Good sail around the toe to grubby Reggio di Calabria
chrisandjane aboard Liveloula
Chris Cooke
Sat 27 Sep 2014 08:06
38:07.40N 15:39.05E Friday 26 September Good sail most way around toe to grotty Reggio di Calabria, on mainland half way up Messina Straits Depart Rocella Ionica 0415 Arrive Calabria 1830 66nm M6 S8 Depart in dark. Set off parallel to shore.No problem working out where to make turn seaward as much streetlight on prom. Sails up. Jamie heads below. Nice reach on stbd.Skip alone on watch as crew still catching up. Flashes of lightening well inshore. Can`t hear the thunder so some way off. Looks as tho not drifting our way. Daylight reveals rainclouds astern. D`fly just manages to keep in front! At one point large raindrops descend from blue sky. Looking directly up can see them coming, and dodge them. Weird! Turns into dead run, even when head W and then N up wide bottom bit of Messina Straits. Then dies and becomes f3/4 N headwind coming down straits. Bit of lop, so motorsail with main to punch thro.Wind/kite surfers out enjoying the late afternoon breeze. See rainshowers ahead crossing from Sicily to Reggio. Crew head below. Skip dons sailing jacket, but just a few spots. Arrive marina in top NE corner of Reggio City harbour. Only few spaces for visitors, and just a few vacant even at this time of year. 50euros. Awful loos. Doen`t even try showers. But decent laid sternline! Jane doesn`t even step ashore. Jamie decides NOT to go shopping for mince.Wouldn`t come here by choice, but nowhere else to stop on way up straits. At least we can time our exit to get favourable tide thro the narrows 9nm N tomorrow. Noisy night, but deep sleeps again – just hazy memory of annoying preannouncement jingle at nearby rail station. |