Salerno

S/V Goldcrest
David & Lindsay Inwood
Mon 16 May 2011 16:30

We may have learned a lesson from our experiences on this leg – we should have known better, but where we were was so expensive!  We were so annoyed with the cost of mooring in Agropoli that we made a big mistake moving on.  Having got back from the Greek ruins by lunchtime and knowing it was only 22nm to the next port, we thought we’d risk going out into the 20+kts of wind forecast in the afternoon.  This turned out to be 30kts accompanied with a vicious confused sea right on the nose.  After sailing for less than an hour it was clear we couldn’t get to shelter before the winds were forecast to get really strong in the evening (we got 40kts in harbour!), so we blasted away initially motor-sailing, then with just a scrap of main and the engine nearly on full bore.  Four hours later, with the cockpit drenched with sea that had found its way in past the new waterproofed seams in the sprayhood, we finally got to shelter in Salerno’s main harbour, tired and irritated with all the diesel we’d wasted.  We followed the pilot book’s advice and made for the main pontoons, but at €50 a night in a very exposed position and miles from town, we moved on Tues to the “Porto Touristico” (only €30 a night!).  We’ve decided to stay a few days to recover and see Napoli & Pompeii.