Ariel of Hamble - 39:12.06N 09:07.39E Cagliari

39:12.06N 09:07.39E Cagliari

Ariel of Hamble

Jim and Valerie SHURVELL

Mon 23 May 2011 14:51

14^th May, 2011.

We left early in order to get the 40 plus miles to Cagliari which meant getting around Capo Ferratt and Capo Carbonaro being the last southerly head land we were going to pass before turning intothe Golfo di Cagliari. We had trailed the fishing line again for miles but to no good result and unfortunately while passing between the mainland and the Island Cavoli a speed boat decided to cut behind us and take the line with him! At the same time a bat decided to circle the boat dozens of times before it flew into the folded bimini and went to sleep for the day. The wind changed direction and we tacked away into the bay and covered the 20 plus miles in time to arrive in the marina de Sant Elmo for afternoon tea. Just outside the huge harbour wall we spotted two dolphin. Apparently, they sometimes stray into the marina and surprise everyone around the pontoons.

A beautiful secure marina, very helpful staff and good facilities. Tricia and Clive were ready to receive us with a hot drink and a biscuit. As the weather forecasts were showing very strong winds for 36 hours we were very pleased we had arrived in time.

We booked for 3 nights at 30 euro’s a night. Fortunately, as we had our cruising association cards we got a 10 percent discount as there is a charge of 10 percent for sleeping on your boat!

On Sunday 15^th May we did a little shopping at the closest supermarket about 1 ½ miles away before going on a walk around the city in the afternoon. The cruise liners such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity call in here so we knew the city probably had a few things to offer.

The walk up to the Citadel took us along passed the undercover restaurants and shops. We found the Largo Carlo Felice boulevard which runs from the port into the heart of the old town. We passed the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino which is an Renaissance building erected in 1577 but is closed at present to allow archaeologists to excavate Roman remains under the church floor. We passed by Chiesa de San Michele where the interior is a rococo masterpiece, Chiesa di Sant’Efisio dedicated to the island’s patron saint and Chiesa di Santa Restituta which was used as a bomb shelter during the Second World War.

We made our way up the steep alley ways to a free lift which took up a couple of hundred feet but we were still not up at the top of the city. Many more steps heading up before we were at the top of the city walls called Bastione San Remy. The views around the city were breath taking. You could see the airport in the west across the salt lakes and flamingos to the harbour area and around to the east of the city into the Golfe of Cagliari and as far as the eye could see.

Before we left Cagliari we had to have an electrican engineer come on board to identify why our main 240v fuse kept tripping as we though we had a problem with the water heater element. It was the said element that has lasted only 3 years. So a new one was fitted. On the same day the foot pump for the fresh water broke, the foot lever snapped. So fun was had by the skipper shopping for a new one and then with his head stuck in a cupboard removing the old one a refitting a slightly different new one.