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Date: 23 Apr 2010 13:55:06
Title: 38 02.55N 14 02.28E Cefalu, Sicily
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Still no internet. We are in a place called Cefalu sort of in the middle of north Sicily. Got in at about 5PM last night after leaving Palermo around 9:30 AM.. There was supposed to be all kinds of dockage but low and behold it has been condemned. The place filled up with fisherman and everyone started talking about the coming sirocco. We got a 'slip' among the fishing boats. I am the biggest thing in here. About 3 AM it starts to blow and builds to around 35 Kts. Its been blowing since with gusts to 57 kts, the highest I have seen on the wind gismo. The fishermen we rented the slip from came out this moring in a dingy in 40 kts of wind and set an extra 'big' anchor for us as the wind was really pulling us to port. I suspect that if I got loose in here I would put a major dent in the Cefalu fishing industry. Most of these slips have at least two bow lines... this one had only one with a broken rope piled up on the dock. Getting better weather is a must at this point. That old horse shoe I keep in my back pocket will wear out sometime or another if I don't get this fixed.

Nice little town we went up to dinner last night and saw a little in the dark. George and Antony are ashore shopping now and I am hanging with the boat. Water is becoming an issue. I was surprised in Palermo when I noticed signs on the water outlets that you were not supposed to drink the water. Same thing here in Cefalu. I am reluctant to contaminate my water tanks with bad water but we need some for washing and flushing the toilet. (I could convert the toilet back to sea water flush but it smells after a while weather you use the head or not.)

When this gale stops we plan to move one more port to the east, Portorosa. I am not sure there is enough depth for us to get in there but it looks like we will just make it if the thing has not silted up since the pilot book was published. It is supposed to be a good place to tie up and for a while which we plan to do. We can rent a car and do a motor tour of Messina and the Mount Etna area. From Portorosa we can sail about 35 miles north to the Aeolian Islands. These islands took their name from the Greek good of wind, Aeolus... that pretty much says it all. I'm impressed. There are seven islands with two active volcanoes and 'no really secure harbors'. We'll wait for really good weather even if we have to motor all the way.

Palermo - the area around the harbor which is pretty small for the capital of Sicily is also really seedy. Every garbage receptacle we came to was full to overflowing and unlike most of the tourist places we have visited the streets had not been cleaned in a very long time. Lots of dogs being walked and graffiti on the statues and building faces. We took the grand 'gray line' tour. My opinion picked up considerably. Away from the port things were decidedly more cared for. We saw a lot of stuff. We did not get to stop at the Cathedral a must see but I may be back here to store the boat when I come back for the summer.

At each port we come to with anything that looks like a boat yard I get a price to pull it out for 3 months with an option on a bottom job. I am at 1800 euros so far.

We explored a catacomb while in Palermo. 6000 folks stacked below ground in passages fully clothed. Some of the mummies even had hair. We passed a few that looked pretty fresh... good place to get ride of a body or two. home office of the Mafia

The food and particularly the pasta is great. We went to a dinner place and had an antipasto that covered two tables. Eggplant fixed two to three different ways. Lots of sun dried tomatoes, sardines, and mystery sea food dishes. I always go for the olives and artichokes. Unfortunately it was 8 euros and they only gave you one smallish plate that was whisked away after you were done. We went to a place the second night that was recommended by the 2007 Fromer's book I bought for a dollar on ebay. It was called something like the old kitchen in Sicilian and offered as much free wine and bottled water as you could drink - possibly the best wine we have yet had here. Terrific food - I had braised lamb for a main and a plat of pasta to start. Antony had an antipasto of calves lips and hooves... they must eat some pretty strange stuff in Australia.

I am almost afraid to say it but the wind feels like it is letting up a bit 2:30 PM here. More later.
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