Crossing from Argastoli to Siracusa
At quarter to three in the morning, the very annoying buzz of the alarm clock on the mobile phone started. Our PTD (Preferred Time of Departure) was 3 am, so we didn’t have a lot of leeway time wise. I think we left shortly after 3 am, in the pitch dark of course. The closer we got to the entrance of the bay, the higher the waves, but it actually wasn’t that bad once we were in open water. It was still possible to visit the heads without needing additional life insurance.
We started with a good wind on the beam, which gave us an average speed of 8 knots during the day and part of the night. Then the wind dropped, which had an instant – and regretfully very negative - effect on our speed, down to 5 knots. At around 4 in the morning the wind just about disappeared, and the engine had to keep the speed up to an acceptable level. Fortunately, by that time the sea had flattened, which made life much more comfortable. We were surrounded by thunder storms, but none of them came very close. They did give some spectacular light shows though.
The second day, the engine was on the whole time. By now the sea was as flat as a mirror and our average speed (under engine) was around 6 knots and ETA was midnight! The plotter was still using Greek time, according to Italian time we would arrive at around 11 pm. When we sailed into the bay, we dropped the anchor in a free spot between two other yachts, made sure none of the halyards could hit the mast and then conked out in our berth. By the time we got up, Snow Goose had also arrived. Nico and Sonja had left four hours behind us. It goes without saying that the first thing we visited in Siracusa was their fresh food market and then a café for a cappuccino and internet. That’s were Nico and Sonja found us. You could see us all sitting around a table with Ipads, tablets or smart phones in our hands. J On Wednesday, Robin and Iris also arrived in Siracusa. By that time we’d relocated from the anchorage to a spot on the quay of a ship yard, due to a predicted blow. The blow never fully materialized, but it was very handy to go shopping without having to use the dinghy!
Crossing from Siracusa to Malta
After a week in Siracusa, again waiting for a decent weather window, we finally had one on Saturday. So, on Saturday morning at 10 am we picked up the hook (including a substantial part of very sticky, muddy bay bottom), hoisted the sails and found our way through the entrance of the bay through fierce break water. Once we rounded the south east corner of Sicily, the waves came from behind. We anchored in the bay of Porto Pollo, where the Dutch catamaran Safari was already anchored.
On Sunday morning at 7 am we left for Malta. The forecast wind never appeared and we had to motor sail all the way. We found some empty mooring buoys in Sliema’s crowded bay and were joined by Snow Goose and Gros Doux the next day. Nico, Sonja, Robin and Iris wanted to do some serious Malta exploring, so the opted for a mooring spot in Msida Marina. We stayed in Sliema, visited Vic’s mom and sister, sailed to Birzebbuga for some clear bay water to clean Issy’s bottom and water line one more time before the winter season, sailed straight back to Sliema after that because a nasty swell started rolling into Pretty Bay, and had a bumpy night in Sliema. A easterly blow is expected for tomorrow, so this morning we also went into Msida marina. The weather has been horrendous, rain pelting down the whole day. Now we have to wait – once again this fall – for a weather window to sail to Marina di Ragusa. And the weather forecast seems to change by the hour!
At quarter to three in the morning, the very annoying buzz of the alarm clock on the mobile phone started. Our PTD (Preferred Time of Departure) was 3 am, so we didn’t have a lot of leeway time wise. I think we left shortly after 3 am, in the pitch dark of course. The closer we got to the entrance of the bay, the higher the waves, but it actually wasn’t that bad once we were in open water. It was still possible to visit the heads without needing additional life insurance.
We started with a good wind on the beam, which gave us an average speed of 8 knots during the day and part of the night. Then the wind dropped, which had an instant – and regretfully very negative - effect on our speed, down to 5 knots. At around 4 in the morning the wind just about disappeared, and the engine had to keep the speed up to an acceptable level. Fortunately, by that time the sea had flattened, which made life much more comfortable. We were surrounded by thunder storms, but none of them came very close. They did give some spectacular light shows though.
The second day, the engine was on the whole time. By now the sea was as flat as a mirror and our average speed (under engine) was around 6 knots and ETA was midnight! The plotter was still using Greek time, according to Italian time we would arrive at around 11 pm. When we sailed into the bay, we dropped the anchor in a free spot between two other yachts, made sure none of the halyards could hit the mast and then conked out in our berth. By the time we got up, Snow Goose had also arrived. Nico and Sonja had left four hours behind us. It goes without saying that the first thing we visited in Siracusa was their fresh food market and then a café for a cappuccino and internet. That’s were Nico and Sonja found us. You could see us all sitting around a table with Ipads, tablets or smart phones in our hands. J On Wednesday, Robin and Iris also arrived in Siracusa. By that time we’d relocated from the anchorage to a spot on the quay of a ship yard, due to a predicted blow. The blow never fully materialized, but it was very handy to go shopping without having to use the dinghy!
Crossing from Siracusa to Malta
After a week in Siracusa, again waiting for a decent weather window, we finally had one on Saturday. So, on Saturday morning at 10 am we picked up the hook (including a substantial part of very sticky, muddy bay bottom), hoisted the sails and found our way through the entrance of the bay through fierce break water. Once we rounded the south east corner of Sicily, the waves came from behind. We anchored in the bay of Porto Pollo, where the Dutch catamaran Safari was already anchored.
On Sunday morning at 7 am we left for Malta. The forecast wind never appeared and we had to motor sail all the way. We found some empty mooring buoys in Sliema’s crowded bay and were joined by Snow Goose and Gros Doux the next day. Nico, Sonja, Robin and Iris wanted to do some serious Malta exploring, so the opted for a mooring spot in Msida Marina. We stayed in Sliema, visited Vic’s mom and sister, sailed to Birzebbuga for some clear bay water to clean Issy’s bottom and water line one more time before the winter season, sailed straight back to Sliema after that because a nasty swell started rolling into Pretty Bay, and had a bumpy night in Sliema. A easterly blow is expected for tomorrow, so this morning we also went into Msida marina. The weather has been horrendous, rain pelting down the whole day. Now we have to wait – once again this fall – for a weather window to sail to Marina di Ragusa. And the weather forecast seems to change by the hour!