Gran Cratere

Mor Toad / Moy Toad
David and Jocelyn Fawcett
Tue 3 Oct 2017 15:15
So after a good nights sleep in this quiet anchorage , scrambled egg and smoked tuna for breakfast we launched the dinghy and went ashore pulling it up onto the beach. I Must admit black sand even though it's quite fine just doesn't have the same appeal. Unlike Stromboli we were happy leaving the boat for a period as the anchor was well dug in and it was still calm . As we were going across the bay a fishing boat had come in and was going round trying to sell its 'Pescari.' So we stopped and bought some prawns and took them back to the boat before going ashore.

After about a 20 minute walk through the houses and past some coloured rocks and the the Fangi or mud baths ( open to visit but wasn't on our itinerary) we found the path leading up to the crater along with quite number of other people and in fact we started chatting to a couple from Perth WA who were on a 3 week tour of Sicily. A goodly climb 1300ft the first part over black sand until it became harder and redder rock near the top. A good crater and on one side a smelly smoking sulphurous rim . Quite spectacular and with good views out to all the islands we've visited with Stromboli in the distance. Really good to get out and have good walk, the beer and lunch back in the main port well received along with a swim once back on the boat.

We shall head off in the morning with the aim of getting through the Straits of Messina . Apparently we have to leave by 8am in order to get through the Straits with the tide.

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