Tashi Delek - Sicily Part Two - Tempests of one sort or another. 16

Sicily Part Two - Tempests of one sort or another. 16 - 19 May 2011

Tashi Delek

Mike & Carol Kefford

Thu 19 May 2011 09:27

38:28.668N 014:57.809E

We left Catania with two watermelons, one red, one yellow allegedly, and no way of knowing the difference until we cut into them. It was a pretty industrial harbour area but with fantastic roadside fruit and veg stalls; hence the watermelons. Michael had apparently been tempted by 10kg of local tomatoes but was talked out of it by Charles.

Three hours later after a gentle sail we pulled into Riposto marina to fill up with diesel before heading further north. Usually the fuel dock is at the scruffiest end of the marina but this was very salubrious at the heart of a smart marina. Fantastically helpful staff happily gave us the wifi password so that we could go on line while filling up.

We set off onto a still calm sea but noticed that there were a lot of white horses between us and the horizon. That means stronger winds. As we got closer we could see that the sea went from pretty much flat calm to very lumpy all at once. Mmmm. Clearly some very serious wind ahead. Safest place to be was back in the marina so we turned and headed back. We were probably only fifteen minutes away and could see the ‘weather’ catching us up. We got into the marina just as the wind was building and then.... wham, it hit us. The, usually calm, water in the marina just boiled round us. Thankfully our first impressions had been correct and this was one of the most efficient marinas we had encountered as three ribs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) appeared from nowhere to help us berth. By this time stuff was flying around in the wind and Tashi Delek was going to be difficult to control so it was reassuring to have three boats in the water to act as tugs to get us into place – and very reassuring to have Mike at the helm because he is pretty good at this kind of thing! Carol was pretty pleased that there were three extra pairs of hand on board to assist.

It was all very lively but we caught this picture which gives an impression of the bluster going on around us and you can just make out the three ribs (two on on the left, one on the right) leading us in. The wind reached 50 knots ( 57mph), Storm force 10, as we went alongside. The ribs used their engines to manoeuvre us while we got the lines on and then one rib tied onto our anchor and reversed hard in order to pull us away from the pontoon. Without too much trauma we were secured and safe while the wind blew hard for another hour or so. And then it died and all was calm and we wondered what all the fuss was about.

cid:image005.jpg@01CC2467.C43F83B0

So, bit of a change of plan but an opportunity to re-provision. Sue, Michael and Carol headed into the town and quickly found a large and flourishing fish market that would no doubt be tremendous at 8am but was way past its prime by 5pm. We found a grocers that really had their act together and stocked all the essentials for the superyacht clientele from Dom Perignon to fresh pesto. We stocked up on some rather more mundane but nevertheless delicious produce and headed back ready for our first cocktail hour courtesy of Michael. Campari and orange juice – more on this later.

cid:image006.jpg@01CC2467.C43F83B0

Ready for another lively day as we would be following the path of legend through the Straits of Messina. One of the few undisputed places visited by Odysseus in The Odyssey. The straits were feared by mariners of old because of the whirlpools, violent squalls and strong currents. We felt we had already done the violent squall so hoped that we only needed to face the whirlpools and strong currents. We left the calm of Riposto early and, yep, wind on the nose. The idea had been to catch the tide as it turned in the Straits so that it would be working with us rather than against us.

The Straits of Messina

As we approached waiting for the tide to turn we were doing 1.5 knots through the water and there was some debate as to whether we were being overtaken by a block of flats we were going so slowly. Then, on the button the tide turned, picked us up and we shot into the turbulent waters at 8 knots. All the while ferries between Sicily and Italy are scooting across our path.

We have sailed on big seas, lumpy seas, and confused seas but this was like nothing else. All of a sudden we were in the middle of the boiling, churning, maelstrom. It was great!

cid:image019.jpg@01CC1E13.38042770

While Carol was taking this picture the others shouted ‘It’s a whale’ from the other side of the boat. By the time I had turned my head (and camera) round it had started its dive and vanished. We read later that there are pilot whales in the area. Wow.

There are several reasons for the turbulence. The shape of the seabed, although an earthquake in 1783 apparently changed the topography sufficiently to make the waters less troublesome. The strong tidal currents are caused by the different times of high and low water in the Tyrrhenian sea to the North and Ionian sea to the South so that twice each day there is a strong slope in either direction. This is even worse if a strong wind is blowing. The Tyrrhenian sea is warmer and less salty than the Ionian and the difference in density sets up currents which flow south at the surface and north below 30 metres. Small whirlpools well up and disappear caused by denser water sinking and they are accompanied by smoother, oily patches which is the less dense water rising up. This I did manage to photograph and it is a weird feeling to see glassy calm water right next to churning, white horses.

cid:image020.jpg@01CC1E13.38042770

In no time at all it was over and we were out the other side. A great experience.

There are no anchorages within range here and we still had some time to go before we reached a harbour. The next few hours were spent thumping into a big and uncomfortable sea towards the only harbour within reach. Bagnara Calabra on the mainland.

Once again a challenge for Mike. Lots of rocks around the entrance and a big sea pushing us this way and that so we had to motor quite hard to keep on course through the waves and to have enough speed to ensure Tashi Delek turned properly when we needed to. To make the harbour entrance this meant effectively driving straight for the land and then, at the last minute a sharp right turn round the harbour wall. Instantly, all is calm and we draw breath. This was the scruffiest marina yet in a generally shabby area. That’ll be 50 Euros please! Having shown us where to berth we were told that the electricity wasn’t connected to that pontoon so if we wanted power we would need to move. We didn’t want power that badly so we stayed put.

Michael, Carol and Charles walked into town to try to find some bread. It was a weird, desolate place with groups of people standing around chatting. Michael asked one such group of elderly gentleman where we could buy bread. At the top of the hill and would he like a lift? So, to our astonishment, a car duly appeared and we waved Michael off. Charles and Carol sat on the sea wall discussing our possible options. Ransom note? Never seen again? Bread?

Fortunately the latter was the case and with much thanking and shaking of hands we took our leave of the gentleman who then went back to doing absolutely nothing again.

There are special swordfish fishing boats unique to this area and there were a couple in the harbour. They have a 50ft tower up which the captain is winched. He looks for the swordfish and steers the boat from there. They have a long walkway from the front, longer than the boat itself, at the end of which stands the man with a harpoon. Apparently swordfish sleep on the surface, the captain spots them from his tower and sneaks up on them so that the chap at the front can harpoon them before they know that there is a boat anywhere near them.

cid:image008.jpg@01CC2467.C43F83B0

Not a very clear picture but it was taken at first light. We needed to reach the Aolian island of Lipari by mid-day on Thursday 19^th to meet up with Thomas and team again to see another vineyard. This meant a 5am start for Mike and Michael while the rest of us stayed in bed ready to take over a couple of hours later. Out of the harbour and, wham, big sea. Big sea sickness. Carol now keeps some pills next to the bed.