Elba

After Bonifacio, Porto Vecchio was our last port of call in Corsica. While the west and north coasts are the most scenic, they are also affected by the worst winds and were forecast to be so for a while. So we opted to sail direct to Elba where we found a delightful sheltered anchorage off the harbour at Porto Azzurro where we have swung around the anchor for nearly a week, exploring the island and catching up on some overdue maintenance. Porto Azzurro town is a gem and a great place to relax. We took a bus over the island to Porto Ferraraio where shabby-chic is all the go. A very upmarket town and extremely popular with yachties in the high season. From here we will hop across to the mainland and work our way north toward Portofino over the next couple of weeks, keeping a good eye on the weather as sheltered anchorages are few and far between.

Porto Vecchio high town

Paella ready

Porto Vecchio high town from the marina

Porto Azzurro

orto Ferraraio

Inside the villa used by Napoleon during his exile

The villa`s garden. Can`t imagine why he escaped

Porto Azzurro

Near neighbour

On to Corsica

From Alghero we sailed around the northwest tip of Sardinia via the narrow, shallow Fornelli Channel and discovered a magnificent sailing ground amongst the most amazing and attractive landscape of “sculpted” rocky coastline set against high mountains and largely covered in lush green foliage. Google earth cannot do it justice. [At the same time our camera has played up with no zoom operative, so our photos also don`t give such a good impression.] Along the north coast and around the northeast Costa Smeralda most of the housing has been designed to blend with the landscape in the most delightful way. At Porto Cervo, playground of the rich and famous,and the home of America`s Cup challenges and superyacht regattas, we anchored in the harbour and found the place still in hibernation; shops not open and few tourists. The Bonifacio Strait between Sardinia and Corsica is quite narrow and strewn with rocky islets and reefs. On our way across we spent the night in a really “special” anchorage at Ilse Lavezzi; just beautiful, with shallow turquoise water [we had only a metre under the keel] surrounded by sandy beaches and rocky outcrops. There, 770 French soldiers and sailors enroute to the Crimean war perished when their ship foundered. Now at beautiful Bonifacio town in Corsica, we are windbound for a day before continuing north.



Shortly after leaving Alghero

The Fornelli Channel

Houses blending with the landscape

Porto Cervo

Porto Cervo, restaurants etc

Lovely spot for a lazy lunch

Harbourside, Porto Cervo

Shopping mall, all closed up

Rustic but new

La Madellina town from the channel

Monument to the soldiers, Ilse Lavezzi

View from the anchorage

Ilse Lavezzi and the Bonifacio Strait

Anchorage, Ilse Lavezzi

Cemetery for some of the drowned soldiers

Approach to Bonifacio - some awaiting the inevitable?

View from the high town

Bonifacio harbour

Tall cruise ship

The citadel from our berth

Looking toward the narrow entrance to the harbour

Travels in Sardinia

After leaving Yasmine Hammamet in Tunisia we had a good sail north to Cagliari in Sardinia, though in crossing the shipping lanes in the Skerki Channel between Sicily and Tunisia in the middle of the night and under sail, we had to weave our way between at least 60 ships; must be one of the busiest channels in the world. Kept us on our toes. Then, on the morning of our arrival, the last several hours were into a 35–40 kt headwind. So, we were glad to arrive. Cagliari, the largest city in Sardinia, was interesting to visit and we sent a couple of days sight-seeing and stocking up supplies. Our plans to sail up the east coast were denied by the weather. Fresh onshore easterlies. After a great sail up the west coast in favourable offshore winds, reaching along around 9-10 kts, we have arrived at Alghero, a lovely town. Enroute we spent several nights at anchor and a night at beautiful Carloforte on Isola di San Pietro off the SW coast. From here, the NE coast beckons and after that, Corsica. The weather remains cool to cold. Hopefully the last few sunny days may herald the arrival of the warmer season.

Pirate ship trip boat, Port Yasmine Tunisia

Downtown Cagliari

Marina in the distance from atop Cagliari

Church near the marina

Cagliari from the harbour

Downwind, cold!

Carloforte

Exercising the dog

Carloforte

Town quay Alghero - free berth - hooray!

Alghero old town

Good way to sell lollies?

The passegiata begins

Tourist transport

Cocktails on the terrace

Villa, Alghero

We get company