The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Well this was certainly our case. We were meant to leave at 1700, but due to the usual unforeseen circumstances and last minute glitches we finally slipped lines at 1919. Still we have departed upon our voyage of discovery. Our objective is to get as far north as possible, perhaps Bonifacio, and then wend our way back to Cagliari.

Setting sail out of the intense heat of the marina, 36 degrees, we headed out in to a cooler environment of open water, with a delightful and gentle sea breeze. This was enough to allow us to sail for the first 10 nm, at which time the wind dropped to below 3 knts and we motored the remainder.

The conditions on route were perfect, and pulling 4 kts over the calmest of sea was beauty in the making. Alex was in heaven and in his new found element.

Watching the sunset over Caglairi and the western hills of Sardinia was like a dream unfolding. Alex commented how quickly the sun disappeared, and its true, one doesn’t realise how quickly our little earth is moving, until you have a reference point, such as the sun on the horizon.

Night fell and we were rewarded with another miracle of the stars in the heavens. Thousands upon thousands of visible stars appeared and the Milky Way was clearly visible, together with Jupiter and Saturn. We all laid on the fore deck, admiring this free show and spectacle and I for one wondered upon its creation. To top it all we saw a few shooting stars upon the backdrop of the heavens.

You could see the delight in Alex’s eyes as he too pondered these wonders and new experiences filling his mind, hopefully forever. He was in awe and said that this was the best experience ever and would want to stay on yachts and sail the seas. By the way, his now preferred Country has changed for England to Italy.

Before Alex and Marta retired we were serverd a wonderful dinner, of tomatoes spaghetti, under the carpet of the stars, by Massimo. And as a finali, I showed Alex the illuminations of plankton and phosphorescent sea life, creating its own lit Universe, in the sea below.

So with half the crew below and asleep, Massimo and I pressed on for the last hour to anchor in the beautiful bay of Carbonarra, minding out for the other 20 or so yachts that were to be our neighbours for the night. Finally dropping the hook at 0021, we put Arya to rest and then ourselves. An Amazing first day, with a Father proudly looking at his son and the joy and happiness in Alex’s eyes and soul.