We left Malta at the beginning of May after spending a pleasant month doing jobs around the boat and sightseeing

 

We headed north to Sicily and Siracusa, an 80 mile trip which took 11 hours, under sail all the way with quite

fresh winds and a fairly big sea. A bit of a shock for the first sail of the season!

 

Sandra bought a souvenir of Sicily, a ceramic plate with the island's symbol, the three legged man.

 

 

We are not sure why, but the Italians are quite happy to let off fireworks in daylight, which is not as spectacular as in the dark.

 

 

A Mother's Day bicycle rally arrived in front of the Siracusa cathedral, which used the columns from the ancient temple to Athena

previously occupying the site.

 

 

 

Lemon trees on a patio in Siracusa

 

 

Buying cherries off the back of a truck, hand weighed. Delicious and cheap.

 

 

Mount Etna from the anchorage at Naxos. We saw it clearly on our sail up the east coast of Sicily. 

 

 

This a small sword fishing boat.  The skipper is conning the boat from the top of the tower, while looking for

a basking sword fish to harpoon.

 

 

This is a larger sword fishing boat.  The skipper and two lookouts are up the tower, swaying around.  When they

get close to a swordfish, the harpooner runs out the long, long, long gangway sticking out from the bow.

These boats are only seen around the Straits of Messina, where swordfish congregate at various times

of the year.

 

 

We anchored off the small fishing harbour of Scilla at the north end of the Straits of Messina.

 

 

In the bay at Sapri. We actually used this old wharf to come ashore in the tender....

 

 

......then took an amazing bus trip around the spectacular coast road to the hilside town of Maratea.

 

 

 

.....tartufo.  And it was very, very delicious.  Chocolate gelato with rich, liquid chocolate in the centre.  I don't know

how they keep the outside frozen while the centre isn't.

 

 

The beautiful church tower at Scario

 

 

Anchored under the watch tower in the bay of Punta Iscolotti.

 

 

Looking down from the watchtower.  There are watch towers like this every 3 or 4 miles along this coast.

Many are in ruins like this one, but quite a few have been turned into villas.

 

 

Taking a few brief moments away from boat chores.

 

 

Church and watch tower at Acciarelo

 

 

The new tender in action. The colour of the water is spectacular.

 

 

The FIRST time we have EVER seen a seagull chick!  Look carefully to the left of mum.  They are well

camoflaged, only grey and no white or yellow.