39:12.00N 09:07.60E Torquoise Water, Pink Flamingos, White Sands

Oboe D'Amore's Web Diary
Nigel Backwith
Fri 22 Jul 2011 21:10

On 19 July, after a mad dash to the supermarket, we welcomed Piers on board mid morning.  Arriving lightly loaded, he was soon in shorts and tee shirt and keen to set sail.  We chatted over lunch, then slipped away to head out into Cagliari bay and “go where the wind takes us”, which was Capo di Pula, south west of Cagliari and the home to Romano/Punic excavations exposing a complete town, which thrived for 700 years until 400 AD. Mosaics, thermal baths, a drainage system and massive arches and columns.

 

In lovely weather, we anchored for the night right next to the excavations, where we relaxed the evening away with a meal and a few drinks on board.  Next morning we toured the ruins with a guide, walked on a crowded beach among sunbathers and families and eventually set sail downwind back across the bay, headed for Villasimius, again simply sailing with the wind – and some wind it turned out to be!  Soon we were in the middle of the bay and in the clutches of a Mistral gusting 30 kts and driving us at 8+ knots towards our destination.  WOW!  Good that we are not trying to beat into this one.

 

We got to know Villasimius better than we wanted, as we waited out the Mistral in the most expensive marina visited so far!  Two nights was enough and we poked our nose out into the weather to be greeted by the last knockings of the storm and very choppy seas.  Originally planning to beat back towards Cagliari, we soon realised it was impossible, so turned round and rode the waves beyond Capo Carbonara and into the shelter of the most perfect picture postcard bay I have ever seen – tourquoise water, pink flamingos and white sands!  We let the winds blow themselves out as we alternatively bobbed at anchor, swam from the boat and did a few laps of the bay by way of sailing exercises for Piers.

 

And this brings us to today.  Light winds, sultry skies, a few drops of rain and a long day simply sailing, sailing, sailing, relaxing, relaxing, relaxing …

 

Follow our progress here:

 

http://blog.mailasail.com/oboe, where you can see our daily progress on Google Earth.  Email us at: oboe {CHANGE TO AT} mailasail {DOT} com any time you like.  Phone us on +881 631 669 194 and we’ll pick up via Iridium satellite.

 

 

Fair winds to you all.

 

 

Nigel

Gill

Piers