The train into Tunis turned out to be quite an experience - and great fun! We spent half of the day wandering around the Souk which is just amazing; it hasn't changed much in a couple of thousand years, although I'm not sure they sold quite so many nylon belly dancing outfits back then! The alleyways are very narrow with a cobbled gutter running down the centre and each side is lined with shop after narrow shop, all overflowing with brightly coloured merchandise. Vendors expect you to haggle and once you have agreed a price, they invariably get a huff on to give the impression that you have done them out of a great deal of money. Believe me, you haven't! If you pay as much as half the original asking price, you have paid too much.
Although Tunis was busy and the souk was teeming with people, we felt really safe in the city and there was a very vibrant, friendly atmosphere. In the train on the way back to Sidi Bou Said, young people stood up to give their seats to the elderly (no, they didn't stand up for us, but thanks for the thought...) and when a young disabled boy got on, other passengers made sure that he was okay and generally looked to his wellbeing.
After a tiring day in the city, we had a quiet evening on board before setting off on our last sea voyage of the season. There was a certain amount of wave noise on the hull during the night and when we got up in the morning, we were still moving a bit but the forecast was good so we set off after breakfast. Conditions in the bay of Tunis were fine - a little bit of residual swell but nothing uncomfortable as we motored towards Cape Bon. Before we reached the north eastern tip of Tunisia, we passed the yacht which had been moored in front of us the previous day and left several hours before us in the morning. We slowed up and they waved as we passed, one of the crew holding up a fish which he had evidently caught en route!
The sea was - as expected - a bit lumpier as we went round the Cape although once passed, we expected it to die down a bit. It didn't! There was more of a swell here but longer than the usual abrupt Mediterranean swell and it took a while to abate. Things finally improved as we got closer to Hammamet but it wasn't good enough for us to anchor off as we had hoped, and instead we went straight into our winter port. We intended to fuel up before berthing, but the fuel station wanted cash (another one!) and we didn't have enough in the kitty so we went straight to the pontoon and spent an age getting Zaffina securely onto her mooring.
Port Yasmin is a good choice for the winter - very sheltered, very secure and very inexpensive! We were relieved to be offered guardianage services as we had been concerned that it might be difficult to find someone to look out for Zaffina whilst we are away, but there are a couple of businesses run by English people at the marina. All the formalities with customs and police were dealt with surprisingly easily and this time with no requests for "gifts".
Once we had dealt with all the relevant paperwork and sorted ourselves out, we turned our attention to the important question of how to celebrate Frank's birthday! In the end, we hired a car and drove about 500 miles down to the Atlas Mountains where we stayed at a fabulous hotel with the most amazing views of a ruined village on the opposite hillside. The highlight of the trip was his birthday dinner. The hotel erected a Berber tent on the terrace overlooking the village and surrounded it with hundreds of candles. When we walked in for dinner, the meal was set up on a low table with 2 cushions on the floor and whilst we ate, we were entertained by a Berber flute player. He was even more entertained when Frank had a go with the flute and couldn't get more than a windy parp out of it! The evening finished with mint tea and a shisha pipe - traditional Tunisian style!
Yesterday we made an 8 hour drive back to Zaffina via the mountains, a salt lake, palm oases and olive groves - exhausting, but fascinating.
Now it is time to start clearing, cleaning, packing and generally preparing for our flight home. The summer has been an amazing experience and our Azimut has once again exceeded all expectations. The time has just flown past and I can honestly say that we've loved just about every moment of it (except maybe the incident with the rock!!)
Thanks for reading my blog - tune in again in the springtime of 2010 for more exciting episodes of Zaffina in the Med!
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Sunday, 10 October 2010
10/10/10
We were up before the sun on our last morning in Sardinia - a rare occurence on this trip - and out of the harbour before it was fully light. Fortunately, this late in the year that's not quite as early as it may sound! As we gently motored away from Capitana, the sea was calm although there was a slight swell but nothing to bother Zaffina, and a couple of tuna or similar large fish played in our wake. The weather kept almost exactly to the predictions of the forecast - the wind came up a bit, the swell increased a bit, and once we were well away from the land, the going was a bit bumpier. Our first waypoint was over 100 miles out, which meant a four hour stint with no change of direction, and by the time we were close to it, the wind had dropped off quite a bit but the swell had risen still further and for a while, made the motion quite unpleasant. We had to drop our speed briefly, as we'd been doing a steady 25 knots to eat up the distance, but once we turned onto a direct south bearing, things became more comfortable and we pushed the throttle forward again.
As Tunisia appeared as a smudge on the horizon, so the sea flattened out and the nearer we got to the coast, the calmer the water became. The last part of the trip, as we motored into the Bay of Tunis, was absolutely idyllic over a flat calm, clear turquoise sea.
We had tried to get confirmation of a berth in Sidi Bou Said, but it wasn't until we actually got here that they'd actually say whether or not they had room for us. Fortunately they did, and after a couple of hours at anchor in the sunshine just outside the port, we meandered into the marina and were delighted to be tied up in the same place as the Magellano had been when we flew down to Tunisia for her launch ten months ago.
Sidi Bou Said is lovely; the town is perched on the hilltop, a scattering of bright white sugar cube houses, all with bright blue doors and shutters. It is a favourite for Tunisian guide books and tourist brochures and it's easy to see why. The main, cobbled streets is lined with little shops which sell brightly coloured pottery, belly dancing outfits, jewellery, slippers and all those other necessities of life, and the vendors practically drag you in and then expect you to haggle like mad for every purchase. Prices are still low here - petrol is less than 50p per litre and a good meal out, including wine, costs around £20.
The other advantage of being in Tunisia is that we feel as though we've sailed back into summer. The temperature has been mainly in the 30s and remains warm throughout the night - sadly we can't plug the air con in here so it's been pretty hot on board and our one fan is working overtime! Even today, which has been overcast most of the time, has seen the temperature remain in the high 20s and the weather is set to improve again in the next day or two.
The only down side so far has been the desire of some of the authorities for backhanders. Two police and customs officers came on board when we arrived. The police officer did a check through the boat, asked if we had guns, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs and when he was satisfied that we didn't, signed all the relevant forms for us. The customs officer came on board, asked for a beer, belched loudly, asked for a "gift" and then signed all the relevant forms for us. It's a strange way of doing business and one we're not wild on - and nor is the Harbour Master who was embarrassed by their behaviour and the harm it can do to marine tourism.
Tomorrow we hope to take the train into Tunis and explore the Souk and we'll probably have one more day here before we move on to our winter berth in Hammament....weather permitting, as usual!
As Tunisia appeared as a smudge on the horizon, so the sea flattened out and the nearer we got to the coast, the calmer the water became. The last part of the trip, as we motored into the Bay of Tunis, was absolutely idyllic over a flat calm, clear turquoise sea.
We had tried to get confirmation of a berth in Sidi Bou Said, but it wasn't until we actually got here that they'd actually say whether or not they had room for us. Fortunately they did, and after a couple of hours at anchor in the sunshine just outside the port, we meandered into the marina and were delighted to be tied up in the same place as the Magellano had been when we flew down to Tunisia for her launch ten months ago.
Sidi Bou Said is lovely; the town is perched on the hilltop, a scattering of bright white sugar cube houses, all with bright blue doors and shutters. It is a favourite for Tunisian guide books and tourist brochures and it's easy to see why. The main, cobbled streets is lined with little shops which sell brightly coloured pottery, belly dancing outfits, jewellery, slippers and all those other necessities of life, and the vendors practically drag you in and then expect you to haggle like mad for every purchase. Prices are still low here - petrol is less than 50p per litre and a good meal out, including wine, costs around £20.
The other advantage of being in Tunisia is that we feel as though we've sailed back into summer. The temperature has been mainly in the 30s and remains warm throughout the night - sadly we can't plug the air con in here so it's been pretty hot on board and our one fan is working overtime! Even today, which has been overcast most of the time, has seen the temperature remain in the high 20s and the weather is set to improve again in the next day or two.
The only down side so far has been the desire of some of the authorities for backhanders. Two police and customs officers came on board when we arrived. The police officer did a check through the boat, asked if we had guns, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs and when he was satisfied that we didn't, signed all the relevant forms for us. The customs officer came on board, asked for a beer, belched loudly, asked for a "gift" and then signed all the relevant forms for us. It's a strange way of doing business and one we're not wild on - and nor is the Harbour Master who was embarrassed by their behaviour and the harm it can do to marine tourism.
Tomorrow we hope to take the train into Tunis and explore the Souk and we'll probably have one more day here before we move on to our winter berth in Hammament....weather permitting, as usual!
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Tuesday 5th October 2010
After a couple of hours at anchor on the way back to Olbia, we duly dropped Christian, Adam and Leonie off in readiness for their trip back to the UK, then went and sat on the bow until their flight departed. I choked back a little sob as I watched the plane soar up into the blue sky and head northwards, then five minutes later I choked back another one when I realised I'd been focussing all my attention on the wrong plane first time round! Zaffina seemed very quiet and empty once they'd gone.
We had a few odds and sods that needed doing on board, so the following morning we took the boat over to the Nauseaca yard just across the harbour entrance and then discussed when we would start our trek south; checking the forecast, we realised that we were likely to have to delay the trip for a couple of days but as we were resigning ourselves to another stay in Olbia, we realised that we had several hours of daylight left and a calm sea, so we popped back to the marina to settle up and then set off without further ado.
It was a fairly overcast afternoon, but we enjoyed seeing a new coastline, one which was far less developed and much more rugged than the Costa Smerelda. As the afternoon wore on the sea, which was pretty good to start with, just got flatter and flatter and eventually even the clouds cleared and it turned into a beautiful day. About ten miles short of our destination, there was a commotion on the surface of the water and two or three large tuna suddenly appeared. As we were slowing our Azimut to watch them, we were suddenly surrounded by dolphins! They gave us a wonderful, wonderful performance, dancing through the waves, playing in our wake and diving under the bow. We have hardly seen any dolphins this year, and on the rare occasions that we have had a sighting, they disappeared pretty quickly but this was something else, and in the end we had to drag ourselves away from it - they were quite happy to keep playing!
We stopped for the night at a tiny port, Santa Maria di Navarasse, eating on board the first evening and then, the following morning we decided we'd stay for another night. We went for a walk around the town and along the coast - it wasn't especially pretty, but it was far more of a living town than some of those we've visited which clearly just come alive during the summer months. We earmarked a restaurant for dinner and when we returned in the evening we had what was probably the best meal of this entire trip. The small hotel where we ate was run by 3 sisters, one of whom is a fisherman (fisherwoman? fisherperson? fish?) who brings in a fresh catch daily. My prawn and pumpkin soup was out of this world and the lamb that followed was utterly delicate and delicious.
With another good forecast, we moved on the next day which happened to be our 4th wedding anniversary, and I was delighted when Frank organised a flypast by the Italian Air Force! That was until I saw the expression on his face and realised he hadn't organised it at all! The chart warned of an exclusion zone due to explosives, and as we were making our way out of the area, we were approached by a customs boat which instructed us to move 10 miles to the east. Even as we were complying with the instructions, there was a disturbance overhead and a helicopter appeared, zooming towards us across the wide blue sky!! It hovered overhead, one of the crew holding up a sign with an arrow and "10 miles" written on it - obviously we weren't moving out of the way quickly enough! They called us on the radio and very politely explained that there was firing practice that day so we were best advised to be well out of the way. Although the coastline was beautiful, it was a relief to be well clear of it for once!
We came into the little port of Vilasimius in the late afternoon and moored up then went out for an anniversary meal which turned out to be rubbish! The following day, exploring on foot, we wandered down a remote dirty track towards the beach. A car pulled up, the window slid down and a head poked out..."Frank? Fiona? Is that you?" Roland and Ruth Heaven (from Georgetown Methodist Church in Jersey) were on holiday in the region and by complete coincidence heading down the same dirt track, on the lookout for wild flamingoes! We all went back to Zaffina for a coffee and discovered that they had just moved south after staying for a few days at the same hotel where we'd enjoyed such a splendid meal two nights earlier!
We enjoyed Vilasimius, especially as there were some absolutely gorgeous beaches in the area. The wind was up and it was prudent to leave Zaffina in port, so we hired a car and explored the coastline, enjoying some lovely afternoons on the clean, golden sands and swimming in beautiful, utterly clear water. There were next to no British tourists in the region (apart from the Heavens, of course!)
Frank had to return to Jersey for three days, so we moved Zaffina on to Capitana, a tiny port far more convenient for the airport, and he headed off on Wednesday evening. It was a bit spooky being on my own on board, especially as there was no one else staying in the marina but after a noisy first night, with the wind up and waves slapping against the hull, I got used to the sounds and the port. Although there are no shops in the village apart from a supermarket, there is a quite good hotel with a rather nice spa so I spent a morning being pampered and a couple of afternoons on the hotel beach which helped to pass the time.
Once Frank returned on Saturday evening, we started checking the forecast again in readiness for our long crossing to Tunisa. We had hoped to leave today but the port we want to head for, Sidi Bou Said is full tonight, so weather permitting we'll be off at crack of dawn tomorrow, finally leaving Sardinia after a glorious, memorable, special summer, and my next post should (hopefully) be from the African continent!
We had a few odds and sods that needed doing on board, so the following morning we took the boat over to the Nauseaca yard just across the harbour entrance and then discussed when we would start our trek south; checking the forecast, we realised that we were likely to have to delay the trip for a couple of days but as we were resigning ourselves to another stay in Olbia, we realised that we had several hours of daylight left and a calm sea, so we popped back to the marina to settle up and then set off without further ado.
It was a fairly overcast afternoon, but we enjoyed seeing a new coastline, one which was far less developed and much more rugged than the Costa Smerelda. As the afternoon wore on the sea, which was pretty good to start with, just got flatter and flatter and eventually even the clouds cleared and it turned into a beautiful day. About ten miles short of our destination, there was a commotion on the surface of the water and two or three large tuna suddenly appeared. As we were slowing our Azimut to watch them, we were suddenly surrounded by dolphins! They gave us a wonderful, wonderful performance, dancing through the waves, playing in our wake and diving under the bow. We have hardly seen any dolphins this year, and on the rare occasions that we have had a sighting, they disappeared pretty quickly but this was something else, and in the end we had to drag ourselves away from it - they were quite happy to keep playing!
We stopped for the night at a tiny port, Santa Maria di Navarasse, eating on board the first evening and then, the following morning we decided we'd stay for another night. We went for a walk around the town and along the coast - it wasn't especially pretty, but it was far more of a living town than some of those we've visited which clearly just come alive during the summer months. We earmarked a restaurant for dinner and when we returned in the evening we had what was probably the best meal of this entire trip. The small hotel where we ate was run by 3 sisters, one of whom is a fisherman (fisherwoman? fisherperson? fish?) who brings in a fresh catch daily. My prawn and pumpkin soup was out of this world and the lamb that followed was utterly delicate and delicious.
With another good forecast, we moved on the next day which happened to be our 4th wedding anniversary, and I was delighted when Frank organised a flypast by the Italian Air Force! That was until I saw the expression on his face and realised he hadn't organised it at all! The chart warned of an exclusion zone due to explosives, and as we were making our way out of the area, we were approached by a customs boat which instructed us to move 10 miles to the east. Even as we were complying with the instructions, there was a disturbance overhead and a helicopter appeared, zooming towards us across the wide blue sky!! It hovered overhead, one of the crew holding up a sign with an arrow and "10 miles" written on it - obviously we weren't moving out of the way quickly enough! They called us on the radio and very politely explained that there was firing practice that day so we were best advised to be well out of the way. Although the coastline was beautiful, it was a relief to be well clear of it for once!
We came into the little port of Vilasimius in the late afternoon and moored up then went out for an anniversary meal which turned out to be rubbish! The following day, exploring on foot, we wandered down a remote dirty track towards the beach. A car pulled up, the window slid down and a head poked out..."Frank? Fiona? Is that you?" Roland and Ruth Heaven (from Georgetown Methodist Church in Jersey) were on holiday in the region and by complete coincidence heading down the same dirt track, on the lookout for wild flamingoes! We all went back to Zaffina for a coffee and discovered that they had just moved south after staying for a few days at the same hotel where we'd enjoyed such a splendid meal two nights earlier!
We enjoyed Vilasimius, especially as there were some absolutely gorgeous beaches in the area. The wind was up and it was prudent to leave Zaffina in port, so we hired a car and explored the coastline, enjoying some lovely afternoons on the clean, golden sands and swimming in beautiful, utterly clear water. There were next to no British tourists in the region (apart from the Heavens, of course!)
Frank had to return to Jersey for three days, so we moved Zaffina on to Capitana, a tiny port far more convenient for the airport, and he headed off on Wednesday evening. It was a bit spooky being on my own on board, especially as there was no one else staying in the marina but after a noisy first night, with the wind up and waves slapping against the hull, I got used to the sounds and the port. Although there are no shops in the village apart from a supermarket, there is a quite good hotel with a rather nice spa so I spent a morning being pampered and a couple of afternoons on the hotel beach which helped to pass the time.
Once Frank returned on Saturday evening, we started checking the forecast again in readiness for our long crossing to Tunisa. We had hoped to leave today but the port we want to head for, Sidi Bou Said is full tonight, so weather permitting we'll be off at crack of dawn tomorrow, finally leaving Sardinia after a glorious, memorable, special summer, and my next post should (hopefully) be from the African continent!
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