Pipedream's Web Diary - 41 12.62N 13 36.54E Gieata, Italy

41 12.62N 13 36.54E Gieata, Italy

Pipedream

Fri 10 Sep 2010 22:12

High all, We left for our next scheduled stop, Circeo, after another sailing couple told us they had called there for reservations and it was reported full. I have had several experiences like this but when I just showed up there was always a place. We motor-sailed the 35 miles or so south from Nettuno to find they really were full. You couldn't get another row boat into the place. So we had to keep going on to Gaeta the next port south or keep going all night. We called ahead on the cell phone this time, there was space and motor sailing we were even able to keep a 5 knot progress. We arrived well after dark... strange port in the dark... this one was a night mare come true. We called the marina on VHF channel 9 several times as we had been instructed on the phone - no answer. The book said there were extensive military facilities that were off limits, lots of fish farms, and many navigational hazards. We pushed in with all the high tech gear we had, radar, electronic charts, GPS, and best of all four sets of eyeballs!

With everyone counting and timing flashes of lights and trying to sort out what it all meant we finally got to the dock and proceeded to back in, in a cross wind. At the last minuet a line was dropped into the prop and quickly ingested by the shaft. This morning John and I spent about three hours diving the prop in the marina using three different knives, two saws, and a large pry . We got all the rope we could see out and tested the prop which seemed to spin again. By that time it was noon and we decided to spend the day taking showers and warming up. You would not believe the stuff we saw in that water. Hope I don't wake up in the morning with a any strange rashes...

The night we arrived we did find a neat Tavernia run by an extended family and went in for our first meal of the day at about 10 PM, after spending maybe 13 hours on the water. Dad was the Matra de, mom did the cooking, the eldest son was the waiter and even spoke some English, number one daughter was married to a 'half American from New York', and was moving to Texas in a couple of months with here kids, and the youngest daughter ran the register. The food was very good and inexpensive. The house wine was not very good but drinkable. We returned for lunch today.

Went up to the old castle to find it was now an Italian commando training facility and off limits to tourists. We then climbed the next mountain to the cathedral and found it was closed for renovations. Which seems a more or less a recurring theme here in Italia, things are only open when you are not there.

A light drizzle tonight as Katie and I work at the local internet cafe on our computers. The cafe is decorated in lots of old American license plates, Armed Forces Radio is blasting out American music and the guy at the next table is wearing a Captain America tee shirt. Our Rock and Roll culture has far out done the state department on all fronts. Unless this is all part of the conspiracy?...

We sail tomorrow for Procida, an island in the northern part of the bay of Naples.