LICATA/POZZALLO/SIRACUSA/CATANIA

Provisioning at the corner supermarket was a priority before continuing.  I was even able to get a haircut and pedicure.  Our goal is to arrive in Corfu, Greece before the 12th of June because Gaby's sister, Christa is arriving for a visit.

Pozzallo is a commercial harbour without a marina so we anchored just off shore for one night and continued the next morning to Siracusa.  
The city is remembered for it's Greek history and as the birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes.

This marina is very open to the outside larger water and since the winds had been very strong for several days the swell in the marina made for a very uncomfortable night.   We decided to relocate to the other side of the city in an anchorage.  "Good Choice Captains".

With a good wind forecast we lifted anchor (50 meters full of serious mud had to hosed off); sails set and off we go. The stiff off-shore breeze allowed us to have a very memorable high speed sail into Catania harbour, the Nautico Etneo marina right in the heart of the old city centre.

View from Cockpit, Catania

fish market, Catania

veggie market, Catania

meat market, Catania

With a new cruise ship docking daily, the city is full of tour buses running every 1/2 hour.  Catania is a beautiful city with a history of two catastrophic earthquakes and several volcanic eruptions from Mt. Etna. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.  The fertile soil supports Sicily's huge agricultural economy. Their daily market here is unbelievable.

TUNISIA/SCIACCA/PANTELLERIA/YASMIN HAMMAMET

After our great spaghetti de Mare dinner and a complimentary mooring we left Sciacca Monday, April 30th  heading south towards Pantelleria; approx. a 10 hour trip, so we headed out around 7 am.   The weather was overcast but mild with only a light breeze so motoring was our only choice.  By around 11 am the wind had picked up considerably and for a few hours we were clocking in at over 7 knots on the knot meter.

Pantelleria is a small island between Sicily and the north African coast of Tunisia.  Legally Pantelleria is a port of entry and exit.  For myself as a Canadian leaving the EU that means I required an exit stamp from the Carabiniri (local police).  With limited Italian on our part and limited English on their end I finally had my exit stamp from Italy.
When a local fishing boat pulled up beside us in the harbour I took several pictures.  Promising to send him a copy of the picture he gave us his address and as a "thank you" he brought us 10 fresh mackerel which we enjoyed as dinner the next day.

Fishermen in Pantelleria

Since we had our nephew Christian on board we thought a night crossing might be a good experience for him since he has plans to get his sailing certification in Germany in the near future. .

During on overnight sail the crew (3 people) take 2 or 3 hour shifts keeping watch in the cockpit for fishing boats and freighters.   These trips require the 3 C's.....coffee, cola, chocolate and of course a "comfort food" type dinner before setting out.

Dropping our lines and lifting the anchor..... (oops, the anchor is caught on a chain from a previous mooring line) Wolfgang to the rescue.  He worked his magic with a special combo of rope and chain specifically designed for these occasions.  Within 10 minutes we were set free to continue our trip.
The first 2 hours felt like being on a carnival ride; up and down, side to side, very choppy ( did anyone require an anti nausea pill?) apparently not.

Yasmin Hammamet

Around 3:00 am winds diminished; 5:30 am daylight signalled more coffee and a snack of some kind.  By 7:00 am the marina was in sight and our friend Malcolm Snook, a marina neighbour from Licata was calling us on the radio.  Malcolm is a Brit, author, adventurer, and solo traveller.

By 8:00 am we were tied up to the "welcome pier" (really it's customs and; immigration).
New continent, new country.  We were welcomed with friendly smiles and hand shakes and oops... with only French or Arabic speaking officials.
Malcolm was also at the "welcome pier", but having trouble with his boat's gear box.  He was later towed into a slip close to us.
Filling out the required paperwork took 20 minutes or so and then they wanted to come on board.  The entire time the official spoke only French and our knowledge of French is even less than our Italian.  We had heard from other boaters that flashing a little cash might do the trick and what do you know... after a quick check in at the marina office we were guided into our boat slip right between two Brits.

We settled in and made our way to the promenade for a look around and first impressions.  We all needed a quick shower, but the shower facility was not adequate and we showered on board.  It had been a long night and a nap was looking good.

The next day, Friday, was  Christian's last day.  The four of us rented a car with driver to take us into the capital city of Tunis for some sightseeing and then to drop Christian off at the airport.

Tunis

Medina

Tunis is a thriving, modern metropolis and at it's centre lies the old medina, a dense construction of alleys and covered passages full of intense smells and colours offering all kinds of goods from leather, silver, perfume, carpets, clothing, tin & wood crafts and of course tourist souvenirs.  Any tourist here sticks out for miles and everyone is out to make a dinar (Tunisian currency).  One such person honed in on us, took us thru the medina in order to show us a mosque; 20 minutes later we were ushered thru a store and up a some stairs which led to a rooftop terrace overlooking all of Tunis (grand view).


After finding our way back to our cabby who had been waiting in the car for over an hour, we continued on to the site of ancient Carthage founded in 814 BC.  I find the  history interesting, but really it's just battle after battle and I

Ancient Carthage

Tea Room

can only see so many ruins before I say, "not another amphitheatre".   However, not wanting to wimp-out we did go to a place called El Djem a few days later.   On this trip Malcolm had a visitor, her name is Eva, very charming lady from London, so again we rented a car with driver for the day.  First place he took us was to a tiny hilltop village with a very charming "cafe" for a refreshing peppermint tea.

Amphitheater in El Djem

Our main destination was the town of El Djem and yes another amphitheater.  This one was really worth the trip.  The picture speaks for itself.  This amphitheater was used in filming some the the scenes from one of my favorite movies, Monty Python's The Life of Brian and Gladiator.




Lunch was a roadside BBQ with a little side order of camel riding.  The cook here had enticed us with the "beer" lure.  Turned out, El Djem is a "dry town"  no alcohol any time.






Our friends Gaby & Gerald from Vivamare are still waiting for us in Licata, so it's time bid a fond adieu  to Malcolm and Tunisia and head back to Sicily.

MAY...MOVING ON

In Cradle

The story continues.........the entire hull required sand blasting.  The process is very labour intensive, about 1 1/2 days of persistent work and Sicilian temperatures.  The black dust layer settled over the entire boat; inside and out.  We lived on board the entire time so we could watch and keep tabs on the workmen.  After the sand blasting the crew applied 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of anti fouling.  During these 10 day in the "cradle" we could not drain any water as the hull needed to stay dry at all times.   As you can imagine this makes cancelled the morning shower and doing dishes meant using a bowl and bucket and carrying the water down the ladder.  When our water tanks went to empty, the staff very kindly airlifted in several litres.

Refilling the water tank

During this time, Gaby made an appointment for Luisa, Vivamare's cat to be sterilized.  The surgery was a success, but she needed 2 antibiotic injections daily.  Dr. Rohn to the rescue, Wolfgang 
acted as the doctor while Gaby and I  assisted by holding Luisa down so the injections could be administered.    
In the meantime, the stitches have been removed and Luisa is once again prancing around as if she owns the boat. 


 Things took a little longer than excepted but the boatyard team worked very conscientiously and finally April 27th S.A. was returned to the sea.  Planned deparature for Tunisia was scheduled for April 29th but first we needed to provision, give her a thorough cleaning and bid a fond adieu to friends and neighbours.




Once safely back in the water we prepared to set our sails towards Tunisia.  One last gathering was organized with friends with much laughter and a few tears.

last evening in Licata

After 6 months and 10 days in Licata departure is finally imminent in the direction of Tunisia.  We have our first live on board visitor, Christian, our nephew who flew into Catania April 23 with his return flight from Tunis May 5.

Christian

This is his first big sailing experience and we love having him.





Our first stop after leaving Licata was Sciacca where we had the most delicious linguini with seafood.

Linguini with seafood

Early next morning we head out to Pantelleria, an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily just 60 km east of the Tunisian coast.

We arrived late afternoon, not a single person insight on shore; random docks (not marina), tied up and went looking for some kind of official looking person.  What we found was a senior German sailor living on his "cradled" boat.  He immediately invited us to have a beer with him and told us his story.  It turns out we were in the wrong harbour and so we motored to the communal harbour along side two others.

Pantelleria Harbour

SPRING CLEANUP

HURRAH!!!!!!

Simple Abundance has come ashore.  Twenty-one months after she was released into the cold British water in Itchnor, England she was lifted out for a desperately needed "hull cleaning" and a new coat of anti fouling paint. When a boat is anchored or berthed for a long period in warmer water like the Mediterranean it doesn't take long for a boat hull to become slimy with algae and algae makes it possible for other organisms to attach themselves easily.  Clearly, we had a thick infestation of coral worm, a gelatinous invertebrae easily scrapped off once out of the water.   









On the prearranged date 2 men (from boatyard) came on board and off we went from marina to boatyard.  The big yellow crane, "our go-to point" was easily visible.  Numerous people  awaiting our arrival could be seen; everyone pointing in one direction or another; to us it seemed all shouting instructions.  Once safely docked we stepped ashore and the crew took over, positioning the "lift out belts" appropriately.  Two hours later Simple Abundance was comfortably settled in a cradle with wheels moving slowly towards the work yard area.  


They take their lunch time very seriously here.....everything stops between 1&2pm everyday.   Don't fight it, just go with the flow.  After lunch it was Vivamare's turn.  Same procedure, no complications.


 Now, home is positioned in a cradle high and dry with a very unique 360 degree view.  Apartment balconies with laundry drying beside the satellite dishes to the north, boatyard cranes and hauled out fishing boats waiting for repair to the west.  The south offers a harbour view, but not without the obstruction of a backhoe, caterpillar and smaller cranes.


Today the boatyard crew is sand blasting  Vivamare's hull.  Tomorrow will be our turn.  Stay tuned!!!!!!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH

e celebrated new year's eve with a delicious dinner with Gaby & Gerald and a few rounds of "Kniffel" (German dice game) until about 11pm followed by a dock party of about 10 fellow boaters including marina staff.  As fireworks lit the sky we lifted our glasses to new and exciting voyages yet to be experienced.

We started the new year with a morning exercise routine, lasting about 45 minutes; afternoons were spent improving our Italian.  The weather gods were kind to us during January, allowing us to sit outside at Cafe St. Angelo in the quite town square.  When ordering beer and wine the chips, peanuts, olives and bruschetta are complementary.  How can this not be our favourite place????

I had a great B'day.  Gaby & Gerald surprised me with cake and presents.  A new tea mug and a Sicilian card game called "Scopa" we now play on a regular basis.  Even Gracianna came by with a decadent mousse tort which was the perfect dessert to a perfect day.


Mid January Gaby's sister arrived from Germany and there was a great pot luck luncheon on board the Amara Zee,  Caravan Stage Company,a most unique theatre venue.....a 30 meter "tall ship" performing all over Europe for the last 27 years. photos2011.htm

Left for a 10 day trip to Germany January 21; visiting close family and taking in the world's biggest Boat Show in Düsseldorf.  Unfortunately we both came back with colds; mine lasting the usual 7-10 days, but Wolfgang's developed more in bronchitis.  Needless to say chicken soup was on the menu several days.  Spent several days being lazy listening to CBC podcasts, reading or playing Scrabble against the computer.

In the meantime our neighbours Gaby & Gerald took possession of their washing machine which Gerald installed and is running regularly.

Being a little homesick, I decided to make a quick trip home to refuel with family.  Since my flight was leaving at 7 am on the Feb. 25th we decided to take the bus to Catania two days prior and for a little sightseeing.  Catania on the east coast of Sicily between Messina and Syracuse is the main economic, and educational centres of Sicily at the foot of Mount Etna.  We decided on a day-trip around the Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano.  Hotel staff recommended the train of Circumentnea.  Circumentnea is a railroad with a narrow gauge of 110 km kilometers from Catania to Riposta that circumnavigates the Etna.  Catania on the east coast of Sicily between Messina and Syracuse is the main economic, and educational centres of Sicily.

Took an early taxi to the airport and left Wolfgang to take the bus back to Licata.
 I flew Alitalia from Catania to Rome to Toronto.  Worst service ever on Alitalia.  I left Wolfgang to look after things on the boat.  Hell no!!!!  He quickly decided being alone wasn't for him and decided to go skiing in Austria with friends a few days.

I spent my  first 3 days in London, Ont. with Tanja and family.  It was very gratifying to see her in action as a mom.  She's a natural and I'm extremely proud of her.  I love our "one on one" time together.  Taking the train into Toronto, I rented a car and drove to Sudbury with a short stop-over in Aurora to visit with my mom.  Arrived in Sudbury just in time for dinner, BBQ ribs my favorite.  Needless to say I had a great time spoiling Ryland and just hope he remembers me the next time he sees me.

Once  back on board SA, I quickly learned that our boats had still not been lifted out of the water so that the 3cm thick layer of growth can be removed and a new anti fouling paint could be applied by the wharf crew.    I had hoped that would have happened while I was in Canada, sparing me much uncomfortableness, but it seems it was not meant to be.  Anti-fouling paint is a specialized coating applied to the hull of a boat in order to slow the growth of organisms that attach themselves to the hull affecting the performance (boat becomes much slower).

Now that spring had arrived in all its splendor we rented a car to visit Agrigento, "Valle dei Templi", one of Sicily's most famous historical attractions  the Valley of the Temples.  This splendid archaeological park consists of 8 temples built in the 5th century.  It is known as one of the best preserved examples of Greek architecture in Sicily.
With Wolfgang as our chauffeur, Gerald as the navigator and Gaby as the only one of us who speaks Italian (shameful I know), the next day we ventured east to Ragusa. This ancient city is located on a wide 300m high limestone hill and is also listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  We had a great day discovering the Baroque Cathedrals and other historic landmarks that took us downhill.  The original plan was to take the #11 bus back up to where we had left our car with a valid parking permit until 4:30.  However, it turns out you need a bus ticket  BEFORE boarding, the driver does not handle the money.  He was an unpleasant donkey's ass and wouldn't make an exception.  Our favoured option was to taxi it back; luckily, everything happens for a reason.  Had we taken the bus we would have had a ticket on our windshield since our parking validation had expired as the Parking attendant was circling our vehicle.

Speeding home (as if that's possible in Sicily) we still needed to do a Grand Shop while we still had the car.  With the beer and water cases put away we were finally able to settle back to relax at around 10 pm.

While you probably won't find the Easter Bunny in Sicily during Easter Week, you will find some interesting celebrations with ancient rituals and traditions.  Each province or city has a specific religious procession that usually involves a statue of Jesus and a statue of the Virgin Mary.  Here in Licata the main event culminates in the different processions  Good Friday.  The first takes place just before dawn where the "simulacrum" of Christ  is taken from the church.  At midday, the next procession of Christ bearing the Cross continues thru the main street and ends with the Crucifixion.

 The evening procession starts with several hundreds of people lining the main street in anticipation when friars dressed in peculiar white habits march along carrying a beautifully decorated empty portable throne (stretcher).  Once they arrive at the place of Crucifixion in the centre of town, "Christ" is taken down from the cross and placed on the stretcher; at which point the entire crowd turns around and proceeds to walk back towards the cathedral.
.

Wolfgang and I have both not been well the last two weeks.

Wolfgang's chest congestion and cough have made him miserable.   I visited a doctor who confirmed Strep throat and prescribed an antibiotic, but we're on the road to recovery and keeping our fingers crossed that we will have a new hull undercoat by next week.