Sicily to Sardinia

Italians have an unusual communication style. Maybe it's the language, the culture or the DNA. Whatever. Willow and I were at a sidewalk cafe having coffee, and this guy was on his hands free cell phone. He wasn't exactly having what you'd call a "conversation" with someone, because a conversation usually involves the other person also speaking. So we'll call it an energized, animated, demonstrative, arm-waving, tooth-chipping monologue! This went on for over 30 minutes, as he pulled his suitcase back and forth. Someone got an earful!


                                                             
                                             


  













Everyone is always curious about what we eat on the boat. Well, like my Daddy used to say "Even the President isn't eating this well!" This evening anchored out we made lasagne, garlic bread and a big salad. And of course, as always a great bottle of vino.

As we left Siracusa, Sicily we headed north towards the Straits of Messina (where the boot of Italy kicks the island of Sicily) and we saw this big tanker run aground. What is it with the Italian Captains ?

Farther north is Mt Etna--the volcano spewing smoke as the Captain looks on...

After we came through the Straits of Messina on the north coast of Sicily we saw these very odd boats. They are sword fishing boats where the mast and bowsprit are longer than the boat itself. The Captain and fish spotters are in a chair at the top of the mast, looking for swordfish that sleep near the surface. When a fis is spotted a man at the end of the bowsprit harpoons it. Not exactly "fishing", is it?

Off the northern coast of Sicily are the Aeolian Islands. They are a group of islands mostly volcanic in origin. We anchored off of Isola Vulcano  and watched and smelled the volcanic gasses all night. It was a beautiful island and a great send off for our passage across to Sardinia.






We had a 32 hour passage from Sicily to Sardinia. The first 24 were gentle, calm and uneventful but the last 8 hours the wind and waves were on our nose and pounded us pretty good. Once again we are reminded of how quickly things can change on the sea. When your life is so intimately connected to the wind and sea it is a great lesson in the constantly changing transitory nature of life. That in itself tends to keep us more rooted in the present moment and unattached to the next one. It reminds us not to take anything for granted and to seize and cherish every moment.

We dropped anchor on the southeast corner of Sardinia in one of our favorite bays. Just inland of the shore there is a small lagoon where the pink flamingos come every year to build their nests. We caught them at sunset so they don't look very pink.








We are spending numerous days here where the water is the bluest turquoise we have ever seen any where here in the Med. It is finally warm enough and this is the first dip into Yemaya this summer. Now the lazy, hazy days of summer begin !!!

Arrivederci for now....