Alghero to Porto Torres

It was time for new antifouling paint. In Alghero or Fertillia it was not possible to find a shipyard fit for this work, so we had to go to PortoTorres.

My friends Shirani Ediriweera and Kurt Drexler accompanied me on this trip.

First the motor didn't start, but after installing a new motor battery we finally left Alghero motorsailing north with some wind from NW on May 31st . At sunset we sailed through the Fornelli Passage and anchored in cristal clear turquoise waters near Spiaggia la Pelosa and took a evening swim.

We stayed one more day and then continued with a nice westerly wind to Castelsardo, where we moored in the Marina and visited the anchient castle.


Next moring we motored to Porto Torres, where Filippo Squeo and his team waited for us and craned the boat on land to perform antifouling and maintenance works. Also the bearing of the propeller shaft had to be renewed. I left my boat on land in the custodial care of Filippo.


We sailed 81sm in 19 hours. You may download our track in gpx-format or view directly on Google Maps.

Napoli to Alghero

As usual weather deteriorated when my old sailing friends Gerhard Rothfuss and Gerhard Westphal came on board to sail along the last leg of our cruise to Alghero.  So August 25th 2013, when we sailed to Capri, we had a heavy thunderstorm with strong hail and 8 Bft gale. We ran for shelter east of Faraglioni rocks and then anchored near Marina Piccola.

Next day in high waves, nice weather and nice wind we rounded Capri and sailed to our usual anchor place in Ischia Ponte, where we enjoyed again a  nice dinner at Da Ciccio. Next morning we sailed north to Gaeta, where we moored at Base Nautica Flavio Gioia in heavy rains and had a four course fish dinner economically priced at Trattoria la Cianciola.

Next day we bunkered food and gasoil and sailed tacking north to Anzio, where we arrived late at night and anchored between Anzio Harbor and Nettuno. Early next morning we proceeded via Ostia and Fiumiccino to Santa Marinella, where we anchored in front of the harbor. On August 30th we sailed further northwest via Civitavecchia to Porto Ercole where we moored at Pontili Albatros  and had a fine dinner at Il Gambero Rosso.




Next morning we sailed first to Isola Gianutria, where we anchored in Cala Schiavone and enjoyed swimming in clear turquoise waters. Then we continued north to Isola Giglio, where we found the wreck of MS Costa Concordia in front of the harbor, the works for righting her up in full progress. We anchored near Punta Smeralda and ate pancakes with the inimitable apricot jam cooked by Mrs. Westphal.
Next day we sailed further north to Elba, visited various bays and anchored finally east of Marina di Campo.


On September 2nd we left Elba and headed west to Corsica, where we were lucky to find a mooring place in Bastia Vieux-Port. We bunkered some food and had a good dinner at A Casarella. Early next morning we took the small train to Corte, where we visited the old town and its castle. In the afternoon we sailed south during the night and anchored at 5am east of Porto Vecchio in Baie di Stagnolu.




After getting some sleep we explored the large bay round Porto Vecchio and continued southwest thru the famous Piantarella Passage to Bonifacio, where we moored near the Capitanerie. We climbed up to the old town and had dinner at Cantina Doria. Next day we explored the impressive surroundings of Bonifacio, had lunch at La Poudrière and dinner at Kissing Pigs.






On September 6th we rounded the Maddalena Archipel and encountered a lot of Maxi Yachts racing for the Rolex Cup. Finally we anchored in quiet Liscia Bay and Dr. Westphal cooked his famous "Erdäpfelgulasch".











Next morning we rounded Capo Testa and after some nice sailing we moored in the harbor of Isola Rossa.

Next day we sailed west passing CastelSardo, tacking in Golfo Asinara and finally moored in Stintino , where we were in the middle of a Processione a Mare for la Beata Vergine della Difesa  and enjoyed long fireworks with music. On September 9th we rounded Isola Asinara in very nice winds, speeding us up to 9 knots and had a delicious fish dinner back in Stintino at Da Antonio.

Early next morning against a rather heavy northwest wind we ventured the famous Fornelli Passage. Once through we turned south and sailed along the commanding west coast of Sardinia, passing Capo Argentiera and Isola Plana on our rainy way to Alghero, where we moored at our final destination in Marina Aquatica  in Alghero.

The next days we explored the beautiful city and surroundings of Alghero  with our resident friends Ilse, Francesco, Willy and Milly. On September 14th we took our friends for a nice sailing trip from Lazaretto, Capo Galera, Porto Conte, Capo Caccia back to Alghero.





We enjoyed a lot of good restaurants:
Mabrouk for a fabulous fish feast,
La Botteghina for real pizza,
Trattoria Maristella for honest traditional food,
Angedras Restaurant for delicous seafood with a nice view and
Al Refettorio for best traditional food and very good wines.

We sailed 678sm in 130 hours. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on Google Maps

Sailing Highlights near Napoli

My next crew consisting of four competent and well-trained ladies arrived in Marina di Stabia on August 17th 2013. We celebrated the start of our cruise with a delicious fish dinner at Piazetta Milu. Next day we sailed via Golfo di Sorrento to Capri, where we anchored south of Marina Piccola and I cooked my well-tried Risotto al Limone.

Next day we sailed east via Positano to Amalfi, where we again moored at Aniello Esposito's place and had dinner at Ristorante Il Mulino.
In the morning, after a good breakfast at the traditional Pasticceria Pansa and some shopping we sailed northwest to the small harbor of Marina di Chiaiolella. We enjoyed a good dinner at Ristorante Crescenzo.

Next morning we went to Procida town by bus and visited the castle and the old churches. After a swim we tacked northwest to Ventotene, where we anchored east of the harbor. Because of high waves and a lot of northeasterly wind it was not advisable to use the dinghi for landing, so we stayed onboard. Next morning the wind decreased and we sailed back to the south coast of Ischia, where we stopped for a nice swim at Maronti Beach.

In the evening we sailed further east to Ischia Ponte and anchored again south of Castello Aragonese, where we savoured a nice local dinner at Da Ciccio. On August 23rd we sailed back to Marina di Stabia for the last crew change, where we celebrated this nice cruise with my crew at Ristorante President  with a delicious menu accompanied by a local tenor, who gave a concert in nearby Piazza Schettini in Pompei.


We sailed 168sm in 39 hours. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on Google Maps.

Cruising the islands round Napoli

On August 5th my daughter Sophie and I set sail to Sorrento. With nearly no wind we motored to Marina del Cantone, where we booked a boy. In the evening we walked up to Nerano and then had a nice dinner at Maria Gracia.  Next day we sailed via Positano to Amalfi, where we again moored at Aniello Esposito's place. After a detailed visit to Sant'Andrea Cathedral, Chiostro Paradiso and the Crypt we had very good pasta at Ristorante Il Mulino.

After some exploration of Amalfi's picturesque coast we sailed back via Isole Galli to Capri and anchored near Faraglioni rocks. Sophie climbed up to Via Krupp and hiked up to the Piazetta in Capri town and back via Giardini di Augusto while I cooked Risotto al Limone. Early morning we found a lot of jellyfish surrounding our boat. We changed our anchor place nearer to Marina Piccola and tried to go onshore by dinghi, but everywhere we were turned away by avaricious lifeguards.

Next morning we proceeded to Grotta Azzurra, where a lot of boats waited for entry. Sophie was able to get in by swimming to the next hotel and climbing down the steps to the entry. Then it was time for us to leave loud and inhospitable Capri and we sailed to Ischia Ponte, where we anchored south of Castello Aragonese.








Next day we explored Procida and moored in the small harbor of Marina di Chiaiolella. We enjoyed a good dinner at Ristorante Crescenzo and did a lot of walking round Procida. After a visit to the closed bird-sanctuary Isola di Vivara next day we sailed with nice westerly winds tacking to Ventotene, where we anchored in front of the harbor.



On August 12th we explored the nice Island of Ventotene, where emperor Augustus banished his daughter Julia the Elder in 2 BC, and which used to be a prison camp until 1950. In the afternoon we sailed further west to the Island of Ponza, where we anchored in impressive Cala di Inferno in the middle of some hundred Italian boats.












We enjoyed the clear waters for some days, visited Cala di Luna and Ponza harbor, where we had good fish dinner at Ristorante Il Timone. On Ferragosto August 15th, we rounded Ponza in the north and sailed back to Ischia Ponte, where we again anchored south of Castello Aragonese surrounded by Ferragosto fireworks until 3AM. At noon next day we sailed back via the coast of Napoli to Marina di Stabia for the next crew change. In the evening we had an interesting dinner in Taverna Mascalzone. Sophie's flight back to Vienna was delayed for 18 hours due to an engine breakdown.


We sailed 232sm in 54 hours. You may download our track in gpx-format or view it directly on Google Maps.