UTC 1234

Arrived at Porto Di Ponente. 

It is the NW part of the Vulcano Island:

Amazingly fantastic sailing… It took us about 2.5 hours to make those a bit less then 6 nm from the previous anchorage on Lipari… BUT SAILING ALL THE WAY as a compensation.  

A new anchorage — seems to be tiny. I’ve arrived in time, and hopefully, got the right spot — deep enough, with the sand at the bottom, and, probably, would not be attempted to acquire by the daysailors tomorrow….  We will see… 

I’m on the West side of the islands for a change, and, hopefully, I would see a nice Sun set today…  

The place is occupied by the set of resorts. And probably, the whole economy around — the mud from Vulcano(s), and resorts.  Though the place is tiny, they say — it is some shopping for products and petroleum are available.   So far, I see a good dock, and seems, nobody complains when the dinghies are coming by… 

I’m planning to check all that — probably tomorrow… 

So, today — the views from my windows are:

The places — are very nice looking… Though I still believe — there is absolutely nothing to do there ;-).  The Islands seems to be busy for the so called season — from the end for the fist week of the July, till the end of August ( or, actually, end the 3rd week of august… ).    The rest of the year…  Well, people are doing something! 

The weather is really nice!   And if you have time to do NOTHING, why not come there, and just to watch ?  You have still nothing to do… 

I’ve noticed it to be a bit strange  — there is no sounds from the shores… No, I’m wrong…  On Lipari, every early morning — I could hear the ruster!  I’ve not heard them for such a long time!!! ;-)  And on Salina — the night I’ve arrived — it has been a wonderful life music concert somewhere nearby the harbour…  But besides that — no sounds! No birds!  

The places and the weather are so nice and peaceful — it is impossible to imagine that the winter months are coming here too, with bad weather, waves,  gusts, and cold water… 

They say — that what is happening… Though I still have trouble to believe in all that, one thing I’ve  noticed. The amount of warnings about the weather from the local coasts guards increased — rain & thunderstorms,  gales… But for now — all that happening outside the area I’m in… 

There are quite a few boaters around. But, to my taste and experience,  I would have a problem to call any place ‘crowded’…  I’m starting to wonder more and more — what all that ‘crowded during the season ‘ means ?  Somehow — I missed it this year, for sure… on Palma, on Sardinia, in Napoli ‘basin’… Ah, yes — Capri and Amalfi… But… Even there — if you have a megapolis like Napoli,  obviously people with the boats would try to go somewhere nearby for the day / weekend…  Not so many cruisers though,  ‘real’ one cruisers! 

What are in the plans ?   

A slow migration to Sicily.  On a quite day, with good visibility — I can see it near horizon… But that is as far as the plans go at this point… 

Presently, I’m kidding myself that the reason for the slow progress — the absence of the wind in the right direction! ;-) I wonder what I’m going to say as the wind arrives!  ;-) 

That is all at this point! 

Everything on the boat is under control, though she keeps throwing at me all kind of challenges. But so far —I manage. 

Talk to you soon, 

M.