We berthed at Stintinto marina and, after getting organised, took the dinghy over to the town side of the marina for a late lunch. Stintino is a departure point for visitors to catch tourist boats over to Asarina Island, which is a national park, along with the surrounding coastal waters.

I had previously phoned the parents of Francesco Bertagnolio, an Italian who I had met in Australia where he worked for Ghella, an Italian tunnelling contractor. A delightful fellow, incredibly hard working, we had got to know one another during a jv tender for a mine tunnelling project in Australia. Francesco had explained that his parents spent summer at their beach house in Stintino and, if I was in the area, to meet them. So we did.

Francesco’s mother and father (Brunella and Giacinto) met us at the marina restaurant. They came and visited Westralia and then drove us around the immediate coastline near the Fornelli straight before inviting us to their house for a drink. Later that evening we had dinner at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the old port, sampling excellent Sardinian wines. We had a fun evening, hearing of their travels to Australia and, after a walk around the old port, Brunella and Giacinto dropped us back at the marina. Brunella spoke excellent English, her parents having sent her to a host family in England each summer from the age of a young teenager. A lovely couple who I hope to meet again.