Slog up through Massina Straits and on to pretty Tropea
chrisandjane aboard Liveloula
Chris Cooke
Sat 27 Sep 2014 19:39
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38:41.00N 15:54.30E Saturday 27 Slog against wind and swell thro Messina Straits narrows, and N to pretty Tropea
Depart Calabria 0600 Arrive Tropea 1630 47nm M7.5 S 3 Sunny day, no clouds, clear air – can see for miles Leave before first light. 9nm to narrows. Current should be N going 0500 till 1000 (according to app downloaded on Jane`s Ipad.)F3 headwind, builds to a good f4. Motorsail with main, tacking close to E shore as wind blowing S down strait. Aim for waves, as that means wind against most favourable tide. Not as much help as expected. Radio Messina Traffic to advise of our passage. Keep to E inshore traffic zone, which is only .25nm wide in places at top as head E(straits are less than 2nm wide at narrows). Get past Villa san Giovanni harbour in convenient gap between fast and trad ferries exiting/arriving from Sicily. Very little traffic coming up our side – just one Destroyer. Plenty coming down, but that is all well to W of us. Turn 80degrees to stbd to pass thro narrows. Wind still on the nose so tricky short tacking to avoid main shipping lane. See the supposed notorious whirlpool. Timid! Frankly, off Exmouth docks on springs is much more bumpy/dangerous. Still loads of small craft pulled up on narrow beach. Would be chaos if they were all out fishing! Meet large swell coming from way out. Really slows our progress. Big liner comes in as we exit Traffic Zone. Wind dies to f2 out here. My how it was more in straits. Would not like to fight against a f4/5 out here, as will be a bumpy gale in straits. George unable to cope with swell and shifty wind. End up having to motor tacking main on shifts to make some Nly. Fills in a bit so take long stbd tack out toNNW, heading just off volcanic Stromboli (which is puffing a tad today) bearing away to have full sails to assist motor drive upnover the swell waves. Much pounding as waves virtually straight at us. After 3/4hour tack over onto port and can easily lay Capo Vaticano. Breeze filled in to good f3 and frees us, so turn motor off, ease sheets and fast sail for last couple of hours along to Tropea. Cooler out at sea now. Only a dry 27degrees in main cabin! Very comfortable. Enter marina giving wide berth to outer mole as pilot says subject to major silting. Call in on VHF Ch as painted on harbour wall. No reply. Find space and go bows to. Explore ashore. Meet HM who asks if we have “the small yacht”. Obviously spotted on CCTV. Have to move to V berths well in along prom. Sailitalia boats changeover day. So fairly full and busy. Wonderful view up to ancient buildings perched on top off cliffs. 76euros for 2 nights. Tired shower building, but gallons of hot water in spacious cubical. Loos don`t have bins for the paper now (they do in Greece).Used gallons for long shower. Best kit donned, then climb 200 steps to old town. AMAZING. Really tall old buildings with higgldypiggldy narrow streets. Huge wooden arched doors – some building derelict, some residential, some tourist shops/restaurants/pizzerias. Norman cathedral looks in need of attention. Can see way out to Stromboli and Aeolian Islands from viewpoints, and straight down cliff edge too! Many holidaymakers strolling about enjoying the sights. Nice place. No tat. Excellent meal in restaurant back from main square, with too much wine. Looking forward to lazy day tomorrow as Jamie flies home, and we can have a day off. |
