23/09/24

After the storm had passed in Amalfi we tried again to get a berth in a marina in Agropoli to have some rest from the swell and to visit Paestum. One of the marinas we had tried for a berth for protection from the storm, said they would have space in 3-4 days time. So we contacted them again, this time they said they did have space, probably because the storm had passed and everyone had left the marina. So we agreed a berth for 3 nights to visit Paestum, do the laundry and some shopping. 

We had to motor all the way to Agropoli in the rain with thunder and lightning sporadically during the passage, but thankfully the sea was calm and we even had some current with us all the way. On arrival we were directed to the berth. This was down a very narrow trot with mooring lines trailing right to the centre so we didn’t have any space to turn. Chris decided that the only way he was going to manage to get Muskie into the very small berth was to go down the trot in reverse, not something Muskie is very keen to do at the best of times. Thankfully there was only a little cross wind and Muskie did respond to the helm after a bit of encouragement. The berth though was extremely tight and she didn’t turn fast enough and the davits got themselves tied up with the pulpit of the motor yacht next to us and we ended up lying across the bow of a RIB on the other side. Eventually, with the help of some ropes and manhandling, we were in, tied up safely with no swell for at least 3 days - and no damage to anyone. Strangely enough the Marineros didn’t seem phased at all - so maybe its not an unusual problem!

The next day we wanted to visit Paestum the ancient Roman site containing 3 very well preserved temples. We had looked at the trains the day before and were fairly convinced of the times and the route. Only a six minute journey. Unfortunately, the train was delayed by 35 minutes, so a quick train journey turned out to be over an hour. Added to that it was not clear if the train stopped at the station we wanted. We did manage to get off at the correct station in the end and had an excellent day at Paestum. It wasn’t crowded, not too hot and there wasn’t any rain or thunder for the day.

The next day we found a DIY laundry that was open and not being refurbished, so did the laundry, but the weather had gone back to rain and thunder so I had to use the tumble dryer to get it all dry. With the laundry done and the fridge full again we decided to move on. 

We managed to sail and motor sail  to Amalfi and once again during the passage we had thunder, lightning and some rain, but no squalls this time. On arrival in Amalfi we anchored in 9m of water with as much chain out as we could because of the wind that was due and the horrid swell in the anchorage that was made worse by all the fast speed boats and ferries constantly coming and going. The swell was so bad that going ashore in the dinghy would not have been safe so we stuck it out rolling around at anchor waiting for a weather window to move on. There was a small harbour in Amalfi, but it appeared very busy and with the wind in the direction it was we didn’t think it would be any more comfortable. 

During this time at anchor we tried to plan our next stop. We really wanted to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum but the marina’s around that area were charging extortionate prices (€160 - €200), sometimes more per night. There wasn’t a suitable anchorage that we would feel comfortable leaving Muskie on her own for a long day, so we very reluctantly decided to leave visiting those sites this time. It was just by chance that we saw on “Navily” a report of a sailing club offering the odd space for visiting yachts at €90 per night, so we contacted them and surprisingly they said they had space. 

Tore Del Greco was not a very salubrious place, but the sailing club was most welcoming, the berth was easy to get into and although it was officially a stern to berth, we were also alongside a pontoon; luxury. Pompeii  was only a few stops away on the train and Herculaneum was a 20 minute walk from the sailing club. So for the next couple of days we did the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Amazing. We both thought Herculaneum was the more interesting of the two sites because the buildings were intact and some even had the first floor intact. The paintings on the walls of the houses were exquisite and, while rather sad and uncomfortable to see, the skeletons in the boat sheds of the population waiting for rescue was very moving. Pompeii was amazing for being such a vast a site.

After 3 nights in the sailing club we left to continue our journey north to Porto Meseno. The wind gods, having deserted us, meant we had to motor all the way. This was just a night stop so we had not planed on seeing anything. But as we arrived at lunch time and it was calm, and the anchor was well dug in, we decided to go ashore to have walk. Porto Miseno was an important  Roman naval base and while there is not much of the Roman port to see we did find the largest cistern the Romans ever built. Unfortunately it was closed for refurbishment, but you could just see inside and it was vast. It looked like a huge cathedral. According to the stats, it is 15 metres high, 72 metres long and 25 metres wide. The capacity is 12,600 cubic metres amounting to 12.6 million litres of water, or roughly the size of 5 Olympic-size swimming pools. This provided water for the port, the naval ships and surrounding population.

Pasteum

Pompeii a plaster cast of a victim 

So they did have mobile phones in AD79

Pompeii with Vesuvius in the background

Herculanum 

The boat sheds were 300 bodies were found.

Amalfi

Amalfi thunder clouds approaching.