[p]pjr4728
[s]
pos: 40 57.878n 008 13.537e
sp: 0.0
h: 0m
w: 0kn W, CC 0, SS 0
d: 29/08/19 16:36 GMT+0200
Isola Piana: Departing the mainland west, we crossed the Bay with Pompei
and Vesuvius mostly hidden behind a veil of cloud.. Or it may have been
smog from Naples, as the sun came out in force as we left the Bay!
We passed close up to picturesque towns on the islands of Procida and
Ischia for a nosey, but didn't land as we were still on our relentless
quest to make it to Majorca for early September to meet family...
Instead we made a 50nm journey to the offshore island of Ventotene,
anchoring near the impressive ancient Roman galley 'garages' cut out of
rock and the adjacent old 'Devil's Island' penal colony of Santo Stefano.
Both islands have been used to house unfortunates, exiled by the likes of
Nero (including his wife, who he subsequently had beheaded here and made a
present of her head to his mistress), to Mussolini.
Next day was a fairy short passage to the island of Ponza... Its
spectacular coastline (and great snorkeling) attracting quite a few boats a
great deal fancier than ours: Our nearest neighbours that night were a
102m, $350m super yacht and another 'only' half that size, and presumably
value!
The next morning, we headed into the very picturesque and busy wee fishing
and tourist town by dinghy, to reprovision and do a brief exploration with
Mili of the quieter alleys behind the seafront, before heading off across
the Tyrrenean Sea on a 150nm (29hr) passage to the west coast of Sardinia.
Here we could rest up at the beautiful off-lying island of Tavolara...
Steep-to for the most part, but with a gorgeous bay at the SW tip that had
a great beach for swimming and walking among the adjacent vegetated dunes.
We even got to attend a 'sailing circus' put on in the bay by some
enterprising young Spaniards, making novel use of spinnaker poles etc to
rig their trapeze, ribbons etc!
Heading up the coast towards the national marine park of the La Maddelena
archipelago, here we spent a couple of nice days and nights among the
beautiful, if 'busy' islands (in terms of other boats!), before heading via
a couple more day sails to our point of departure from Italy here by the
Fornelli passage at the NW tip of Sardinia.
Sadly perhaps, given our impetus to make the Balearics, I think we had
saved the best of our all-too-quick journey through Italy for last.... This
anchorage was sheltered, shallow and safe, the warm water a crystal clear
turquoise and we could enjoy some lovely walks among the low-lying
vegetation of the adjacent island of Piana, with Mili particularly enjoying
this, swims off the beach and playing with another dog we ran into... Oh
well, onwards and forwards!

[END]