Fw: Diary entry number one - position 39:08.84N 08:18.55E

California of London
Allan and Ruth Dooley
Thu 30 Apr 2009 16:42
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 3:30 PM
Subject: Diary entry number one - position 39:08.84N 08:18.55E

Planning over - the voyage has started!  California is in wonderful order - even the teak decks look (almost) as new.
 
We left Palma on Tues 21 April at lunchtime with four on board - Allan and Ruth, John Pitcher (our neighbour) and Laurence Guthrie (long standing sailing friend). 
 
Stopped off at Cabrera for supper - well we couldn't go past without doing so!  Anchorage pretty empty - about 6 other boats.  Ruth ran to lighthouse as usual.  Others visited the Cantina (also as usual!).
 
Trip to South Sardinia was lively.  Mostly a broad reach - winds up to 30 knots.  Made land after 2 days at Carloforte on Isola di Sant Pietro.  Next day in port spent waxing all of fibreglass.
 
Set off for Sicily on Sat 25 April.  Once out of shelter of islands the wind was SE (where we wanted to go...).  Seas large and when it started gusting 40 (Gale 8) we turned back to where we had come from - 40 mile round trip going no-where! 
 
Luckily Carloforte has had a "Cus-Cus festival" this weekend.  Lots of arab style dancing, singers, bands and medieval costumes as well as stalls selling various produce especially tuna and cus-cus!  A force 9 in the forecast for today so staying put until tomorrow when we should have nice westerlies (we hope) to take us onwards.
 
 

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