Olbia to Olbia 10th to 14th September, 2010.

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Tue 21 Sep 2010 11:09

Olbia to Olbia   10th to 14th September, 2010.

 

Cala Du Volte   41:04.89N   09:32.42E

 

On Sunday we motored out of the bay of Olbia and sailed around Capo Figari heading NW to Cala Du Volte where we anchored overnight having sailed 19 ½ miles.  Jim swam in the lovely clear water and we were joined by lots of other yachts mainly very expensive Oysters.  It was a very quiet anchorage and we wake the next morning to beautiful sunshine.

 

Golfe Di Marinella   41:00.57N   09:33.29E

 

By ten o’clock the wind was starting to blow hard so we took up the anchor and sailed around to the Golfe Di Marinella. It is a beautiful bay with a large beach near Punta Marana and we were away from the immediate wind.  Jim turned the engine on just as we sailed close into shore to take the sails down.

Suddenly the engine started to hoot.  No water was coming from the engine.  On inspection Jim found the impeller was threaded.  Thank goodness we had a spare on Ariel. The master mechanic went to work after a quick discussion with our No. 1 expert from Highgate.  We were back in business but we were enjoying the beautiful view so we stayed and had lunch and later dinner at this delightful spot.  Jim checked the weather forecast and decided we should use the calm sea and get back to Olbia while the weather forecast was showing a wind of 10 to 15 knots.

Julie and Richard were excellent guests and took the journey in the darkness in their stride especially when 6 large ferries all decided to leave around 10.30 p.m.  We were in their way as we were motoring up the bay into Olbia.  Captain Jim followed all the correct procedures and we arrived safe and sound in Olbia harbour with a space on the quay just right for us.  Fenders out, lines ready and we tied up on the harbour wall around 11 o’clock.

 

La Maddelena Island by Bus

 

As the sun was shining but the wind was persisting to blow we took a picnic and the bus to Palau.

We all enjoyed the countryside journey taking us through a few villages and past the town of Arzachena.  Arzachena is famous for several important ancient sites of the Nuraghic culture where Julie and Richard had visited earlier in their holiday.

The bus pulled into the port of Palau just by the ferries for La Maddelena.  We were very lucky as Richard bought the tickets and we were straight on the ferry and off it went.  The journey takes only fifteen minutes into the natural harbour which allowed us to eat our picnic rolls on the top deck watching the beautiful town coming into sight.  La Maddelena is the largest of the La Maddelena archipelago and the only one which supports a sizeable population.  Like Stefano Island has the NATO base La Maddelena has an Italian naval base.  La Maddelena has several very nice anchorages around it which we hope to use in the next few weeks.

The small town has a variety of pastel facades around the small roads. There are many restaurants and bars in these tiny streets.  The small marina of Cala Gavetta is just a few steps from the old town and very convenient for provisions.

In the square overlooking the marina is the column to Guiseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) who was an Italian revolutionary.  He is a national hero on the mainland for helping bring the disparate duchies and the papal power base under one state law in 1849.  Between bouts of fighting he bought a huge piece of land on the island of Caprera and built his house calling it ‘Casa Blanca’.  He enjoyed being a farmer and staying out of the political scene.  When he died his body was interred in the grounds.  The house and its many artefacts including the general’s deathbed left at the window where he requested he be moved so he could fade away taking in the view over the island are all as he left them.

The church in the town was fairly large for what would have been a small community when it was built.

We did wait for the bus to take us on a tour of the beaches but it failed to appear so we made our way back to the ferry which came straight away and then on to the coach for the trip back to Olbia.

After a quick change of clothes and a gin and tonic we made our way to the restaurant Julie and Richard had eaten in when they first arrived. We enjoyed a wonderful evening with lovely friends and delicious food. We had to say farewell the next afternoon.

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