Dreams Do Come True

Corsica has been a beautiful, wild and unpredictable island always reminding us to respect her as we have sailed along her coast. Since the 1st of September, the weather has changed and brought thunderstorms----thunder and lightning , rain and most of all BIG wind. Many sleepless nights at anchor just making sure that we haven't blown away.
We kept thinking it just "shouldn't be this way" until Duh, we realized of course it should........because it is! How often we all suffer as we rail against "what is", wasting precious energy wishing it were different. Sweet peace and sweet acceptance has settled into our hearts and we are enjoying the weather once again without" it" having to change. A friend recently sent us a quote by Anais Nin: "You don't see things as they are, you see things as you are." So true for us........
And of course, as we changed so did the weather!!!!!

We sailed up the west coast of Corsica, stopping for a few days in Ajaccio and then on to the north coast to Calvi. We enjoyed a few days in Calvi, an old port with a citadel up on the hill as we prepared to leave for the coast of France. We had an easeful overnight sail to France, landing in Saint Tropez. Sailing into the harbor at Saint Tropez on our beloved EcstaSea with the "loves of our life" (each other, of course) was a dream come true for us. Richard has held a dream in his heart to sail into this harbor on his own boat with the "love of his life" for years, and it has been a 40 year old dream for Willow to finally make it to France with her husband.Richard even carried Willow across the threshold from the dock to the land of France. Oh Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!
It was sooooo worth the wait.

Now we are sailing along the French Riviera in sunny warm weather stopping in Cannes, Nice and then Monaco as we begin to wind down another season on and in EcstaSea.

Bonifacio, Corsica

After enjoying a few days anchored at full moon we began moving north to the French island of Corsica. Blown and battered by the winds and Yemaya for a few days we once again renewed our respect for Mother Nature and her powerful presence. And once again we are reminded of the "contrast experience", knowing that we certainly wouldn't appreciate the calm without the storm. What an awesome teacher and guru Mother Nature is as we learn to "just be" with what it is, without judgment. And without getting caught in the "good or bad " of whatever it is, we can just flow with it and know that it is just another new and unique experience. At least this is our aspiration..............

Coming into the ancient port town of Bonifacio on the southern coast of Corsica was beyond words. Sheer cliffs of limestone on either side with the old ruins and walls of the city looming above us as we pulled into port. Hopefully the pictures will give some indication of it's magnificence. We are certainly getting our exercise as we climb up and down from the old city to the port below.











We are learning our french and find the people friendly and more than willing to help us as we bumble along.















Once again, we are sometimes overwhelmed with the newness of it all and are thankful to have each other to learn and grow together through each new country and challenge. Life remains adventurous and expansive and real. And for these small wonders, we are thankful......................

Sardenian Pictures

Here are a few pictures of our time on Sardenia...............

Leaving Sardinia

Well, it's almost time for another full moon (Friday, Sept 4) and we have had an unforgettable and glorious month sailing and cruising around the Italian island of Sardinia. As we continued down the eastern coast to the south end we found the most beautiful clear and blue turquoise water that either of us have ever seen. We wish that pictures could convey the clarity of it but unfortunately they don't, so you will just have to take our word for it.

We stayed a few days in the funky little town of Olbia where we were serenaded late into the night with lively accordian music (concerts in the town square) and woke up early to the dreadful sound of the bugle of the coast guard ship next to us. Not our choices in musical concertos!!!!!!

Cruising down the coast we passed the Fava Castle (12th century) and numerous caves and grottos all along the steep cliffs dropping into the sea. Also saw Cala Luna, reported to be one of, if not the most, photographed and picturesque beaches in the Mediterranean. And always the clear blue, blue, blue water...........

We anchored in a beautiful cove near the town of Villisimius and watched flocks of pink flamingos fly and land in a small salt pond near the beach. We took the dingy ashore and watched them as neither of us had ever seen them in the wild and R has always had a fascination with them.
"Molto Bello!!! (Very Beautiful)

Next we stayed a few days in the port city of Cagliari. We were disappointed in the lack of "joi de vivre" in the Sards here and the city lacked life and vitality (and good food). Willow has ventured into the world of eating fish if it doesn't look like fish since last year on the boat. So we went to an upscale retaurant where we were surprised but pleased that they would bread and fry the shrimp for us. Imagine our shock as they came breaded and fried complete with their scales, little legs, antenna and eyes!!!!! They do love their fish here but we can't seem to appreciate it in the same way, as we really don't want to have that intimate of a relationship with our fish as they do.

We had a grand sail at 8 1/2 knots to the south west corner of the island and anchored near the old town of Nora where we went ashore and saw the Phoenician and Roman ruins of a theatre,
baths and and mosaic dating back to 238BC. We also enjoyed a local celebration of some sort of saint as 2 bulls carried a cart with a statue to the beach for a ceremony, followed by great fireworks over the ocean. Great fun altho we really didn't have a clue.

Before heading up the wild west coast we spent days anchored in the bluest of waters, swimming and lazing under cliffs and the milky way and scorpio in the night skies. For all of this we are sooooo thankful........

Giving heed to the strong NW winds called the mistrals we quickly headed up the west coast and back into our favorite little port town of Alghero where we had started this journey a month ago.

We have loved seeing so many of the pre-historic Nuragic towers all over the island. There are about 7000 of them all over the island and date back as far as 2000BC. The inner island is poorer than others we have encountered and we have not found much fun or beauty in the port towns along the way (except for Alghero).
We have learned a cautious respect for the winds along this island (much more powerful than around the Balaerics), we have admired the breath-taking beauty of the land and blue water and
now we are ready to move on to the French island of Corsica. We are sailing off to find our perfect anchorage in a secluded cove to marvel in the magic of the fullness of Mother Moon in a few days.
Sail away in your own magic and fullness......................