Spellbinder's Web Diary - Sat 16 May 09 to Sun 24 May 09 Menorca - Sardinia

Sat 16 May 09 to Sun 24 May 09 Menorca - Sardinia - Ajaccio, Corsica

Spellbinder

Mon 25 May 2009 13:04

We sailed for Sardinia from Mahon at 0700 on 16 May. Strong winds from the northerly sector (the Tramontana) had abated the afternoon before and light NW backing W winds were forecast. The night had been calm and the waters of Mahon harbour were smooth as we motored to the harbour entrance. Outside, however, the residual swell was significant and the course required in light winds put the sea on the beam resulting in an uncomfortable ride. So, the motor remained on as we motor-sailed to the ENE and we remained in this configuration for most of the passage to a Cala (bay) beyond Cabo Caccia in north west Sardinia. In the first afternoon the wind freshened sufficiently to deploy the genniker and sail for 4 hours! What bliss to be rid of the motor and hear the water chuckling past the hull. A number of Med experienced friends had told us that there was either too much wind in the Med or too little - how true! We continued into a beautiful starlit night and welcomed the waning moon in the early hours. Early the next morning a pod of dolphins came to play in the bow wave and we tried to communicate with them through eye contact and whistles. At 1751 on Sun 17 May we anchored in Cala Galera in a lovely bay which cleared of a few day-trip boats by nightfall. We had covered 196 miles on the log and reached Sardinia.
The next morning we awoke to another lovely day and decided to walk across the peninsula to Porto Conte. We were rewarded by a stroll through beautiful countryside carpetted with wildflowers before reaching a hotel overlooking the magnificent bay for some refreshment. The motoring cruise continued at midday when we weighed anchor and made passage to Stintino harbour in the north west of the island. Apart from admiring a beautiful coastline we had the fun of transiting the narrow Fornelli passage between Isola Asinara and mainland. It was here that we started the Sardinian series of Upword (akin to Scrabble) in a highly competitive atmosphere with some shaky spelling of words creeping under the wire. Although hot during the day under cloudless skies it was cool at night, a benefit of May cruising. We motored to Castelrardo for lunch ashore and refuel in a splendid marina and then continued on to Isola Rossa and anchored outside the small harbour off a sandy beach. Then it was on to a lovely bay, La Colba, inside Capo Testa close to the Bonifacio strait. Again, a sandy beach with good holding for the anchor off a holiday village where we sampled further the delights of Sardinian food. The bay was deserted and we felt privileged to be there at anchor under a starlit sky in peace and quiet. There was great excitement on 21st May when we crossed the Bonifacio strait to Propriano in Corsica. Excitement, because the wind was easterly F4 and Spellbinder could sail by the lee with the genniker filling nicely on the port side. The racing experts George and Teresa assessed this gave Spellbinder an extra knot of speed. The boom preventer (to stop a gybe) was very firmly attached! We anchored off another sandy beach at the head of Propriano bay, the weather was hot and sultry and we were glad of any breeze we could get through the boat scooped in by the forward opening hatch forward of the mast. Then on to Ajaccio, yet again under the motor, to anchor outside the city in the Anse Maestrellu just to the south. We moved into the marina in Port Tino Rossi the next day to facilitate a crew change and catch up with domestic chores. We bade farewell to Teresa on Sun 24 May and the remaining crew caught the train to Vizzavona, up in the snow capped peaks of Corsica, on one of the world's great scenic railways. From here the walk/scramble was made up to the snowline at 5000 ft, a vertical climb of 2500 ft resulting in sore feet and legs! Refreshment was taken at the station cafe while waiting for the evening train back to Ajaccio on which was Philip, the new arrival from the UK, who had flown into Bastia airport from Exeter.