Sailing Sicilia
June 2001
Sicilia - An island
in the south of Italy. Normally I had never considered to make a vacation there.
But a few month ago a friend of me started to rave about sailing and so we
decided to make a sailing trip together.
The flight started in Dusseldorf and we arrived in Catania at the foot of the
volcano Etna. We drove north to Cefalù, there our boat, a Bavaria 42, ride at
anchor in the port. The crew-members arrived over the afternoon and it proved
out that all had teh same reason to be there, because to have fun. It would like
to point out that it was a very kindly and uncomplicated crew
that went well together. You'll find more details under a special link. After we
all sat on bord we started to make a shopping list. I was very surprised that
there were besides beer and wine many healthy things. Unfrotunately we got no
taxi and so we decided to empty some cans of beer and then move the shopping
cars back to the boat across the historic city center! At night we discussed our
itinerary by drinking some more beer with our skipper Piet.
Day 1 meant some theory. We learned to make knots and had an instruction about
safety on board. Unfortunately there were only 6 life wests and three of them
for lower than 55kg, so we decided not to sink! Then we weighed the anchor and
run to the open mediterranean sea. Close to the coast we made our way to Santa Ágata di Millitello.
On a short part of the route we were accompanied by small whales. Every
crew-member had the chance to steer the boat and with a little "fluid"
in the throat we drove even faster. The sea was very calm and therefore we
couldn't raise the sails and had to run the engine. But the missing wind was good
for a swim-break in the open
sea and it was real big fun! We anchored 200m off the coast and drove to the
town with our dinghy.
On the next morning Karl and Kordula had her big scene. A breakfast like one in
a very good hotel with yoghurt and fresh fruits waited for us. I can't remember
when I had such as many vitamines before. After this we run north to the island
of Lipari. Finally under sails. With wind force of 4 we cruised the
mediterranean sea and it shaked a lot. Another swim-break in a very lovely bay
and explorations with the dinghy were inclusive. Late afternoon we arrived in
the port of Lipari and the port-attendant had only one intention - our money.
Normally it costs nothing to lay in this port, but he tried to explain to us,
that everyone pays and it would be reason enough that all our naighbours pays
this fee also... Therefore we gave 30.000 LIT to him in the hope that would be
all. However, we didn't think of the water and so we had to give another 30.000
LIT to his one-eyed friend. Never mind, the boat's cash-box was full. Moreover
the view of crew of the boat "Sealion", that anchored next to us was
so interesting that it compensated for the fee. In the evening we went downtown
for dinner and explored Lipari.
On the following morning we weighed the anchor and set course for Panarea.
This little island waited for us with a dreamlike bay. We decided for the
command "drop anchor" and stayed there for the night. Close to us were
some German guys and we saved some of them in a dhingi from "distress at
sea". They thanked us with some glasses of wine on the boat. Then we got
back to our boat and made a barbecue on the quarter-deck with some swordfish.
Moreover we had potatoes in their jackets with a special oil-sauce made by
Piet... Tons of garlic and a lot of onions we mixed and served the potatoes as
sauce. Four of us had to sleep on deck in this night...
The next destination was called Stromboli. Already from the far you can see the
smoke of the volcano. Time by time the earth began to shake and besides the
white smoke was black fumes. On the way to the Stromboli we had a little regatta
with another unknown boat. We came close but there was not enough winds so that
we had to use the engine for the last sea-miles. Otherwise I'm sure that we
would have won this race. We anchored on the north side of this island and five
crew-members decided to hike up the volcano to the crater. We had to climb 1.000
metres up to the peak and it was a beautiful landscape, however very strenious.
On the last oart of our hike we really had to climb, then we were on the
crater-edge. Great to stand on a real active volcano. Unfortunately the wind was
blowing so strong, that we were sandblasted and could not open the eyes wihout
getting sand in them. I just hit the release of my camera to get a picture then
we started the hike downwards at once. But we saw one eruption of the Stromboli
live, I regret the the weather was so bad that wqe couldn't enjoy this spectacle.
On the way back we got a SMS and it said that the boat anchors one bay southward,
becausethere were heavy winds. So we started the search for the boat. Later this
evening we drank a beer on the boat as a reward.
The world was in best order the next morning. The clouds over the Stromboli were
away and we had breakfast. Suddenly the anchor got loose and we drove off. We
weighed the anchor, started the engine and continued our journey. In all this
hectic and cause of the rough sea did the breakfast fly cross the saloon.
Everyone had to care for hisself to have breakfast. The wind calmed down and an
hour later we downed the sails. We reached Salina with engine-power. Salina was
Piet's favorite island, although he had never seen more then the harbor he loves
to see the green hills. Then the boat of the emancipation- respectively
nymphonmanian-boat came in the port. It was our sisterboat, that sailed the
Liparian Islands in the same time. We heared much about the crew, but now we met
them face to face, very exciting. We ask them for a regatta and made lots of
plans to fight them.
On the next morning the big sobering. The nymphomaniac wriggeld and left the
port very early. No regatta. After a very tasty breakfast with Karl's
unbelievable pancakes, we started the engine and set course to Cefalù. The
longest part with nine hours on the sea. In Cefalù we tried to fill up the boat
with gas and cleaned the deck before the vacation came to the end.
Summing up, it was a wonderful time. Special thanks to the crew and skipper
Piet. We laughed a lot and cried a lot of songs. Vicariously I want to reveal
"Hey baby", Hans Albers and Eros Ramazzotti. Although the shower was
cold and narrow, the refrigerator was at no time cold and the bunks were very
narrow, we had a lot of funny moments! The combination of the itinerary and the
relaxing living together was a very special vacation! Now enjoy the photos...
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| The Crew | Cathedral of Cefalù | With the shopping cars to the port |
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| Wind force 4 | Our boat - Bavaria 42 | Boat in the sunset |
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| Skipper Jörg | The safety equipment | The port of Lipari |
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| Stromboli | Expedition to the peak of Stromboli | The crater of the volcano |
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| At
the edge of the crater |
Skipper
Karl |
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