From Sciacca to Capo Bianco Sicily

Bootlegger of Mann
Frank Newton
Sun 14 Jul 2013 11:42

140713
37:30.219N 13:04.671E

Sunday 14 July

10:50 07:30 37:34.442N 13:04.59E We depart from Circolo Nautico after having received several bags of goodies from the neighbouring Swedish family about to leave their boat for home. We do not need to go to the supermarket anymore and in turn give a bottle of Canonau wine from Sardinia for them to take home to Sweden.

After motoring east along the coast for a couple of hours J suggests we perhaps go in and find an anchorage by the beautiful Capo Blanco with its turquoise waters and white sand we are passing as it is a hot day with little or no wind and she would like to have a swim. We spot a yacht already anchored close in to a small white coloured headland. We identify from the chart as Cala Bianca and make in the general direction as the chart shows some 13 feet deep clear water in the anchorage area and no obstacles en route. We note many people on the beach line who, it turns out, are from the campsite behind the pine tree line bordering the beach.

13:15 37:30.219N 13:04.671E Capo Bianco We determine our position to anchor some 400 metres from the other anchored yacht and drop the hook into the clear sandy bottom 1.5 metres below Bootlegger’s keel.

Frank repairing the DAN Buoy before Capo Bianco

J makes a quiche for lunch which we have on deck washed down with a glass of passable local wine. Later we take to the warm water to snorkel. It really is a gorgeous day but with no sailing to be had. On diving to check the anchor J finds a complete waterlogged tree lying now on our anchor and sees our chain is fouled in one of its branches. We free ourselves of it and re-anchor some distance away.

After a lazy Sunday afternoon – apart from my fitting a modified flashing light to our DAN buoy purchased yesterday at a chandlery in Sciacca and J’s studying the pilot and guide and making phone calls to different marinas to find out about berth availability and prices - we finished off the home made quiche pie for dinner. What a nice day!