We planned to get up at 0800 as we had several jobs to do before we left, and that is what we did. We started out by putting a new anchor roller on,which took no time at all. With the anchor back in place we continued with putting up the gennaker and then Ed washed down Arctura, whilst I made a spag bols for our evening meal. All that was left to do was get new flares, fill the water tanks and put up the spray hood. We were finished by 1200 and decided to delay our planned departure of 1300 by an hour and go for lunch. We headed for the swimming club “Rari Nantes”, which has a fine restaurant. At €10 a head we had a tuna pasta starter, grilled skewered sausage with potatoes and salad, bread and water. Additional wine was €5, the hole meal a bargain and extremely tasty.

Back to Arctura, and we finally slipped lines at 1405 and made our way out of Marina St. Elmo. Within 5 minutes we were sailing. Out of the harbour for a mile and then tacked toward Vilasinius about 20 miles toward the east. Pulling over 7 knots we made great headway close hauled, but very comfortable in a 15 knot wind.

We then turned to port and with the wind evermore behind us, made our way through the island of Cavoli and Sardinia and set a course for Elba. Changing our sail pattern often from goose winging to head sail alone, we finally deployed the genaker alone in the light wind from the south and almost directly behind us. We also had fun experimenting with the boom brake, that came with Arctura, but was never deployed. A very useful piece of kit, getting rid of the need for complicated gybe preventers.

The boom brake proved totally efficient in the tests we put it through and certainly did the job. An invaluable piece of safety kit.

We had our spag bols at 2000 and at 2100 settled into our 3 hour watch system.

Thee moon is a 13% waxing crescent, but even this lights up the sea sufficiently, but it’ll set just before midnight. Stars are everywhere and wonderful phosphorescence from algae and jellyfish sparkle in our wake.

7th May 2019 – 0300

Up for my next 3 hour shift. Ed had nothing major to report. We can now clearly see the light from the Arbatax light house some 20 miles away. It has a range of 26 miles, 2 white flashes every 10 seconds. Sky is still clear and the stars look more beautiful than ever and at this hour joined by Jupiter and Saturn. Venus should rise at 0514, so will keep an eye open for her. The wind has picked up again and we are sailing in a southerly and Arctura is pulling 4 kts as we make our way northwards parallel to the coast and about 2 miles from shore.

0415

Wind has backed by about 20 degrees and the gennaker was collapsing. Ed came up from his slumber and we rolled away the gennaker and deployed the small Genoa, but this time on the port side to accommodate for the shift in wind. It has also piped up to 15kts and is forecast to increase further, so we’ll keep this one flying.

0430

Ed gone back to his bunk and we’re now pulling over 4 kts with our small Genoa. Waiting for the sun to rise in a couple of hours.

0545

Half an hour before sunrise and it’s already bright with the red sky in the distance we await the sun and it’s warmth.

Nearly sunrise, but not quite

And finally sunrise 0615

0630

I’m off to my bunk now for a quick kip before breakfast