A year "delayed" due to the pandemic, we finally boarded a plane (after an extremely expensive PCR test with a certificate) on our way to Athens. Finally in the boat we discovered that maintenance work had just begun, work that was ordered and paid for in 2020. A small excuse were that everything was shut down in Greece also in August last year, but you obviously have to be present to get things done š.
After fussing around, reversing a wrong and dangerously done job and canceling an order, we were after 4 weeks (!!!), finally launched on July 29th.
After launching, we were discussing the tightening, or rather lack of tightening, of the fore stay, but since the forecast said little wind or headwind it would be mostly engine, so we set off around the Peloponnese. It was a night sailing and it was a lot of waves and headwind. We used 2 days and it was a total of 259 nm to Zakynthos. This was a new experience pushing boundaries with night watch - alone in the dark - with navigation set by course, radar and lighthouses.
Arriving at Zakynthos, Kai Robert checked the fore stay more closely, and it turned out that the cutter stay was too tight (first incorrectly fitted and then too tight - this was done by "professionals" š”), which made the fore stay too loose. No one to help, so Kai Robert fixed it himself š
On the boat next to us we met the most wonderful young girl, Alex, whom we got to know. She was the "maiden" for the summer on an Italian boat. The loveliest, smiling English girl who by the way only had 1 year left in medical school.
After 3 days in port, we set course across the Ionian Sea and towards Sicily, another 3 days at sea with partly a lot of wind and big waves, with night shifts, a bit tired "faces" after a while and so-so with cooking. It's not easy to "stand at an angle" and cook, but some hot food was served. š
We arrived at the port of Catania at 01.30 am, (got a temporary place when they informed us 2 hours before arrival that they did not have a place until the next morning (!), but then Monica got angry and said clearly that we have booked and after 2 days in rough weather, we will moor now! !š) Since this was Friday night there was a full disco in the harbour, but we were tired and slept well anyway.
The next morning we changed places and ended up next to a charter boat with a Finnish skipper. We had a chat, and among other things also about the vaccine (we had not been able to have the 2nd dose at either Aegina or Zakynthos). He checked around, and on Monday morning we went to a vaccine center where we only met nice and solution-oriented people, and thus vaccine 2nd dose was given!! So now we are fully vaccinated. š
Back in the port of Catania, we again got help from the Finnish skipper who recommended a rigger that came and adjusted the rig, and now the rig is finally as it should be.
Here we also met Ingrid and Peter on OseanDeva, and we spent a nice evening on board with them. Who knows, all of a sudden we meet again somewhere.
It was incredibly hot in Catania, but we rented a car one day and drove up towards Etna, and there were clear traces of ash blowing out from time to time, because there are ash everywhere, even on the roads all the way down in the harbour.
Possibly a heat record was set in Sicily when it was measured 48.8 degrees C a bit south of where we were, and it felt like a hot air fan blowing š It was therefore nice to get out of the harbour and stay on a buoy a little further north in Taormina where we could swim morning, n/oon, evening or whenever we wanted. Taormina is a must-see town located high above the harbour with good views to Mount Etna.
After 2 days in Taormina Bay, we sailed early in the morning towards the Strait of Messina, we timed it so that we got the current with us through. There can be up to 4 knots of current in the strait and you do not want to have it against you.
We have had little good sailing wind, long distances with little, or headwind, and it was another long day with little wind and a lot of engine on our way to Isola di Volcano, where we anchored up.
As the name indicates, there is activity here, with the smell of sulfur in the air (smell of rotten eggs) and hot water bubbling in some places and smoke coming from the top of the volcano. The water was warmer than we've had before (which has been, and still are hot), so here you got wet, but not much cooled down by swimming. š
This was a tourist place where there have previously been health trips with hot mud holes, which were now closed, but you could see tourists covering themselves in clay and swimming where the water was warmest. This was also a place where many arrived with small and large boats, motor and sails, and anchored up.
After 3 nights we had had enough and headed west towards Isola di Ustica, a new night voyage. On arrival there was no berth in the harbour (we had called and asked š¤·āāļø), but we were allowed to stay on a buoy, which actually was much better š, and with such clear water that it was difficult to see the depth. We swam and snorkeled and it was like swimming in an aquarium, with fish around you and we could see the bottom and the mountainside so clearly. We also swam into a cave, here the water became light blue with the light from outside š.
Not much to see in the harbour and as we didn't walk around the island, we set course for Cagliari and Sardinia the next morning, approx. 2 days at sea since there were fore-casted very little wind at times. We actually got several hours of good sailing, speed of about 8 knots and no waves š, before we got into the quiet belt. Then it was out with the fishing rod and late in the evening we got a big tuna, probably 15-20 kg, without exaggerating š. Lots of fish, so what do we do with it?
At the berth in the port of Cagliari we asked if anyone wanted some fish - a couple said yes and the next day they came and thanked us again with a bottle of white wine š. We had both fried tuna and a lot of sashimi, but there was still a lot left, so some became tuna tartars on the way to Mallorca.
We were also a bit tourists and walked the city a bit, but otherwise we washed the boat both inside and outside, and bought food and some equipment before we set course for Mallorca and 3 days at sea.
This was a nice trip with a lot of good sailing, up to 8 knots for several hours š, but also some quiet belts. Then you just have to "take life easy" and wait.
The last night before Palma there was a lot slow motor sailing since we didn't want to arrive into the port in the dark. The bert-price in Palma was also higher than we have ever paid before, 1400, - Nok/day š®. A German couple in the harbour told us that 2 years ago they had paid Eur 500 (!!!) for a night in a port at Ibizaš¤Ŗ.
We rented a car one day and visited Fornalutx village, this was elected Spain's most beautiful city 2 years in a row. We also drove to Torrent de Pareis / Sa Calobra, a really long valley / canyon where we went hiking. Here there was a lot of climbing over and between large rocks, with vertical rock walls on both sides. A wonderful, demanding and a little scary experience in a couple of hours - we had to give up when we could not go any further without equipment.
The departure to Ibiza was postponed, as on the day of departure there was a change of weather to rain and thunderstorms, which seemed to persist on the future route, so then we got a few extra days in Mallorca š¤·āāļøš.
Palma is a nice city, and with extra time we got to see parts of the city, a must is the Cathedral of La Seu / "Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma", a wonderful sight especially from the sea when we arrived, and we really liked the area behind the cathedral at Pl. Rosario with narrow streets with many small shops and cafes, ice cream parlors and restaurants.
With the "storm" over, we set course for Ibiza and Formentera, and we started early to get some sailing wind. There was some sailing, but the wind died away, again š¤·āāļø, so then it was motor sailing until anchoring in a beautiful sunset at Formentera.
After 2 nights at anchor in "little Caribbean", we set sail for Cartagena on the Spanish coast, a new night voyage. We started with ok sailing, but then there was little wind, again š¤·āāļø Finally at September 6th at 02.50 am we passed the 0-meridian and we will now be at the western longitude in the future šš.
We arrived at Cartagena and the Spanish mainland at 3 pm, and after a good night's sleep we set course for Aguadulce, 110 nm further south (here, hopefully, some parts are waiting for us - parts we have been searching for for several weeks š).
Ć hhhh, new disapointment, due to sickness in the family, the technician was not available - so what do we do? š¤·āāļø
Puhhh, weather forecast gave us the opportunity to stay another day, so then the technician still had the opportunity to mount the battery to the Epirb š (it sends emergency signal and position if we have to leave the sailboat offshore and go into the life raft), and the battery to the Iridium satellite phone was delivered home in Norway for Egil (crew) to bring to Canery Islands.
A couple of miscellaneous stuff were also fixed and taken care of in Aguadulce, and a berth was booked in the Bay of Gibraltar.
This stretch was again without wind, absolutely completely still š©, but we were joined by dolphins twice, first during the day, then again at night. In the dark we used a flashlight to see them better and we saw lots of small fish or insects (??) who "jumped" on the surface. It looked like the dolphins also could see them better and they were feasting for a long time - fantastic š.
In Gibraltar we will stay a few days waiting for the right weather to cross the strait, and also prepare the longest stretch so far - to Gran Canaria (4-6 days).
We have been tourists in Gibraltar , we are now in a port in Spain, but only 10 min walk to the border, so we walked across the border and took the cable car up to the top and saw the "famous" monkeys (they are Barbary macaques, a species from Morocco and the only monkeys that live wild in Europe) . We trotted and walked (it was more than 12 km through the day), and stopped by the spectacular St.Micheal's cave and defense tunnels that were built in the late 18th century and added during World War II, before we trotted down into the city and the shopping street . With sore feet, knees and hips, it felt good to sit down and have a glass of white wine š, before we went to the border control.
Between the city center and the border control we passed the Gibraltar airstrip where we walked across (!) the airstrip - it must be the only airstrip where Ā«ordinaryĀ» people walk / cross the airstrip š®.
By now we have been sailing 1800 nm.
New blog post before leaving Gran Canaria for Grenada and the Caribbean Islands. š
Monica & KaiRobert
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