27th May 2019

We slipped lines at 1002 a set sail back to Olbia, as Elaine was heading back home the next day.

Unbelievable sail, in winds exceeding 25kts, as we close hauled our ways through the islands of Maddalena.

The trip seemed to fly by and in no time at all, we were back in our familiar port of Olbia and back in our yacht club.

We sought out a restaurant, recommended by Tito, the marina manager. It’s was called “Ristorante Barbgia” and although my spaghetti vongole and traditional Sardinian suckling pig was fantastic,, Ed and Elaine seemed not to enjoy theirs as much as I did mine. Perhaps I was lucky with my choice. We finished the evening in our now familiar Malp restaurant , with the owner Pietro, drinking grappa until the early hours.

Elaine, left next day and we waved her off as she caught a taxi to the airport some 3 kms from the Yacht Club.

Ed and I spent our last evening in Olbia, in a very good pizza restaurant called, Giropizza, a 1.3 km walk from the yacht club. As usual in Sardinia, the pizzas were delicious.

Back to Arctura, for an early night.

A peaceful night in Porto Palma and after a light breakfast and with winds in our favour we decided to head off to Bonofacio. Memories flooded back as we tacked our way through the many islands and past the town of Maddalena. I had been here nearly a year ago to the day and it now seems very familiar territory. Our final tack took us to just outside the concealed entrance to Bonifacio. If you didn’t have charts or had not been her before, you wouldn’t know that an entrance or town even existed in these waters.

Unlike last time, where we were left to our on devices to moor up, this time a tender came to greet us and guide us to our berth. With staff waiting on the pontoon, we reversed slowly towards our space. All was going well until the last few metres, when our keel caught one of the lazy lines of our neighbours yacht and we had to power forward and with the help of the accompanying tender were pushed to safety so that we could continue our manoeuvre. All moored up, we relaxed on deck, in the beautiful , safe harbour of Bonifacio.

In the evening, we headed up, on the stop walk, into the Citadel. As I had been here before, I was nominated as travel guide and lead the way up the hill and through the Barbican, with stunning views along the way. We meandered our way through the narrow streets and alleys, eventually, ending up at a beautiful cemetery, at the eastern end of the Citadel. Obvious, memories of mine and Eds mum raced though our hearts and minds, of two wonderful women, who we both lost within the last year.

Returning to the Citadel, we were now faced with the task of choosing somewhere to eat in the many restaurants this town has to offer. My general rule, is to follow the locals and try and find local cuisine. We eventually found a quaint restaurant, that was only full of French and seemed to offer local cuisine, “Cantina Doria”

We all shared a local vegetable soup, that was absolutely delicious, followed by a wild boar stew with pasta for me, a pork dish for Ed and St. Pierre fish dish for Elaine. All extremely tasty and reasonably priced.

Our evening ended with a casual stroll back down the now darkened streets only illuminated with street lamps, and making the Citadel even more romantic and alluring.

The only thing that spoilt a perfect evening, was a bar that plays exterior loud music until to in the morning. Ed and I now remembered, that this was the case when we were here last year and it appears to be a constant.

The usual pre departure checks and jobs, but this time we had to stock up on provisions for a few days as, one we were going to be anchoring for a while and two, we didn’t know where we might find another supermarket on our route.

By 1200, we had finished our chores, had breakfast, recovered our €200 deposit and finally slipped lines at 1215. We raise our sails immediately and in light winds sailed out of the buoyed channel and into the Bay of Olbia. The wind picked up and after a few tacks, past Isola Di Figarolo, we were in open waters and heading towards our anchorage of Porto Palma, in the Maddelena Group of islands.

As we approached the Maddalena islands, the wind picked up considerably and after a few long tacks, we sailed into the sheltered waters of Porto Palma. It’s amazing how one minute you are healed over and beating into wind and as soon as you enter the calm, protected waters of the bay, everything becomes, quite, slower and totally peaceful.

We anchored at 1800, in 7.5 metres and as we settled for the night and the sun was setting, I reminisced that this was the first time two years ago, that I spoke to my long lost cousin Krystyna, who entered my life here after 57 years of absence. This place and this exact same spot will always hold a special place in my heart.

We left our one day paradise and weighed anchor at 0911, gently prising her out of the sand and firmly secured on Arctura we slipped gently out of Cala Di Zeri and into 25 knot winds.

Our destination is Olbia, or more precisely Liscia Delle Saline. Which is a recommended anchorage just outside the entrance to Olbia

The sail was uneventful, but fast, often pulling 8 knots plus. As we approached the Madelena islands of Budeli and Caperra and eventually the coast of Sardinia, we remembered and reminisced when we were first here some two years ago.

Olbia bay is massive and as we tacked towards our marina we saw some pretty little villages either side. We anchored in 4 metres of water in a 25 to 30 knot offshore westerly wind. The anchor, as usual held first time and we settle in for the evening with a glass of wine and a spaghetti carbonara.

This anchorage is rock steady and once inside Arctura you wouldn’t know the difference between this and a well sheltered marina.

We left Porto Vecchio at 1207 in 22 knot winds. The exit was starting forward and we were soon in the marker channel and heading out to open seas. Initially we sailed on the small genoa alone, but soon put out a small amount of main.

We sailed out past the light houses of Punta Di a Chippa and in between the Roches de Chiapinno and the main land.

The wind soon piped up to 35 knots and we were close hauled. It was meant to be westerly, but it was more south westerly and to add to our plight we had to bear away somewhat to avoid the group of island off the east coat of Corsica. Once past these we put in a tack to get closer to land and to give us a better coarse on the next tack for our destination of their island of Cavollo. The tack worked well, but the U.V. Strip on the small Genoa ripped and was being battered by the wind.

After our second tack and back on a good course for Cavallo i went to my cabin to get a new battery for my GoPro, and noticed a whirling noise. At first i thought it may be the sail drive not being put into gear, but when chewcking the lever was firmly in the reverse position. It turned out the noise was the bilge pump motor and when Ed checked the bilges, found then quite full of water. This, we concluded, was due to the forward hatch not being closed correctly, due to the Geneka lioness not being stowed and an abundance of water over the foredeck from crashing waves. To add insult to injury, the bilge pump was not pumping.

We pressed on and finally arrived at our destination of Cavallo. Welcomed by the beautiful calm turqouise waters of Cala Di Zeri. We anchored about 100 metres off the beach in paradise. The contrast of the 35 knot winds and rough sea could not be different, and while the storm blew out some 1/4 of a mile away we were anchored in a tranquil bay with hardly a ripple on the water and no motion at all.

Upon further reading, Cavallo is an island own by a group of investors with houses scattered around belonging to the rich and famous and rumour has it the Princess Caroline of Monaco has an abode her. A very interesting place and a delightful safe anchorage from all winds apart from North or North Easterlies.

Once anchored we spent a good hour investigating the bilge pump and as it transpired, found that the impeller had failed. So with this replaced we were back in action, with only wet bilges to contend with and then concentrate of cooking the Tuna we had caught and watching an episode of the Pink Panther.

The sail to Porto Vechio was uneventful apart from the fact the we caught another Tuna, this time bigger.

We despatched and filleted the Tuna on the go and by the time we had finished we were approaching Punta san Ciprianu and the entrance into the bay at the end of which was Porto Vecchio. The wind by this time had picked up to 25kts and Ed was a little worried that we may not manage to moor up. However, once through the wind had died down to 15kts and we were stern to anyway, so not a issue.

As wash down of Arctura and then lunch on board before we set off to the supermarket for fresh supplies.

The Super market, “L’Leclerc” is less than a mile away and the food available was not only abundant, but of excellent quality.

We decided to pay a visit into the old town, a short walk up the hill and were not disappointed. Full of restaurant and bars in quaint narrow street, lit by wonder street lamps with their own character. Full of people and especially adorable and very pretty French girls and women with their “Je ne sails quoi” characters and appearance. The town was bubbling with life and so we decided to join and contribute to the ambiance and had a wonderful Pizza and wine at a adorable rustic restaurant called “U Caseddu” on Rue Jerome Landri, The tuna will have to wait until tomorrow ?

Port Vecchio is definitely worth a visit, 5 stars.

A peaceful night at anchor we had a wonderful omelette in the peaceful and tranquil anchorage. This is ,in my opinion, what sailing is all about. A beautiful spot, far from the madding crowd, watching the sky and clouds whilst listening to the soft sound of the waves as they touch the shore after their long journey from distant shores. It’s amazing that waters touches all places of our planet at the same time. The surface was quite still and as I peered down, I could now see the sanding bottom with the suns rays making patterns a few metres below the surface and all that accompanied by birdsong in the distance upon the land.

I could have stayed here days, but the weather is changing and high winds are predicted, and we have to seek the shelter of the harbour. That and we have to be in Olbia by the 21st of May to pick up Elaine, Ed’s wife, whose’s joining us for a few days.

So we weighed anchor and set a course for Solenzara, 30 odd miles south.

The wind was light and so we motored for the fist couple of hours, heading out to sea to avoid a military firing range. Once past this the wind picked up and we set our sails, turned the engine off and sailed for the remaining passage to the entrance of Solenzara.

About 7 miles from our destination we had a bite, with the fishing rod exploding into life with its rapid clicking of a strike. We furled away the Genoa, to reduce speed, and reeled in a magnificent Tuna. A lovely dinner or two to look forward to. The Tuna was some 35cms long. We should have weighed it, but that was an afterthought, perhaps next time?

Just before the entrance I made a call to the harbour master on channel 09 and had a very kindly response that some one would greet us and take us to our berth. Not only that, but take our lines, which is unheard of in France.

Solenzara, from what it seems is a purpose built town around the marina. There is everything you want within walking distance, Launderette, Supermarket, resutrants, Bolangeries and off course for Ed patisseries.

After a brief walk, and a visit to the local patisserie, we returned to Arctura, at which point it started to pour with rain. So we stayed on board and prepared our Tuna and had our dinner sent from God.

We decided to leave Bastia, as nice as it was, and head south.Our intended destination was the Port of Taverna, some 22 nms south. Before we left we picked up a replacement gas container and resupply on some fresh food.

We eventually slipped lines at 1120 and motored out of the marina and immediately raised our sails. There was not much wind, but as we only had 20 nms to run, were not in any particular hurry and it was also a beautiful sunny day.

As we approach Porto Taverna, I called the marina and asked if there was a berth and informed, the lady who answered, our intention. Giving her the draft of Arctura, 2.2 metres, she was concerned, but said there should be enough depth at the entrance to get in. Also, almanac reports mentioned it was dredged to 3 metres and Cruising Association reports varied from touching at 2.2 metres, to getting in with yachts of 2.4 metres draft. So armed with this information, we gingerly engined towards the entrance, closely watching the depth gauge. Only 5 metres from the entrance and scrunch,we touched bottom and immediately reversed and back to open water. We touched when the depth gauge read 2.0 metres, so that was out by 20cms, which is good for a safety margin.

So now for plan B. It was now 1700, so we could either head for Solenzara, some 30 nms and 5 to 6 hours away under engine or find a nearby anchorage. The problem with Anchorage’s on the east coast of Corsica, is that they are all exposed to swell and only suitable in calm conditions. We had calm conditions, so we gave it a go and headed for Phare d’Alistro, the location of an old lighthouse.

We anchored in 3.3 metres, sand bottom, and settled for the night. Although rolly it was bearable and a better option than going under engine for 6 hours and arriving at night.

Ed cooked a wonderful steak, with roast potatoes and green beans. We ate on deck with the sun setting and the almost full moon rising. Wonderfully flat seas, bit of a roll, but wonderfully tranquil.