Mgarr, Gozo

Position:      36:01:26N     14:18:00E

July 26^th, 2013

Mgarr is the only significant marina/port on Gozo. Gozo lies just a few miles north of Malta and is part of Malta. There is a regular (and cheap) car ferry for the few miles from Malta to Mgarr. Many people travel to Valletta and other parts of Malta from Gozo every day for their employment. Although there is a regular ferry service the marina itself within the harbor is not particularly affected by the constant ferry maneuvers.

The marina is slightly off the main yacht rumb line because most people make for Valletta. The marina in new, very secure, 30 minutes from the international airport and inexpensive. They also provide all the services you would expect if you wished to leave a boat (guardianship and maintenance). We felt this would be a perfect place to leave ‘Timeless’ for a month.

Gozo itself though is a very pleasant tiny island. We had a few days before our flight back to the UK and then Canada so we needed to explore at the capital town, Victoria and get the boat secure for August. Being a tourist, in the heat of central south Mediterranean is tough! Most of the time one is drinking water or darting from shadow to shadow when the cool embrace of an air conditioned museum is not around. However we did wander the streets and lanes of Victoria

Mgarr Marina is surrounded by restaurants. We decided that we had just enough time to try each one of them before we set sail for Sicily in September!

Could this be the next Block Buster Movie!
As we were wandering through the high street of Victoria our English accents were heard loud and clear by a local chap. “Would we be prepared to just spend a few minutes with him and his crew to give our opinions about the film set they have just set up in the cinema two doors down the street?”
They had constructed a bank scene based after WWII in London. The bank was going to be robbed.
Would we like to be extras?
We did pop into the cinema with him and looked at the set. We considered the set. We chatted about just a few minor issues and left him with the following thought;
“Did they have plasma screens like that one hanging up there at the end of WWII?”
 They hadn’t noticed it.

The main highlight of the stay was MY birthday!
Les arranged for us both to visit the best restaurant in the area for the evening.
We both had now had two birthdays during our sailing adventures!

We were leaving for the airport tomorrow.
Whilst we were having fun, the heat was getting unbearable. It was going to nice to feel that cold rain of the English summer again!

Whilst we were away for the month we had arranged with marina to get a diver to give the ‘below waterline a thorough check. Although the long sail from Rhodes did not show any signs of any damage to the prop system and although I had checked it over in Malta – I just felt better knowing a professional diver would inspect it too.

Back to Canada and England on the first ferry to Malta.