This is my second time in Vulcano, but it is still as beautiful as I remember it. The only two differences are the company and the climb up seemed a lot harder this time around. Anyway Marta, Massimo and I managed to make it to the summit and around the entire crater perimeter. Certainly a lot easier descending rather than ascending.

Stefano stayed at ground zero and we joined him on our way down.

We then walked into town and into a lovely restaurant called “La Forgia da Maurizio”, run by an extra friendly Italian, who spent 20 years in Indian. Fantastic food and hospitality. We ordered Pasta Caserecce with Fish and pomodorini and were given free appetisers, obviously help down with the local white wine. In fact the food was so good that we ordered an additional plate of fried anchovies.

Back to Aria on our tender and then we sailed for our overnight destination of Lipari,”Porto Pignataro”. Four tacks and we were in, and just before the rain.

Our plan is to stay on board tonight and relax.

Our first real overnighted was spent in the small town of Milzzano.

We woke in the morning and Stefano went to town to do the usual food shopping, whilst the rest of us spent leisurely time enjoying breakfast and coffee.

Massimo and I then walked into town for fresh bread and were magnetically drawn to the local Chandlery. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to walk into the old town as we decided to make way for Vulcano, some 24 miles away and after a wonderful Lucy of Spaghetti Vongole we slipped lines. Disaster struck as Massimo was taking Aria out. Just after slipping lines a huge increase of wind caught the bow and started pushing Aria sideways down the narrow alley and towards other yachts. I took the helm and managed to get her stern into stern into wind by letting the wind do the work of swinging the bow around. This allowed us to reverse Aria out of the alley, directly into wind. Disaster averted, we set our sail and set course for Vulcano.

A fantastic sail in winds of up to 29 kts and we sailed the entire journey and in the north west side of the island “Porto di Ponente”, where i had visited some year ago. Life is funny, I would have never thought that I would ever be here again, let alone so soon.

We anchored in 20kt southerly winds and the anchorage was calm with no swell and after our usual culinary delights, presented by Stefano, we retired to a very peaceful night.