Season`s End

Jack Tar`s crew are now at home in Noosa. After several weeks in Siracusa in Sicily, which we loved, we had a lovely sail across the strait to the Maltese island of Gozo and spent a few days in the marina at Mgarr. Then on to Valletta, the capital of the main island, Malta. There we berthed at the marina at Manoel Island in Marsamxett Harbour and completed preparations for leaving the yacht for the winter. On lifting the yacht from the water we confirmed our suspicions that the bottom was completely fouled with growth indicating a failure of the Hempel paint applied by the boatyard in Greece less than six months earlier. Now it is time to think about plans for 2011, and our return to Malta about mid April. We wish you all a happy festive season and fair winds and following seas for the new year.

Cathedral, old town Siracus

Roman theatre, Siracusa

Greek theatre, Siracusa, with the harbour in the distance

Lunch aboard, Siracusa

Siracusa market

Siracusa

Piazza, Siracusa

Berthed at town quay, Siracusa

Approaching Gozo

View from berth, Mgarr marina, Gozo

Mgarr marina berth

Gozo countryside

Temple predating pyramids by 500 years

Mgarr harbour

Mgarr church scene

Entering Marsamxett Harbour

View from Manoel Is berth

Valletta

Valletta

Grand Harbour Valletta

Grand Harbour

Commencing the lift

A nervous time

Safer, but still nervous

Growth on the hull!

On the hardstand