloriously refreshing waters of the river. We debated whether to return to the restaurant we had enjoyed so much with the garden terrace and the myrtle liqueur but decided instead to opt for one right on the beach and had another memorable evening there. There was some debate about whether to stay longer in Solenzara as the marina staff tried to persuade us to stay for their Quartorze Juilliet celebrations - they were having a ball on 13th July and fireworks (yeah!) but we managed to secure a berth in Bonifacio, a bigger town and therefore we assumed a bigger celebration.
Between ports, we had one more night at anchor, this time to the west of Bonifacio in an anchorage we hadn't been in before. After an afternoon moored off a beautiful stretch of beach, we moved across the bay for shelter as the wind had got up a bit and by the morning we were rockin' and rollin'. We called up Bonifacio to see if we could go straight into port but had to wait until the berth was ready in the early afternoon. The trip back to port was over the messiest sea we've encountered for a while and whilst it wasn't uncomfortable, we were taking a bit of spray over the bridge (quite nice and cooling in these temperatures!~) We were pushed around a lot whilst we were waiting to be shown to our berth in the harbour, as the wind was being funnelled straight down the channel of the marina, and were quite worried that it would be awkward to moor up but our fears were unfounded and all went smoothly once an errant yacht had been told that he couldn't go into our berth, which he was trying desperately to do!
We went out for dinner on the quayside, keenly awaiting the 14th July celebrations...and waited...and waited...and waited. Nothing happened! Nothing at all - what a disappointment. If only we'd bought those fireworks in the supermarket at Ciprianu!
The following morning we took Le Petit Train (oh yes we did) up to the hillside town which is just amazing. The houses are so close to the edge of the cliff that it's only a question of time before they start toppling into the sea. The views were fabulous and the town fascinating, but sadly we didn't have too long to explore. As ever when shopping beckons, Frank decided it was time to move on...
Back at sea, we left Corsica behind again and after a quick nose around the island of Lavazze where it was a bit too windy to anchor, we set a course for Madelana, one of a group of islands close to Sardinia. We found the most perfect bay and even coughed up the 180e required just to hook up to a mooring bouy for the night! The ancorage was just delightful and due to the cost, there was only one other boat there for the night.
We continued back to the mainland in the morning, in search of shelter from the wind which was by now blowing straight towards us, and opted for Lascia di Vacca. The pilot book informed us that this is where you find the most expensive hotel in Sardinia and possibly the most expensive in Italy, the Pattrizi, and sure enough, when Frank and I managed to blag our way in and ordered a couple of glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice, the bill came to an eye watering 26e for the two! I kept my eye out for celebs and movie stars but they must have all been in the spa whilst we were there! We decided to eat on board.
By Saturday we knew we had to be heading back towards Olbia and we made a return visit to another favourite beach, Spulmatore. As we dropped the anchor in the bay, two dolphins popped by, paying their respects on a tour of the island! Sadly, we didn't see them again, but I have never seen dolphins so close into shore and will keep a sharp look out in the future. We lunched at another beach restaurant: overcrowded, questionable service but great fun! And then with the forecast for a six from the west, we reluctantly moved back into Port for the night in readiness for Tim and Annabelle to leave us yesterday afternoon.
Now we're waiting for our next visitors, Adrian and Michael, who're driving up from Cagliari as I write. The weather is hot and getting hotter, and we'll probably be back in Corsica by tonight. Arrivederci!
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
3rd - 7th July 2010
By morning the wind was up and our quiet anchorage wasn't so quiet any more! Most of the other boats had moved by the time we were up and about, including the yacht we had recognised. We too upped anchor and nipped across to the far side of the very wide bay we were in, and discovered that this was where most of those who had previously been alongside us had gone. So we did invite Steve and Karyn from Threshold (named after the Moody Blues "Threshold of a Dream", in case you're wondering) on board, along with Wendy and Valario from another yacht.
Although our new position was far quieter and more comfortable, it was in line with a marina to and from which boats sped past us at ridiculous speeds. The amount of wake they generated had to be seen to be believed - whilst we were all sitting in the cockpit drinking coffee, one motorboat came a tad too close and the wave it threw out caused everything to shake and rattle on Zaffina, including the vinegar bottle which shook itself onto the floor where it exploded, covering the galley with its contents. Our guests spent half their time with us picking up pieces of glass and clearing pools of vinegar - I'm sure they won't forget their visit for a while!
We stayed where we were for the afternoon and in the early evening, went on board Threshold for drinks with our American friends. They put us to shame with the amount of exploring they have done through northern Europe and now they're intent on discovering the south as well, so no doubt our paths will cross again.
We were happy to move on the following morning, especially as the wind finally dropped overnight and the conditions were perfect. We ambled along the coast at a leisurely speed, passing the celebrated Porto Cervo and eventually ending up in Cala di Volpe. As we nosed in, the marineros suggested that we should tie up to a buoy - it would only cost us 380 euros for the night! Instead, we opted to drop the anchor, which was free of charge, and watch the comings and goings from the mega yachts moored nearby.
Another lazy afternoon was followed by dinner at the Cala di Volpe hotel (presidential suite a mere 31,000 euros a night) which provided good food and wonderful service!
Yesterday we moved on again, another gentle potter down the coast until we found the most fantastic anchorage - a long stretch of sandy beach backed by a towering rock the size of Gibraltar - where we spent the afternoon.
Coming into Olbia was an interesting experience; the thrusters still aren't working and the wind was blowing us sideways. It took two attempts to get in, but we're now safely tied up in a rather nice, very quiet port and we've just discovered that one of the best restaurants in Italy is just a stone's throw (or maybe a taxi ride) away! And I've cleaned Zaffina from bow to stern in readiness for Tim and Annabelle, who're even now on their way from Jersey!
Although our new position was far quieter and more comfortable, it was in line with a marina to and from which boats sped past us at ridiculous speeds. The amount of wake they generated had to be seen to be believed - whilst we were all sitting in the cockpit drinking coffee, one motorboat came a tad too close and the wave it threw out caused everything to shake and rattle on Zaffina, including the vinegar bottle which shook itself onto the floor where it exploded, covering the galley with its contents. Our guests spent half their time with us picking up pieces of glass and clearing pools of vinegar - I'm sure they won't forget their visit for a while!
We stayed where we were for the afternoon and in the early evening, went on board Threshold for drinks with our American friends. They put us to shame with the amount of exploring they have done through northern Europe and now they're intent on discovering the south as well, so no doubt our paths will cross again.
We were happy to move on the following morning, especially as the wind finally dropped overnight and the conditions were perfect. We ambled along the coast at a leisurely speed, passing the celebrated Porto Cervo and eventually ending up in Cala di Volpe. As we nosed in, the marineros suggested that we should tie up to a buoy - it would only cost us 380 euros for the night! Instead, we opted to drop the anchor, which was free of charge, and watch the comings and goings from the mega yachts moored nearby.
Another lazy afternoon was followed by dinner at the Cala di Volpe hotel (presidential suite a mere 31,000 euros a night) which provided good food and wonderful service!
Yesterday we moved on again, another gentle potter down the coast until we found the most fantastic anchorage - a long stretch of sandy beach backed by a towering rock the size of Gibraltar - where we spent the afternoon.
Coming into Olbia was an interesting experience; the thrusters still aren't working and the wind was blowing us sideways. It took two attempts to get in, but we're now safely tied up in a rather nice, very quiet port and we've just discovered that one of the best restaurants in Italy is just a stone's throw (or maybe a taxi ride) away! And I've cleaned Zaffina from bow to stern in readiness for Tim and Annabelle, who're even now on their way from Jersey!
Saturday, 3 July 2010
30th June - 3rd July 2010
In the end, we didn't move on very far. Exploring the coast from Porte Vecchio southwards was a delight, each inlet offering beautiful views and a choice of bays. We nosed into Porto Novo and fell in love with it! Apart from the other boats and a few people on the beach, there was not a sign of man's mark on the world to be seen from our anchorage - not a house, not a road, not even a telegraph pole (and certainly no wind farms!) Once we'd dropped the anchor, we really didn't want to move and stayed there for two nights in beautiful calm conditions, just watching the sun moving across the sky and diving deep into the clear blue water which is getting warmer by the day.
On our second evening, we took the tender and went exploring further along the coast. We had read about Rondinara in the pilot book and wanted to see if it was as nice as it sounded...it was much, much better! More accessible by road than Porto Novo, it was much busier but absolutely gorgeous with several small bays interspersed by rocky outlets. The water was perfectly clear and throughout the inlet you could see straight down to the bottom. We immediately decided that this was our next destination, so the following morning, we set a course back to Rondinara in Zaffina.
Sadly, we had a problem with the thrusters en route, so decided just to spend the day in this lovely anchorage but move into port for the evening, and as we had a reservation in Bonifacio, it was the obvious place to go.
Bonifacio is stunning, the old town is perched on a clifftop which looks as though it may crumble into the sea at any moment! The port is up a narrow channel and one of the most dramatic entrances we've been through. We radioed ahead to warn that we needed help berthing, as if there was any wind at all, having no thrusters was likely to be a big problem. Frank brought her alongside - into the narrowest gap between two motorboats - with utter precision and no fuss and you wouldn't have known there was anything to worry about! We celebrated with a good dinner at one of the numerous restaurants lining the quayside.
Back at the boat, a couple of crew from a vessel moored just along from us introduced themselves; they'd seen the articles in Motor Boat & Yachting, and having made a similar trip to ours last year, (even to the extent of wintering in Varazze!) they were keen to meet us. They, along with the owner of their boat and his wife, came on board for drinks and we compared notes about our relative trips from the UK to the Med last year.
Having intended to stay in Bonifacio for two nights, we had a change of plan this morning when we saw the forecast and realised that later in the day, the wind was due to rise in the channel separating Corsica from Sardinia. We set out in great conditions and had a brilliant crossing, slowing when we reached Sardinia to enjoy the views as we passed by the Madelanas Islands and then pottered along the coast.
Again, we're at anchor tonight, with wavelets lapping gently against the hull. It's nearly half past ten and still incredibly hot. There are only a few other boats moored out here, although one nearby we have recognised as belonging to an American couple we met at a restaurant in Porte Vecchio a few days ago, so we may invite them to breakfast tomorrow!
On our second evening, we took the tender and went exploring further along the coast. We had read about Rondinara in the pilot book and wanted to see if it was as nice as it sounded...it was much, much better! More accessible by road than Porto Novo, it was much busier but absolutely gorgeous with several small bays interspersed by rocky outlets. The water was perfectly clear and throughout the inlet you could see straight down to the bottom. We immediately decided that this was our next destination, so the following morning, we set a course back to Rondinara in Zaffina.
Sadly, we had a problem with the thrusters en route, so decided just to spend the day in this lovely anchorage but move into port for the evening, and as we had a reservation in Bonifacio, it was the obvious place to go.
Bonifacio is stunning, the old town is perched on a clifftop which looks as though it may crumble into the sea at any moment! The port is up a narrow channel and one of the most dramatic entrances we've been through. We radioed ahead to warn that we needed help berthing, as if there was any wind at all, having no thrusters was likely to be a big problem. Frank brought her alongside - into the narrowest gap between two motorboats - with utter precision and no fuss and you wouldn't have known there was anything to worry about! We celebrated with a good dinner at one of the numerous restaurants lining the quayside.
Back at the boat, a couple of crew from a vessel moored just along from us introduced themselves; they'd seen the articles in Motor Boat & Yachting, and having made a similar trip to ours last year, (even to the extent of wintering in Varazze!) they were keen to meet us. They, along with the owner of their boat and his wife, came on board for drinks and we compared notes about our relative trips from the UK to the Med last year.
Having intended to stay in Bonifacio for two nights, we had a change of plan this morning when we saw the forecast and realised that later in the day, the wind was due to rise in the channel separating Corsica from Sardinia. We set out in great conditions and had a brilliant crossing, slowing when we reached Sardinia to enjoy the views as we passed by the Madelanas Islands and then pottered along the coast.
Again, we're at anchor tonight, with wavelets lapping gently against the hull. It's nearly half past ten and still incredibly hot. There are only a few other boats moored out here, although one nearby we have recognised as belonging to an American couple we met at a restaurant in Porte Vecchio a few days ago, so we may invite them to breakfast tomorrow!
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