Tuesday 09.07.13

09:00 39:26.465N 9:38.41E After saying our farewells to Ishtar who left earlier, we slipped our berth and headed out of Corallo marina into open sea setting a course of 120 degrees for Trapali, Sicily with a DTG of over 160 nm to the SE.

With what little wind there is on the nose from the SE, it is engine from the outset. The engine is set at 2000 rpm giving us a SOG of 7.1 kn and an ETA of 07:30 hrs Wednesday.

Noon Position : 39:14.N 10:01.60E Motoring. No wind SOG 7.1 kts ETA 7:50 DTG. 138nm. Diesel: 490 L Fuel consumed since departure: 32 litres = 10 L per hour @ 2000 rpm. Given the apparent fuel consumed decide to drop to 1800 rpm for an hour to check related consumption. J spotted three large brown turtles sun bathing on the surface which quickly disappeared on our approach.

14:00 39:06N 10:15E Motoring. RPM 1800 SOG 6.4 Kts CSE 128 degrees 138nm Diesel: 488 L Fuel consumed since last reading: 2 litres = 1 L per hour @ 1700 rpm.????

17:00 39:38:56.478N 10:36.6E: Motoring. SOG 6.5 Kts 1800 rpm DTG: 105nm ETA: 09:00 hrs Diesel 480 L Fuel consumed since last reading (3 hrs): 8 L = 4 L p/hr. Stopped engine for J amidst school of dolphins and couple of turtles. Checked engine and generator oil levels. Fine. J used the stop as an opportunity for a quick dip.

17:15 Resumed motoring at 2,100rpm

19:15 38:52.08N 10:51E CSE 119 degrees Motoring. Engine: 2100 rpm No wind. DTG: 93.5 nm ETA: 10:12 hrs Diesel: 475 L Fuel consumed since last reading (2hrs): 5L = 2.5 L p/hr.

21:00 38:46.075N 11:03.45E J takes 9 – 12 watch. It is a fine evening with good  visibility. No shipping around. Wind ESE 07 kn. SOG: 6,6kn ETA 09:12

23:30 38:35.68N 11:24.52E F takes watch over. J has nothing to report. No targets of concern noted on radar; further noted genny has been rolled in, Motoring. No wind. CSE: 119 degrees SOG: 7.1 Kt. ETA 09:00 hrs.

Wednesday 10^th July 2013

00:00 38:35.09N 11:26.60E F Watch The 485’ passenger vessel MV Aurelia passes us 10nm to starboard ,her destination, according to the AIS – Arbatax.

I called her for a radar check; no response.

01:45 38:28.42N 11:41.185E Progressively passing through a large fleet of fishing boats, most of which are to starboard of us.

03:45 38:22N 11:55E J took over watch.

08:30 37:59.27N 12:20.76E Arrive island of Levanzo part of Egadi group of islands just off coast near Sicilian port of Trapani. Distance done: 154.6nm

Time taken: 23.5 hrs average SOG: 6.578 Kts Diesel: 415 L Consumption since last reading at 19:15 Tuesday = 60 L cruising at 2,100 rpm = 4.528 L p/hr

Welcome committee	Island of Levanzo’s west coast

15:00 37:55.00N 12:18.30E Favignana. J moved us over from Levanzo to this cala south of adjacent Egadi island of Favignana. The island’s main feature is a very large hill that dominates this otherwise featureless 10km long island. Sitting atop the hill is a large fortress that looks well both by day and by night when it is floodlit. There appears to be a well hidden NATO air base here as we saw or heard C130s and F16s flying in and out but no signs of a military airfield – maybe it is in the large hill protected from potential attack.

Initially we anchored close to the entrance to the little fisherman harbour on the west side of the cala next to S/V Wiki the only other boat to be on this anchorage. She is an American registered classic wooden sloop flying the Corinthian Yacht Club burgee (Rhode Island) on the port yard arm and a banner displaying a red Indian holding a scalp aloft, from its masthead. A fine looking yacht. With her tender missing it appeared its skipper/crew were ashore.

Favignana’s south coast with St Catherine Fort

It does not look a very inviting place ashore – all very run down; so we moved over to the eastern side of the bay where we joined three other yachts already at anchor off a busy beach filled with parasols and people where we hope to pick up some victuals. Ultimately we never went ashore and ate well aboard on leftovers.