Saint-Florent Sept. 13

Saint-Florent      Sept. 13

The majestic mountain ranges of Corsica behind Saint Florent 

Saint Florent's neat, tidy streets 

View of the harbor

We’ve been here for 3 days now.  Since there is no schedule (yet) to push 3Rivers onward, we are waiting patiently for the wind goddess to get us at least to Calvi.  Tucked away at the back of a magnificent gulf, and bordering on beautiful, unsoiled beaches, the antique Roman city-Saint Florent, has become a popular summer resort.  

The port was built at the beginning of the XVth century around the Genoese fort, and is counted among one of the most beautiful sites of the Mediterranean.   It’s a lively area of the city, catering to both yachts and visitors out for a stroll. 

We visited the Cathedral Santa Maria Assunta which was built in the Xlleme century with pale limestone. The majestic columns sheltered in its centre the mysterious relic of Saint Flor.  In the glass case are the remains of a Roman soldier mummified in the 3^rd century AD.  Story has that it was Monsignor Guasco, bishop of Nebbio (from 1770 to 1773), who wanted to bestow his diocese with a holy relic and he asked Pope Clement XIV to give him the remains of a Roman soldier.  Adorned with his tunic, embroidered with fine pearls and his war apparel, the reliquary was carefully transported by sea to the beach of Marana, it was then transported via mule trails to the Cathedral.  Ever since, the spirit of this Soldier of Christ has watched over Saint-Florent, and multitudes of parishioners from the region gather for the triennial celebration and contemplation of Saint Flor.

With sleepy waves gently lapping 3Rivers, today was a perfect sunny, light breeze day to just lie around, or enjoy some water sport activities run by Altore, a professional adventure guide set up on the beach.  For 80 to 150 euros, one could have the thrill of a silent flight and experience the baptemes parapente (paragliding), or for 120 to 200 euros, one could ride the baptemes bateau Volant (flying zodiac); the souvenir film is only 30 euros.   Or, you can anchor like us, for free.

Northern Corsica Sept. 10

Northern Corsica       Sept. 10

We left Elba on an early Saturday morning and set sail to French Corsica. This was likely going to be our last cruising stop at Italy, and we left with many fond memories. We spent most of the summer in Italy: the bottom of the ‘boot’, Sicily, Sardinia, and finally Elba. It was truly a memorable experience.

In the morning we had a light breeze behind us and we made good progress to Corsica, only about 40 miles away. By early afternoon the wind died completely, and we had to resort to the iron sail. Our destination was Bastia, the old capital of Corsica until Napoleon moved the capital to Ajaccio. But when we arrived we found that the small outer harbor was not suitable for anchoring. There are two marinas in the area, but calling them on the radio met with no response. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to come here on a Saturday afternoon. So we fell back to plan B, which was to sail north by another 15 miles to Macinaggio, a fishing village with a marina habour.  According to the plagues on the quay, Napoleon landed here, and so did the empress Eugenie on her return trip from the Suez Canal inauguration in 1869. 

Bastia Harbor

We made it to Macinaggio as the sun was setting, and an evening onshore breeze was building. It wasn’t dangerous, but with waves rolling into the anchorage, the boat was pitching up and down and it was uncomfortable. Compared to Sardinia and Elba, the east coast of Corsica has relatively few protected anchorages. Now we understand why some cruisers simply go and stay at a marina and do sightseeing by land!

Rounding Cape Corse

The next day we left the rolly anchorage and continued north-west around the northern tip of Corsica. Cape Corse is known to be challenging if there’s a strong west wind, but this morning we had a favorable breeze from the south behind us, and we sailed around the cape in good time. Here tall mountains drop steep into the sea, imposing and rugged. The land is green and covered with trees. Hill-side villages dot the landscape, but mostly this part of the island is uninhibited. And then, with the south wind blocked by the mountains, the wind completely died once we rounded the cape. One minute the blue sea was covered with white caps, and the next minute the sea was flat and smooth as glass. 

Sailing at Elba Sept. 8-10

Departing Portoferraio 

Hugging the Elba coastline in light wind

We are slowly sailing around Elba and enjoying its peaceful, jagged coastline. Elba is a small island, about one-fifth the size of Sardinia. The coastline has many coves and anchorages, although most of them are not well sheltered, the weather here is relatively calm and in settled weather these anchorages are fine to stay overnight. Just yesterday, around the west coast of Corsica and Sardinia it was blowing at near-gale, but at Elba here the winds were light. The short distances between anchorages, and the moderate winds, make it very relaxing to sail around here. One can set sail in late morning, when the light sea breeze picks up, sail for a few hours to cover 10-15 miles at the pace of a slow walk, and arrive at the next anchorage in time for the afternoon snack. The beaches here may not have sand as fine as Sardinia, or water as clear, but it is also less crowded, with fewer boats. So it’s equally enjoyable.

Marciana Marina

We stopped at Marciana Marina, a small seaside village that grew into a quiet resort. We anchored in the harbor, just outside the crowded marina, half expecting someone to kick us out any moment. But people just go by minding their own business. The waterfront is lined with colorful houses. Lush green mountains in the back. We took our dinghy to shore to walk around, and then took a bus for the 15 minute ride to Marciana, a village by the same name up the hill. One can take a gondola ride (it is actually a cage) from here up the mountain top where one can get a good vista of Corsica and the Italian and French coasts. This is now the final week of summer vacation for most Europeans, and the crowds are already thinning out. At an elevation of 400 meters, this village has a wonderful view of the sea, and the temperature is noticeably cooler and is very pleasant. This would be a perfect place for a summer home!

Marciana on the hill 

A great view of the Elba coastline. Italy mainland is just right across.

We are at latitude 42 degree, almost as north as Ontario. The air temperature is getting cooler now, about 25C during the day, and under 20C at night. The blistering swimming weather is over. Under the Mediterranean sun it feels much hotter, but overcast skies are more frequent now, and soon we may start to see some rain!

Guest Blog by Teresa Hofmanova

I was invited to spend a couple of days with Vanessa, Elisa and Ben on their sail-boat on Sardinia.
I was very happy about that not only because I was very eager to see them again but also because
I have never been sailing before. I wasn´t sure what should I bring with me but I didn´t need any
special equippment in the end, only bringing a pill against sea-sickeness (usual pill against car-
sickness works as well) was a very helpful advice.

I found a reasonably priced flight from Bratislava with Ryanair. I arrived in Alghero – Fertilia airport
on Sunday afternoon and was welcomed by very pleasant Sardinian weather – sunshine and 25
degrees (Celsius). I took a bus to Alghero city for 1 EUR and I arrived on the town´s main square
in about 30 minutes. Vanessa and her family were already waiting for me, so we didn´t have any
problem to find each other which I was very greatful for. After a warm welcome, they took me to
the marina that was 15 minutes away and introduced me their boat called Three Rivers (after their
three daughters). I was surprised how many rules one have to obey when they are on the boat, but
soon I found out it is worth it. People who are sailing like to keep their boat clean and neat, so the
shoes need to remain either outside of the boat on the dock or on the edge of the deck right after
you climb the ladder to the boat. Then you need to watch your step while walking along the boat as
there is always a little invisible trap waiting for you to send you overboard.

The boat was bigger than I expected it to be – 13 meter long beauty. It contained a little
dining room, tiny kitchen, two bathrooms and 3 cabins and it could sleep maximum 8 people, but
comfortably 4-6. The interior had a very cosy wooden design and there was an unbelievable number
of hidden store-rooms for vegetables, drinks and grocceries you need to store while you are outside
marina.

The boat has two water tanks, one for potable water and one for service water, but obviously one
has to save as much water as possible as it is a scarce commodity on the sea and a tank can only be filled
with water in a marina. Therefore, a shower needs to take as little time as possible and washing
dishes also needs to be an efficient activity.

After exploring the boat, we headed to the town. Elisa, who likes dining in nice restaurants and
always has some good ideas about where to go right at hand, found a great italian pizzeria iín one of
the narrow cobbled lanes of Alghero. We shared cheese and salami assortment, delicious pizzas and
pasta and me and Ben had a nice coffee as a sweet full stop after our dinner. Then we walked around
the town, had „the best gelato in town“ (according to New York Times) and found an irresistible
sweet-shop where we had to buy some jelly of course.

I was quite tired so I went asleep before midnight. I was surprised how well I slept on the boat and
I didn´t feel sea-sick at all. On the next morning we went to the town again, this time our main goal
was shopping. We found a vegetable and sea-food market where we spend almost an hour choosing
the best vegetables, fruits, mussels, fish and cheese for our dinner and also for the next days when
we will be outside the marina. Then we separated and me and Vanessa went for a stroll through
shaded lanes of Alghero, while Ho´s continued shopping. We were surprised how Sardinians are
obssessed with making jewellery out of buttons but we liked this idea. We had a warm yummy
croissant as a snack and then we headed back to the marina for lunch. After lunch me and Vanessa
went to the city beach to get some tan. The beach had nice white sand and the sea was crystal blue.
The drawback of this ideal setting were the crowds of Italiand who were enjoying their vacation on
this island in August and the suplhur-lik smelling sea-weed hills. Anyways we enjoyed our afternoon.

After a delicious dinner on the boat we went to the town again and me and Vanessa had a ride in a
crazy blow-off attraction in a fun park.

The next morning we were ready to sail up the western coast. Unfortunatelly, when leaving the
dock, one of the ropes, which are used to tie the boat to the dock, tangled around our propeller.
Fortunatelly, a man on the dock noticed it and stopped us before the propeller could have been
destroyed. We had to wait for a diver to unbind the rope and rescue us. Then nothing was hindering
us from leaving the marina. Unfortunatelly, the wind was quite week and we had to use our engine
half the time. I was enjoying lying on the deck, catching sun rays and listening to the breeze and
sound of the engine...

After two or three hours of sailing we came to a bay where we anchored, had lunch and then me and
Vanessa were trying to swim to the beach. Unfortunately, the beach was further than we expected
it to be at first, so we only swam halfway and then came back. Instead we were snorchelling around
the boat and watching enormous clams and sea-cucumbers.

Then we sailed further along the coast and at 5 pm we anchored on a different spot of the same big
bay. Vanessa´s dad wasn´t too sure if it was a safe anchorage, so they decided to stay on the boat,
while me and Vanessa went for a stroll around the coast. There were amazing views of the bays,
sailboats and old Roman watchtowers on our way. Finally, we came to a small parking lot from where
long stairs headed down to the Grotto di Neptuno (Neptun´s Cave). After taking 550 steps down, we
were told the cave was already closed, however, we had such nice views on the way down that our
walk was worth it anyways!! This walk was definitelly one of the top things to see on Sardinia.

We anchored further along the coast in a place Ben assessed to be safe for the night. I was woken
up by rocking of the boat at 6 am. The rocking was so intense that I couldn´t fell asleep anymore. My
muscles were trying to balance the rocking and therefore I couldn´t relax my muscles in order to fell
asleep. When I got up, I started feeling sick and had to run up to the deck where I felt slightly better.
After eating my breakfast consisting of a bread, cheese and a pill against the sea-sickness we started
sailing around the rocky cliffs of the Grotto di Neptuno. We also had to go through a narrow place
between the rocks. The sky was steely grey, the waves were crushing against the rocks and the boat
was rocking, so the cliffs and the whole scene looked so tremendously dramatic.

After a couple hours we came to another narrow, this time much more dangerous one. Ben and
Elisa had to follow the instruction of a special sailing map of the coast and we had to look for two
black spots on the land. When the two black spots were seen in one row (one behind another),
we had the right direction. If we deflected from the correct direction we woul end up in a shallow
spot which could destroy our propeller. We did just right and we anchored right after this narrow in
the crystal blue waters. It was drizzling a little bit so me and Vanessa started playing cards with an
interesting challenge for the looser: the looser had to jump into the water (which we thought was a
punishment). Of course it was me, who lost, so I got into my bathing suit. However, Vanessa started
being jealous about me going into this beautiful crystal blue water, so both of us ended up in the
water and it was a great idea.

Our neighbour’s yacht meassured about 30 meters and he had at least 4 members of the crew.
Me and Vanessa took a dinghie and tried to spot the owner (both of us thinking of marrying him),
however he wasn’t on board:) So at least, we had really nice time on the dinghie when going around.

We went asleep soon as we had to wake up early in the next morning. We woke up at 4 am and
had to sail to the town of Porto Torres on the northern shore of Sardinia. It was only 10 miles away,
but sailing in the dark is very dangerous and difficult because you are never sure what is in front of
you. Fortunately, we go to the port safe and on time. Ben and Elisa steered the boat to the dock and
me and Vanessa hopped of the boat quickly as they had to leave the marina immediately (the boat
hadn’t the permit).

This morning was full of interesting challenges. After sailing in the dark and looking for a spot to
embark in the full port, we had to find a railway station. We found it quite easily but we weren’t sure
if it was working as it looked like a crime scene from the horror movie...no people, lots of graffiti,
grass growing between the rails, no schedule... but apparently it was just too early in the morning:)
The train came on time, we bought the tickets from a nice lady-conductor and we went to Sassari,
where I got off. The train was staying in the station for another ten minutes, so we even had time to
buy and eat warm croissants which we had been dreaming of since the scary railway station in Porto
Torres!:) Then, we had to say a sad goodbye to each other as Vanessa continued to the Olbia and I
had to catch my plane from Alghero.

I had plenty of time so I decided to explore Sassari a bit. To make the story short – the best thing
about Sassari was the warm croissant and the great Cappuccino I had in a tiny local bistro. After two
hours in Sassari I decided I had seen it all and it was time to leave for Alghero. I came to Alghero still
quite soon – at 11 am so I had plenty of time to go to the sandy beach closer to the airport. I had a
really nice time, though it’s always nicer to have someone with you (or at least a book) when you are
on the beach. However, that day was so hot (32 Celsius) that any further sight-seeing was impossible
and I was grateful for the cold sea washing my toes. My flight was not taking off until 6 pm, so I had
plenty of time and made most of my last day in Sardinia.

I would like to thank Vanessa and her parents for having me and enabling me to have all these
fantastic experiences and for introducing me to the sailing. Ben and Elisa, I wish you a lot of wind in
your sails and a safe trip!!!

At anchorages, and boat work Aug 19 – 30

After an enjoyable breakfast by the marina, we said goodbye to Paul and Rose at Santa Teresa bus stop, where they boarded the bus to go back to Olbia for 2 days before taking the flight back home-Kitchener, Ontario.   We will miss their company dearly as Rose is a wonderful cook and she had been cooking up some gastronomical meals.  Paul likes to enjoy life in an easy going manner; Eliza had a grand time poking fun at him. 

We spent one extra day at the St. Teresa marina to get supplies, provisions and some boat work done. We left just after the check-out time, not to be charged for another day.  Since it’s still at the peak of summer holiday for the Italians, we decided to go back to Liscia, a large, well-protected bay east of St Teresa.  To our surprise, there were fewer boats than expected and this time, we were able to locate the 25 ft depth.  More pleasant surprise in late afternoon, we saw our EMYR friend ‘GODSPEED’ anchored next to us.  We had a great time catching up with each other, on each other’s boat. 

            Seeing friends on Godspeed 

It had been a successful stay at Liscia.  Ben managed to get the watermaker and the stove working, and the moko (espresso maker) pot that was purchased at the hardware store at St. Teresa, would do for now until we can find a better design bodum. 

After several months of cruising almost non-stop, we are taking a week ‘off’ to relax and catch up on maintenance. Liscia is a large bay, nothing extraordinary, but it’s scenic enough, facing a nice beach in the distance, low-lying greens hills on three sides, and sheltered by an island in the north. Unlike some other anchorages, this bay has no marinas or private docks, so there’s very little boat traffic (the wakes mainly caused by power boats charging around are often the worst nuisance compared to gale winds). By mid-morning the sea breeze picks up, a gentle wind that comes in from the sea, rippling the blue-green clear water, and keeping the temperature down at a comfortable 27C. On land it’s probably well over 30C. With the sun awnings we keep ourselves cool in the shade, read a book, do some voyage planning, or just watch the wind surfers zipping by.

                    Ben diving down to check out the boat bottom

The days are definitely getting shorter now, the sun slanting more to the south. The solar panel is charging substantially less than back in June/July, to the extent that we almost need to run our generator every other day.  But… the best way to make the most out of the solar panels is to clean them, with fresh clean water …. sea water just won’t do.

After Liscia, we went into the South Channel, passed Capo d’Orso again, and headed south into Golfo di Arzachena.  First night, we stopped at Cala Bitta, with small, but scenic beaches and the day ended with a fantastic sunset.  We moved further into the bay the next day, to be closer to the town, Cannigione, where we could stretch our sea legs and to get provisions for the next four days.  Cannigione is another typical resort town, not as sophisticated as Porto Cervo, but it’s quieter and much less industrial than Olbia, so we didn’t mind staying here for a few days.

                 Another beautiful sunset at anchor

Life is not perfect, of course. There’s always boat work. To ensure a well-working water-maker, parts have been ordered and to be shipped to Olbia where our friends, the Tremante lived.  Until the shipment arrives and to wait out for another Mistral coming in the end of the week, we would just anchor away until the system passed. A Mistral is a strong wind coming from north of France, and it’s usually preceded by the Scirocco, a hot wind from the south. So it has been unusually hot for a few days. We enjoy staying on the boat a lot more walking around Cannigione.  With the help of the windscoop at the forward cabin, we have very nice breeze funneling down into 3Rivers and that’s where Eliza enjoys using her new gadget, Kindle with 3G; thank you Paul & Rose!

The Mistral arrived, exactly on time as forecasted. Wind shifted to the west, and started blowing through the night. By the next day it strengthened to 25 knots, with gusts at 35. The anchorage was sheltered in terms of waves, but not from the wind. The wind howled through the riggings, the masts shook, the halyards banged like crazy. Fortunately the anchor held.   This went on until the 27^th, with wind now blowing at 20 knots instead, we lifted anchor and had a nice downwind run to Isola di Porri, a small bay with a small beach area.

                 Exciting sail on a windy day

At first, we picked Isola di Porri as it’s only 5 miles away from the Olbia channel entranc and we wanted to be able to get into Olbia the next day in fairly calm sea.  But to our surprise, Isola di Porri might be small, but with amazing turquoise water and the serene surrounding, we enjoyed this anchorage a lot!

The sea was not calm the next day, at least not until noon, 2 hours after we motored into the channel and docked at the commercial dock.  A local was fishing nearby and to his delight, he caught a sizable fish-a foot long!  But he couldn’t get his fishing net to work, even with Ben trying.  But no worry, any Sardinians would travel with a fishing rod and a collapsible fishing net, all you need to do is just to wave down your friend.  With that, he got his fish and celebrated his victory with an always-ready chilled bottle of white wine and we, got to ‘salute’ with them, with a picture to prove!

                 This angler caught a good size fish - cause for celebration!

It’s nice to be back in Olbia, for all the right reasons … see friends, pick up parts, get laundry done and what else, more provisions.  

Round the northern Sardinia August 4 – 6

Round the northern Sardinia     August 4 – 6

Anchor was up at 4:15am in order to get to Porto Torres Marina in time for Vanessa and Tereza to catch their train to Sassari and then continue on to Olbia for Vanessa and back to Alghero for Tereza.  It was fun having the girls on board - always great to have some younger and willing crews to pull the genoa in and tighten the sheets at any given time, certainly help with tacking.  It was the first time Tereza ever sailed on a yacht and she made one fine crew.  She’s a fast learner and very accommodating in helping with chores and her risotto dish was delicious!  We wish her all the best with her new job working for Google at Dublin starting in September. 

Porto Torres is known as a working port, surrounded by a fuming petrochemical plant.  We had no desire to stay longer than we should.  Once the girls made their way out the marina we went on our way to Castelsardo, a town highly recommended by various cruisers.

                     The beautiful town of Castelsardo 

                           Castelsardo beach 

                    The castle at Castelsardo, a long winding path for a nice walk 

Wind was light, for a change, and we motored all the way through the maze of fishing buoys to get into the harbour.  The Castelsardo Marina staff was friendly and efficient.  Unless you’re in Turkey, not too many places will assist with docking with 3 staff on the pontoon, and the marina fee, unlike some others charging somewhere between 80 to 100 euro a day, this one was almost affordable at 44 euro.  

Castelsardo is a real gem!  This fishing village is built on a rocky promontory with a castle on the summit.  The castle ground has been beautifully restored and maintained. A winding path leads down to a rocky shore, and on this calm day the waves are gently lapping at the dark rocks, the turquoise water translucent. One can almost mistake this to be Scotland.

We did the usual chores of cleaning and provisioning and at 10am, with wind picking up inside the harbour, we’re eager to leave and potter around the north coast and eventually, back to Olbia to pick up our friends, Paul and Rose, from Ontario. 

Upon passing Isola Rossa, we saw some highly unusual rock formation on hillside along the coast.  Wind was variable and we did the usual sail-assisted motoring until 3pm when we rounded the NW tip at Capo Testa with its easily recognizable wind-sculptured rock jutted out and looking across from the port side, with its unmistakable white cliffs along the coast and tall and solitary mountains in the interiors. To the north, Corsica was in view, even though the sky was hazy.  Wind was picking up, coming from the north and it’s undeniable that we’re now sailing on the Strait of Bonifacio.

One should not tempt fate when sailing the Strait of Bonifacio, if not for the dangers in navigating around the archipelagos, then it’s the mad wind, either a strong libeccio (more frequently in the winter) or a mistral, blowing down NW from the Golfe du Lion.  In the summer, winds from the NW predominate and blow through the Strait with considerable strength, and often could get up to Force 5-6.  We took this fact to heart and were making sure that we went under the right conditions. 

We’re now on a run, with the genoa occasionally flapping here and there.  To avoid an accidental jibe, Ben put up the preventor sheet; Eliza could handle the helm with better ease now.  In order to get into Liscia, our next anchorage, we needed to maneuver a planned jibe and it was done effortlessly. With wind on the beam, we’d had one of the exhilarating sailing ever, gliding along the blue Mediterranean at over 7 knots.

Liscia was a large, protected bay with a wind-surfing school.  The pilot book showed there’re anchoring areas less than 5M, but we couldn’t locate them.  So, we settled for 15M, right in front the beach.  Being bolder, we raised the sail to get out of the bay the next morning.  Since our next intended anchorage was only 15NM away, at Porto Cervo, we thought we could “take it easy” and sailed down the channel.  Well, were we ever wrong!  Going through the La Maddalena archipelago, a group of islands S side of the Bonifacio Strait and N side of Corsica, are islands all composed of red granite and nearly all are surrounded by above and below-water rocks and caution must be exercised when navigating in the vicinity.  Once we turned into the South Channel, it was like Hwy 400 on a Saturday ….. sailing vessels of all sorts were everywhere!  When approaching Porto Cervo, there’s no doubt knowing that you’re in COSTA SMERALDA, the millionaires’ playground with their MEGA-YACHTS!  This is where the rich and super-rich show off their new floating toys ….. how about colour-matching helicopter?!  We saw black as well as white. Also, most of these yachts carried a Bermuda flag; we know where they keep their money, don’t we?  According to the pilot book, we thought we could at least anchor out at the designated area and see how Porto Cervo served up to the well-to-dos. Not anymore – one must now tie to expensive mooring buoys - so we moved on to the next possibility, at Cala di Volpe.  In order to get into this long and shallow bay, we needed to pass lines of moored mega-yachts first and thru the gaps, we saw the regular boat people at the distance, we happily motored in to join them.  Then, strangely, coast guard in their zodiac, going around talking to other boats and one by one, boats started leaving ….. why?!  When they finally came to us, it was 6pm, and all they could say in English was “Out, now”.  We tried to ask for other possible areas, but since our Italian was as bad as their English, there’s no further way to communicate.  We left, like all others, and continued on our quest for an anchoring spot, sooner whether than later since evening was about to set in.   We went into Porto di Cugnana, just passed the Marina di Portisco.  It’s a very well-sheltered bay and we’re pleased with the surrounding scenery and the serenity.

             Mega yachts at Porto Cervo 

                   This one comes with a heli 

                  Or would you prefer one more stream-lined?

Porto di Cugnana was not a deep cove, perhaps 4M deep at most, yet, on this hazy Sunday morning, there were two dolphins gently leaping in and out of water.  Hope they made it out to the sea safely before heavy traffic started.

Enroute to Alghero July 30 – August 1

Finally, no more Mistral, instead, weather forecasted light wind for the next two days.  On this early crispy morning, we raised anchor at 6am and started our ‘run’ to Alghero, 100NM away. We cautiously motored through the Canale di San Pietro as there’re no shortages of shoals, reefs, shallow areas, and a precipitous rock-Isola Pan di Zucchero (Sugar-Loaf) jutted out of the sea.  We were now rounding Sandaria’s windy south-west corner. To the left of the channel, we saw the town of Carloforte with its white belfry of the cathedral from afar.  There’s an island, Villamarina, a private resort next to Carloforte.  To the right, with it’s wind turbines and chimney stacks, Porto Vesme looked very industrial.

Soon, we were on the Golfo di Oristano, passing this town named Buggerru (what a name!), with an impressive steep slope along the coast.  Further up the coast, there’s a prohibited zone used for firing range by the air force near an area around Capo Frasca.  Fortunate for us, there were no fight jets screaming down at us on this day.  At the Sinis Peninsula, one could see the eye-blinding white quartz sand beaches near the town of Oristano. 

After 10 hours of motoring, we entered the Isola Rossa, easily identified by the Rossa Torre and a rather dilapidated white three-storeyed lighthouse, and to our next anchorage, just outside the Bosa Marina and the beach areas.  To get into the town of Bosa, it’s a 30-min walk along the Fiume Temo.

The town of Bosa, at the foot of a mountain, by a meandering river.

Colorful fishing boats at Bosa

Alghero's Old Town, overlooking the town dock

Alghero was founded in the early 12^th century, and taken from the Genoese Dorias by the Aragonese in 1353.  Alghero was peopled by settlers from Barcelona and Valencia.  Today, it still preserves the Spanish flavour with some still speak Catalan.  The town is filled with labyrinthine alleys and cobbled streets, the lively port of Old Town is flanked by battlemented walls and defensive towers on all but the landward section.  There are many sightseeing and activities one can do --- see the Cattedrale di Santa Maria, climb the campanile (bell tower) and various torres, visit the Museo del Corallo, and from April to September, there’s the travelling exhibition on Gaudi architecture, but the best way to tour Alghero is to simply walk. The historic town walls are now dotted with restaurants, bars, and shops, making for an unparalleled experience in modern shopping with a historic ambience. There are Romanesque and Gothic architecture along the historic town's main streets, and you can gaze up at the remaining defensive towers to get a good idea of what life might have been like in the days of seagoing raiders.