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

 

The day started early with washing bedding and then going to the fuel pontoon to fill up for our upcoming voyage. We took on 110 litres of diesel at nearly €2 per litre, so not cheap.

Whilst on the pontoon, another yacht berthed up. English registered, but with a small Polish flag on its port side. I greeted them in Polish and in turned out they were a group from Poland, from town like Poznan and Warsaw. Nice to meet fellow countrymen.

We also saw The Queen Victoria, berthed up in Cagliari. We normally see her in Southampton Water, so a pleasant surprise and a reminder of home.

Back to our pontoon and to the continued preparation. This included getting a cabin ready for Bill, tying the tender to the deck, and completing a huge shop of bottled water, tinned goods, pasta etc etc and off course wine and beer for those emergency moments.

We are so lucky to know Massimo, as he gave us a lift to and from the supermarket.

After unloading and packing away the good, Ed and I headed out for a pizza. We went to a very basic pizza restaurant “Pizzeria da Alessandro”, which we have been to before. The food is basic, but very good and two large pizza’s with wine and water and desert set us back 14€ per head. Lovely staff and very friendly.

Divers arrived early to change the anode on Arctura. Just in time, as there was nothing left of the sacrificial metal.

After the anode change Elaine, Ed and myself walked into town for Elaine’s last day in Cagliari. After a couple of Campari’s we were met by Massimo and tried to get a table in La Schironada, but all was booked due to a public holiday “Liberation Day”. So we went to a local. Burger bar “Popla” for some wonderful Home made Hamburgers.

Massimo then kindly took us to the airport and we dropped Elaine of for her flight back to the Sunny U.K. ?⛈

The boys continued the day with a drive and visit to Poetto Beech.

After Elaines settling in period and visit to one of our favourite restaurants, the night before, in Cagliari, ” La Schironada”, we set sail.Our initial plan was to head for Poetto beach, but as we got out into the bay the wind looked promising for a 6 or 7 hour sail to Tuerredda.

We sailed for half the journey and motored the rest to get there before sunset, arriving and dropping anchor at 19:26.

The bay was calm with only one other yacht a anchor, a British couple.

Ed prepared a gorgeous seared Tuna accompanied with a delightful salad.

The evening was completed with a glass of wine or two and gazing upwards into the wonderfully illuminated night sky and nature giving us the best show on earth with Venua, Jupiter and a half moon ? 

We spent the day relaxing in Cagliari and decided to go to one of the outdoor restaurants that only locals go to. This was comprised of outdoor plastic tables and chairs and a few gazebos. VERY BASIC. We followed the Sardinians lead and had Octopus salad, sea urchins, spaghetti vongole and fried squid, obviously accompanied by a house white wine. This was finished of with a coffee and a complimentary lemoncelo.. all for 23 Euros per head, but this included bread and 50cl of wine each. A bargain and not a single tourist in sight.

After some food shopping we headed back to Arctura for a well deserved siesta.

Our strenuous day was completed by yet another wonderful meal prepared by our very good friend Massimo. A spaghetti volgole followed by squid with finely chopped and fried artichoke.

Well what can one say. Waking up in this wonderful location is paradice on earth.

Tuarredda is only 30 miles west of Cagliari and a wonderful stop. We’ve been here several times and have never been disappointed.

The Mavic Air Drone got its first real use. We fitted some safety floating aid, should the worst happen and the Drone was launched. After a few practice attempts at take offs and landings on a yacht under anchor and confidence boosted, we achieved our first fly pass. The end result was a fly around Arctura with fantastic film footage as you can see above. I think I’ll call the drone Piccolo, as its good luck to have a name for a vessel.

With fantastic memories we weighed anchor at 11:07 and set sail back to Cagliari, with Dolphins and Sea Turtles en route.

Arriving at 18:45 we were greeted by our friend Masssion and Arba.

An early start on the first day of the Mediterranean Odyssey. A journey start with A single step, and the first step was getting out of bed early and stepping out the door of my home in Esher. A brisk walk to Esher station and then onto Stansted Airport to catch the flight to Cagliari. Boat preparation and generator repairs await us upon arrival.

 

Arrival in Cagliari was one of pleasure and fond remembrance of this beautiful place.

We were greeted by our very good friends Massimo and off course Arba. After a fantastic drive through the city centre in a vintage Citroen it was time to settle down and unpack.

 

It wasn’t long before Massimo picked us up from the marina and invited us to his home for a fantastic meal of spaghetti vongle followed by a amazing squid salad.

After travelling with a 23.2 kg hold bag full of cylinder head and exhaust elbow it was time to repair the generator.

As always what starts as a 3 to 4 hour job soon becomes a 10 hour endurance run.

Trying to get one nut on took 3 hours as there was such limited access, but eventually the threads caught and by 20:00 we have the generator kick into life and ready to power up the most single important device on board. Elaine’s hair drier 🙂

Anyway, job done and on with the next.

The generator has been repaired and the boat made clean and ship shape for the arrival of the real skipper? Elaine arrived to glorious sunshine and after shopping for provision we all arrived to Arctura and a lovely light salad lunch on deck.