Today we decided to hire a rental car and take a trip to Etna and Taormina.

The office staff at Capo d’Orlando were fantastic, especially Laura. We asked for a hire car and within 20 minutes she had it delivered to the marina and we set off on our journey. We had to stop off in town at the car hire company to fill in the paperwork and pay. We drew lots for who wou;ld drive and Bill became our driver for the day. I car was grossly uder powered as we soon found out. The GoogleMaps application took us the scenic route, which off course ment cross country and for roads not fit for cattle let alone a car. Indeed some slopes were difficult to ascend, with the wheels spinning for grip. But we mad it. Arrival at Etna was disappointing for two reasons. Firstly it was raining and visibility was poor and secondly, in my point of view, it is very commercialised and not at all like a heritage site. Nonetheless, we had a bit to eat and the set off in a car back down the slopes, which was considerably easier than the climb up, much to Bill’s relief.

The rain had cleared somewhat, and we managed to get some great shoots of the clouds below and the decimated landscape.

We then set off for Taormina, a suggestion of Elaine, Ed’s wife, who texted us that this was a place to visit, and indeed it was.

A fantastic and beautiful town, full of life and culture, beauty and off course thousands of tourists. Wonderful views and spoilt for choice for resturants, bars, shops and churches. Photos below hopefully show its beauty.

 

Bill’s last day was visiting Pompeii, Palermo. Palermo is a busy city, full of wall to wall tourists and the usual tourist shops. Not my cup of tea.

In the evening  we went for a meal in a fantastic fish resturant called Portovecchio, literally 300 metres from the marina. A great fish and pizza resturant which we have been to before, but this time we all decided on fish or Steak. A farewell to Bill, who has to return tomorrow morning. A great sailor and fantastic company. Bon Voyage Bill.

 

On Sunday we venture out to Vesuvius and Pompeii. It’s my second visit to Pompeii and it’s more wonderful and intriguing each time I visit. It’s unbelievable how wonderfully preserved this ancient city is and how devastating it must have been for it inhabitants. You can actually imagine how wonderful life for the romans who lived here must have been, with play and education areas, shops, saunas, baths, theatres and Gladiator games. I could spend hours walking this massive ancient city and will want to visit again some day.

Finally the day has arrived for the beginning of our 1000 mile odyssey. 

We started the day with a coffee and then began our final preparation for our voyage. A boat wash down, water tanks filled and crew washed and watered. Our friend Massimo dropped by and wished us a fond farewell and we plan to meet up in the Madelenna island in about 5 weeks. Bill had prepared a spaghetti bolonesse for consumption en route. It’s a great idea to have hot food prepared for long passages and the Mr D Thermal cooler proved its weight in gold yet again.

 

 

 

The journey started with a resonable breeze, but within 3 hours the wind had veered around us and behind us with a strength of 25 knots. We reefed, obviously and settled down to some downwind sailing, eventually rolling away the genny entirely.

After our evening meal of spaghetti bolonesse, which was still piping hot, we settle into our night watch routine of three hours on and six off.

My duty started at 2400, but I got up early for a chat with Ed and a handover. The wind had picked up to over 30 knots with some fantastically huge breaking and surfing waves behind us. Some as high as 3 metres or more. I hope it keeps up until day break as I would love to get some video footage, not to mention keeping the boat speed up to between 7.5 and 8.6 knots.  The full moon lit the night sky and the sea and it was almost as bright as England on a dark and cloudy day. Fantastic feelings and thoughts rushing through me as I become one with nature and enjoyed the wonders of this unucluttered life at sea. A wonderfully bright Jupiter accompanied the moon and I thought back of my days as a 10 year old staying up late and gazing into the night with the telescope that my Aunt Krystyna had bought me. Plotting the orbits of Jupiter’s four largest moons over many month. How I wish I had kept those plots. Who would have thought at that early age that I would be sailing this wonderful world and not only looking at the same planet, but also with my best fried who I befriended at the age of five. I obviously Refer to my best mate  Edward.

 

Apart from Ed and Bill on board, I think the nearest human is probably 70 miles away horizontally or perhaps a bit nearer vertically, in either planes or space shuttles. 

After a rough night with mixed episodes of sleep I awoke to a beautiful and calmer day. Not a cloud in the sky, but still a heavy sea.

I made a breakfast of scrambled eggs and salami for Edward and myself and then took over his watch at 0900 for my three hour stint. Fishing line out and got a bite, but whatever it was got away. 

I found a little squid on deck, that must have been wash up by last nights large waves….. to be continued