13/09/24



After leaving Scilla we did a couple of short sails to Capo Vaticano and Vigo Valentina. Despite it now being September, the temperature remains over 30’c and the sea temperature is 33’c. This is of course generating a lot of energy in the atmosphere and we are now experiencing regular spectacular thunder and lightning storms. They would be spectacular if we were not at sea trying to push our way north on the west coast of Italy with NW, W thunder storms. 

We are still trying to get used to being in Italy and not Greece. Italy definitely has a siesta between 1330 and 1600, this includes the supermarkets. In Greece the supermarkets or mini stores were always open throughout the day. So being at anchor we have to time it just right to get provisions or else we find ourselves having to go back in the dinghy for anther trip in the afternoon to finish the shopping. Laundry has been another issue. In Greece we could find DIY laundry facilities that cost about €4 per machine. In Italy we have found DIY laundries but they have either been closed for refurbishment, that obviously is not happening, or you have to use the laundry service that, in Vibo Valentia cost €4 per kg, I usually have 10kg of washing. So washing by hand on Muskie was one afternoon’s entertainment. 

We left Vibo Valentia with an intended 40nm sail to Cetrano, however, the weather had other ideas. We were well into the passage enjoying a broad reach with white sails up when the weather suddenly changed. Our intended anchorage suddenly became untenable. There was a marina at Cetrano, but it was very small, shallow and difficult to get into and we hadn’t booked a berth so we were faced with continuing to Cetrano and taking a chance on finding a berth, or sailing on through the night to Scario. Looking at the weather, the latter was the most sensible option, so we tacked out and started beating north. The sea was horrendous. A very large swell mixed in with a confused chop throwing Muskie and us all over the place, making living conditions very uncomfortable and sailing very slow. At one point during the night, starboard tack was taking us backwards, but we had to get away from the land so we took the hit and continued our very slow progress.

Then the rain, thunder and lightning started and with it squalls (that by now you couldn’t see coming because it was pitch dark) increased the wind strength to F5 gusting 6. This continued, on and off, for the 29 hour 11 minute passage. We slipped into a sort of watch system but sleeping was impossible. By the time we got to Scario, we were very tired and well weather beaten but in one piece. There is a small harbour in Scario but it is full with local boats, so it was another case of anchoring. The pilot book said that the anchorage was good in “calm” conditions, although a bit of a swell works it way round”, well it couldn’t be as bad as what we had just come through and we only planned to stay for a couple of nights because there was some very nasty weather brewing to the NW (40kts of wind this time). Our plan was to sail to Agropoli where there are a few marina’s to choose from to shelter from the weather and to start some sightseeing.

We slept very well that night. 

The next day we started emailing the marina’s in Agropoli for a berth for 3 nights. 4 marina’s we tried, but none could take us. Other places along the route were not suitable for the bad weather that was due. We were now stuck in an anchorage suitable for “calm” weather, with no where else to go in the time we had left. We looked at the forecast and decided that this anchorage, although uncomfortable, was the only anchorage that provided some shelter. So we decided to stay and see out the storm at anchor in Scario. Chris went swimming to try to find a patch of sand to drop the anchor in. On arrival we had dropped the anchor in weed and although it was holding we would much prefer to have the anchor in sand where it would have a better grip. He managed to find a large patch of sand so we moved the anchor to this and felt a lot happier. Until, Chris was swimming next to the boat that afternoon when he found a very large rock right next to Muskie that he could stand on!! The engine went on as fast as we could and we took some anchor chain in so that Muskie wouldn’t swing onto the rock. Very close shave. We were reluctant to move the anchor because it was well buried in the sand. But this did mean we now had much less chain out than we would have liked for the forecasted conditions.

Scario

On a walk in Scario

A Carob tree

Nice calm anchorage