Cracking on
jenna
Jim / Elaine Soens
Sat 12 Sep 2009 20:04
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N 36.55 E 015.18
Since the last update we have been cracking on at a
good pace after a very stormy night on Wed. We were surrounded by
thunderstorms which we kept trying to dodge but to no avail. We were
eventually completely surrounded and nothing else to do but keep going and
hope for the best. The lightening was truly spectacular forking into the
sea all around us but luckily we were OK. Thursday morning was amazing, blue sky
and not a hint of the storms from the night before. D & I were
entertained by a pod of Dolphins at first light who swam and played in our bow
wave for 15 mins. cheekily looking up to see if we were watching
them. That sight is something that never fails to excite you no matter
how many times you see it. We had a much more comfortable day and the weather
was quite balmy so we all enjoyed being on deck and experiencing the sort of
cruising we all imagined we were going to have.
Friday was mostly the same and on D & I's early watch we got our first sight
of land. Two small islands just west of Sicily. It was incredible to
actually smell land about 40 miles away, a real earthy smell after only smelling
sea for the last 3 days. We sailed close to the coast for the whole
day and were amazed at the size of some of the cities we passed which consisted
only of large ugly apartment blocks painted various colours. We eventually
arrived at our anchorage in Empedocle at 17.20 a very uninteresting town
with the same boring architecture as the rest of the island, sailed in past a
very long breakwater to a very calm anchorage. It was good to be
still again with no engine noise. G&T's all round and the bliss of hot
showers and a change of clothes without having to keep your balance. We
had dinner and played Mex. Train Dominoes on deck in a really warm balmy
evening (Yes, D won yet again) How I wish he had as much luck with the
lottery!! J had just remarked how peaceful it was when a strangled female
voice came from the shore where she was obviously trying to entertain people.
She screeched for the rest of the night but we had to laugh at how bad she was.
She definitely wouldn't get past the first audition of the X factor. All
in bed by 23.00 for D & I our first night in our very comfy beds since
Majorca, what bliss.
Up this morning for a am departure. Had a good days
sailing, still off the south coast of Sicily - didn't realize it was such a
large island. Had a bit of a drama mid afternoon when the starboard
prop caught something. We had to shut engines and take the sail down
& J had to don his crash helmet & goggles, harness and rope and go
under to see what was up. The wind and tide was all wrong for going under
so we had to turn round into the tide to slow down enough (no engine or sails)
for him to do it. He came up seconds later with a huge piece of industrial
polythene, probably from the many Poly Tunnels on the island and thankfully no
damage to him or the engine. It's now 21.30, just had dinner and we are
heading for Siracusa on the east coast of the island, had intended to stop a
couple of hours ago for the night but the general consensus was to keep going
and have 2 full days there where there is lots to do including probably a trip
to Mt. Etna. Hopeing to anchor up by 23.00.
Till the next time
Cpt'n Jim & the crew send regards to
all.
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