Out & About in Sicily

We have settled in to our winter daily routine in Licata by participating in the various morning Yoga/workout sessions and working through the boat winter jobs list (and it seems adding more jobs to the list as each job is ticked).  One of the priorities was chasing a leak on the starboard side which would …

Settling into winter in Licata

As Maggie and her crew are now securely berthed at the Marina di Cala del Sole, Licata, our winter location for this season it was time for an adjustment to the usual daily routines.  Now how to begin these adjustments?  First off no need to reach for the phone first thing to check the wind …

East & South Sicily

After a windy night in Lipari we woke to calmer conditions and departed the Porto Salvo pontoon at 08:00 on Monday 23rd September, our destination was the Costa Viola Yacht Club in Palmi on the main land of Italy, a distance of 43.5 nautical miles. When we went to hoist the main sail the halyard …

The Aeolian Islands

After a lovely stay in Cefalu, a total of ten days, the weather had settled so we departed on Thursday 12th September to head for the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago located north of Sicily. Our first port of call was Lipari Island, a distance of 53 nautical miles from Cefalu. In the port of …

Northern Sicily

On the day before our departure from Carloforte we topped up the Diesel tank with 40 litres at an eyewatering €1.74 per litre, to ensure we had a full tank for the 200+ nautical mile trip to Sicily.  We also need a refil of gas for cooking but they would not exchange the Butsir brand …

First taste of Italy

After intense study of the weather forecast for the last few days we decided for the next 48hours both wind and sea state was favourable to make the crossing from Menorca to Isola di San Pietro an island off the south west coast of mainland Sardinia.  We had an early start on Friday 09th August, …

A quick peak season tour of the Balearics

It was never our intention to visit the Balearic Islands during the peak season months but when on an adventure like ours with no set itinerary you find that plans change as ours have with our decision to spend the winter in Sicily in 2019.  So we now find ourselves transiting the Balearic Islands in …

High Temperatures inside and outside

We lifted our anchor and departed the lovely Punta de la Banya at 9am on Tuesday 02 July.  Our next destination was an overnight stop at the Club Nautico marina in Burriana, 56 nautical miles away.  It was a hot sunny day towards the end of the recent heatwave.  About two hours into the trip …

Back in the Costa Dorada

On Saturday 15th June we departed El Masnou marina at 10:30am and headed south towards our next port of call at Roda de Bara, a distance of 45nm. Weather conditions were calm with a 1-2M uncomfortable sea swell for the first half of the trip particularly off the coast of Barcelona. This was possibly as …

A brief visit to the Costa Brava and a road trip to France

We departed Premia de Mar marina on Tuesday 28th May and headed north. We spent the next four days at anchor in three different locations, Canyelles, LLoret de Mar and Blanes but the swell was very uncomfortable and we were constantly buzzed by the beach Jet Ferries which created a big wash as each one …