Malta to Siracusa

Persevere
Pat and Bruce
Sat 18 Jun 2011 19:37

37:03.75N 15:17.37E

 

18 June 2011

 

After 10 days in Malta it was clear to us it was not long enough.  There are so many sites to see, places to visit, and history to absorb that a month is more than required.  But we do not have that luxury of time now.  Hard to believe but we must keep a pace to be ready to cross the Atlantic and lingering too long in one place is bad.

 

While in Malta we took advantage of the great workers and got several items repairs or replace.  New cover for the dingy, extra ties for the bimini side curtains, watermaker service for the faulty alarm, and repair to the front bimini window zipper.  Plus bought butane gas for the stove at 9 Euros a bottle (25 in Italy) and a few hardware items like screws, sockets, and another small tool box for all these things.

 

Leaving Malta was sad for us but we picked a good day since the seas were calm.  The seas around Malta can be very rough so do  to neglect the opportunity to get out of town if it comes along.

 

Trip to Siracusa was at best boring for most of the way.  A few tankers to dodge but not much more.  Then we got close to Siracusa.  Out of nowhere the winds grew to 30 knots as we entered the harbor.  The marina was awash in waves from the southerly winds.  One misguided attempt by them to get us to berth on the south side resulted in us going around and getting into a berth “inside” the marina on the west side.  With winds to our side we berthed without much problem but luck was better this time.  Good two stout mooring lines at the bow with several for the stern to the floating docks.

 

Now again berthed in Siracusa.  It think there is never really anytime that this is a great harbor.  Just a few days of good berthing until another issue like waves from the east, winds from the south or even winds from the north make it uncomfortable.

 

I did stop over to say Hello to a Canadian couple we met in Turkey who were now berthed at the town quay.  They told me it was a very calm place and they went to Mt Etna for a tour.  When they returned everyone moved off the town quay to anchor out in the rough weather.  I gave them a hand as they left the quay for anchoring off.  Not a great place.

 

Still when the winds died we had another day to enjoy Siracusa and its restaurants.

 

The trip from Malta took 11 hours and 20 minutes and was 83 miles for the records.  Almost no sailing except a little motor sailing with the main out and one hour of real sailing when we reached one of the capes which normally has higher winds.

 

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One last Malta shot of a tour bus. 

 

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Siracusa Duomo square again then second time.