Back to Africa

White cliffs of Ponza

Having said a fond farewell to Corsica it was time to slowly make our way south again. We retraced our steps back to the old harbour wall in Olbia, Sardinia, where we discovered we had two dead batteries. To make life easier we treated ourselves to a night in the marina. Conveniently we were lucky to find Bosch replacements at the local hypermarket of all places. With all systems go again and with a stocked up boat we had planned on sailing directly south to Trapani on Sicily but with nothing but southerly winds forecast we were forced to change plans.

Instead we sailed east across the Tyrhennian sea and dropped anchor on the south side of Ponza in one of the many dramatic bays. With strong winds from the wrong direction forecast sadly there was no time to hang around this lovely island and we set sail again the following morning. We only made it as far as the island of Ischia where we were forced to stay put for a few days waiting for favourable winds. Finally we were on the move again but this time with very little wind. Unfortunately with our diesel stocks now running low it

All alone in Vibo Valentia

was clear we weren't going to make Vibo Valentia and at 5 am we had to divert our course to Cetraro, a shorter distance away. It is not much of a town but it has a large marina with thankfully a diesel quay which saved a taxi ride in search of a petrol pump! We finally arrived at Vibo in the dark and dropped anchor just east of the harbour off a small sandy beach. We had the place to ourselves for the few days we waited for yet more favourable weather to send us south down the Messina Strait. Finally we set off at midnight and arrived at Messina in time for the southerly going tide along with some very nasty looking thunder clouds and water spouts. As we'd heard

Taormina

about a couple of yachts being heavily fined for not reporting to Messina control before entering the Strait we duly called up Messina VTS on the radio and were given permission  to proceed. Apart from the usual ferry dodging the passage was uneventful and we were happy to finally arrive in Taormina where we met up with our friends Rob and Amanda aboard Toi et Moi who were also on their way to Monastir for the winter. 

Ischia

                                                          Messina storm clouds 

Syracuse

Syracuse

The next day we all set off in breezy

Syracuse

conditions which increased as the passage progressed to gale force. With a handkerchief of gib out we had a sleigh ride down to Syracuse. We anchored in nice gooey mud in the large natural harbour and spent a week revisiting the wonderful old town. As we were interested in having a look at the relatively new port at Marina di Ragusa as a possible future wintering spot, we hired a car for the day rather than sail on round west. The car also enabled us to visit the beautiful Unesco listed baroque towns of Ragusa Ibla and Modica. Modica is also renowned

Syracuse

for its rather crunchy chocolate produced in a traditional method originally imported from the Mayans by Sicily's Spanish overlords. With the sky darkening by the minute we cut short our sightseeing and raced back to Syracuse and into Rob and Amanda's speedy tender before the heavens opened. It was time to move on and to our horror when lifting the dinghy and outboard back on the deck we discovered the bottom of both were covered in small barnacles. This was only after a week of being in the water and made us wonder what the state of the underside of the boat was....

Syracuse

Syracuse

Ragusa Ibla

Modica

Valletta from Marsamxett anchorage

After an uneventful night passage to Malta we dropped anchor off the yacht club in Marsamxett harbour. We had developed a problem in the cooling system of the engine and from the anchorage it was a short dinghy ride to "chandlery street" and all sorts of advice. After talking to various "experts" we decided to monitor the problem for the time being and moved on round to Rinella Creek where we spent the next few days in the water clearing the dreaded barnacles off the bottom of the boat. Our stay in Rinella coincided

Birgu by candlelight

with the Birgu festival. We dinghied round to Dockyard Creek on the Saturday night for the festival highlight, Birgu by candlelight. In the evening the historical streets were lit up by thousands of candles. We were also entertained by live music as we meandered through the atmospheric lanes. Sadly the glorious weather was due to take a turn for the worse. With a gale forecast early the following week there appeared to be a small window for the two day passage to Tunisia over the weekend. We stocked up with bacon and boat bits and set off north to St Paul's bay. The engine leak was back with a vengeance with a couple of inches of water now flooding the bilges. We had no choice but to turn back and seek expert advice and waved our goodbyes to Toi et Moi. After a couple of phone calls we had a Volvo mechanic turning up at 8am on the Monday morning. Msida marina

Varuna, a participant in the Rolex Middle Sea Race

was full but thankfully Kalkara marina had a spot for us. Edgar the mechanic tweaked the thingamyjig on the black bit and adjusted the doodarr....and we were ready for off again. Only problem was we now had the remnants of hurricane Gonzalo heading our way. We decided to stay in the marina where we were already tied up safe and sound and thought of the boats that were currently out there competing in the offshore Rolex Middle Sea Race around Sicily, Pantelleria, Lampedusa and back up to Malta. Of the 122 boats that started 71 retired as they were hit with storm force winds and 30 foot waves. 

        Large offshore supply ship squeezing sideways past Ride of a Lifetime in Rinella Creek

           Ride of a Lifetime gets involved in helping to lift Varuna, a Ker 50, out of the water

Kalkara Creek

Fishing boat in Kalkara Creek

Moored alongside the three master in Sliema

Once the storm started to abate we left the marina and motored round the corner to Sliema for yet another final shop before sailing on west. Anchoring was impossible for us due to depth and numerous boats on moorings so we tied up alongside a rusty three masted steel hulk. It is known amongst cruisers as a useful alongside mooring and its only a short dinghy ride to the shops. The next day with the sea state much calmer we set off on our two day passage to Monastir, Tunisia. Finally we were Africa bound.

Our migrant hitchhiker to Monastir

Dolphins keeping us entertained on our passage

Bright lights and bangs

 

Fireworks in St Julian's bay

Greasing the pole

The Maltese certainly like their fireworks and literally morning, noon and night! Throughout the summer each town celebrates its feast day which is a three day celebration with three days of fireworks. Our time in St Julian's coincided with their feast day. On the Thursday we were the only yacht at anchor in the bay. By Friday you couldn't see water for boats including a 10 boat raft growing horizontally in front of us. Our swinging room had rapidly vanished and we were forced to put out a stern anchor to hold us in place. Two barges were towed in and moored in the centre of the bay. This looked decidedly ominous and early each morning and again at noon mortars were let off to signal the start of the festivities. The roads were closed, the marching bands took to the streets and an extremely steep wooden pole was painstakingly greased up. We watched both young and old slip on the grease and topple to their watery fate until finally the flags were plucked from the end of the pole. The evening concluded with a deafening but magnificent firework display. Saturday saw a repeat of yet more bands, stalls, grease and fireworks. By Sunday our ears couldn't cope with any more bangs!

Fireworks in St Julian's bay

Slipping off the pole

 

In complete contrast, while safely at anchor, we took a day trip inland by bus to Mdina, the ancient walled citadel of Malta. It is also known as the silent city. It is ringed by imposing fortified walls and was originally established by the Phoenicians as long ago as 1000 BC. It was Malta's first settlement and was the islands capital until Valletta took over in 1571. In medieval times the Maltese aristocracy made it their home. It is a maze of winding twisting alleys and beautiful buildings. We stopped at a café and enjoyed the view far and wide from the city walls.


                                                                   Mdina city walls

Mdina

We are now at anchor in Rinella Bay, Grand Harbour, seeking shelter from strong easterly winds. We've noticed two barges being set up in the middle of the bay and this morning the mortars were set off at 8 am. No doubt another three days of festivities and fireworks. Time for us to leave the noise behind and continue our travels to Sicily.

 

At anchor in Grand Harbour, Valletta

More Malta



At anchor in Dwerja bay, Gozo

Anchored in front of Fungus rock, Gozo

We are having fun getting to know Malta and its islands along with our various guests joining us this month. We sailed up to Gozo and spent a peaceful couple of nights in Dwerja bay. No tripper boats to be seen and only the eerie sound of the Manx sheerwaters to keep us awake at night. We dinghied out of the bay past Fungus rock, an ancient source of herbal medicine, to view the Azure Window, a natural rock arch, and then braved a 100 mt cavernous tunnel through the cliffs to an inland sea which turned out to be more of a large puddle surrounded by the usual tourist tat. We set sail again early evening and managed to find a spot in the ridiculously popular Blue Lagoon on Comino. The rocks were teaming with sun worshippers and blue umbrellas and you could hardly see the stunning turquoise waters for boats and bodies of all shapes and sizes. With stronger north westerly winds forecast we decided to head south  and found a delightful anchorage under the cliffs in St Pauls bay. This was where St Paul was supposedly shipwrecked in AD60 and during his brief stay on the island laid the foundations of Christianity to the local population. The snorkelling was wonderful and the spot peaceful until we were joined by various large tripper boats unable to make it up to the Blue Lagoon due to the rough seas. They kept us entertained and awake to the wee small hours with their disco music blasting from their speakers.

 

The Azure window

The Blue Lagoon, Comino

 

 

Knights tombs in St. John's Co-Cathedral

We made a return trip to Valletta and did our own Grand Harbour tour admiring the impressive fortifications from the sea. Back on land we visited St. John's Co-Cathedral with its splendid marble floors beneath which the Knights are buried. The tombs of the more important or richer ones lying closest to the altar. We also admired Caravaggio's great painting, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, commissioned by the Knights for this Cathedral and completed in 1608.

Valletta seen from Grand Harbour

 

We are now at anchor in St Julian's bay, a lively spot surrounded by apartments, hotels, bars and restaurants. We even have outdoor water polo to keep us entertained. Great for provisioning and we've even found a Chinese laundry close by! Next adventure was a stroll over to St Georges bay and into the heart of Paceville. As the name implies a fast moving part of the island full of henna tattoos, hair braids, vodka shots, extended happy hours and music. The centre of Malta's nightlife....

St. Julian's bay, Malta



Water polo in St. Julian's Bay

St. Julian's bay






 

Our invasion of Malta

We had an uneventful night passage to Gozo and made our way into the harbour at Mġarr (pronounced mmm – jar) the following morning to check into Malta. Thankfully we had been advised by friends that it was far easier to do so here than in Valletta. We were allowed to park alongside one of the outer pontoons of the marina and found the customs police very conveniently placed next to the marina office. Our crew list was duly stamped, copied and stamped again and we were soon legal and on our way.

Mgarr harbour, Gozo

 

Sailing past Valletta into Marsamxett harbour

Marsamxett harbour

We had a quick look at the Blue Lagoon on Comino as we searched for a nice bay to anchor and catch up on sleep. The rocks were covered with umbrellas and you couldn’t see the water for boats of all shapes and sizes. We had had our fair share of turquoise water recently so decided to give this very popular anchorage a miss. We continued south along the east coast of Malta and eventually plumped for Mellieha bay. It soon became apparent that we weren't going to find a tranquil place to doze as many of the bays appeared to blur into one conglomeration of hotels. Early the following morning we continued south and entered Marsamxett harbour, the northern of Valletta's two natural harbours. It was an impressive sight. We were lucky to secure a berth for a couple of nights at Msida marina. Sightseeing would have to wait as we began dinghy hunting in earnest. We spent two days scouring chandleries near and far before finally opting for a Zodiac and Evinrude package.

Fishing in Msida marina

Auberge de Castille, Valletta

Republic Street, Valletta

Time to catch up with some history and see what the Knights of St John had been up to. A bus ticket for the day costs 2.6 euros with no limit on the number of rides. We caught a bus to Valletta and entered the old city by foot. The city was named after Jean Pariso de Valette, a grand Master of the Knights of St John, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion in 1565. After the great siege, he commissioned the construction of the new city of Valletta in 1566. The Knights were organized in eight langues, the national geographical divisions within the order. Each langue had its own auberge and chapel and consequently the streets and piazzas are awash with baroque palaces and churches. We visited the Grand Masters Palace and the very impressive collection of arms and armoury. Sadly St Johns Co-Cathedral was shut so the marble floor and Caravaggio's Beheading of St John the Baptist would have to wait for a return trip.  We timed a visit to the Upper Barakka Gardens, created in 1661 as a retreat for the Knights and affording a wonderful panoramic view over Grand Harbour and the fortification of the Three Cities, to coincide with the midday firing of the gun from the Saluting Battery.

Noon gun salute, Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta

Valletta

Malta and its fortifications have also featured in many movies including Midnight Express, Munich, The Da Vinci Code and Troy. We found ourselves enjoying a cold Guinness in The Pub , a bar where Oliver Reed enjoyed his last drink while filming Gladiator.



Dockyard Creek, Vittoriosa

Collachio, Vittoriosa


Back on the bus we skirted the Grand Harbour and continued on to Vittoriosa (formerly Birgu), the home base of the Knights between 1530 and 1571. We'd left the tourists behind and enjoyed the peace and quiet wandering round the beautiful alleys of the Collachio area with their overhanging balconies and lines of pot plants. We toured the Inquisitors Palace and went down to the waterfront at Dockyard Creek where we also had a look at the Maritime Museum.

                                     Fishing in St Peter's Pool in traditional luzzu boat

It was getting too hot for anymore sightseeing and time to get out of the harbour. We set sail for the south of the island stopping briefly for a dip in St Peter's Pool and then on to the old fishing village of Marsaxlokk and the home port of Malta's largest fishing fleet. The pretty harbour is full of the brightly coloured traditional luzzu boats. It is also well known for its sea food restaurants that line the harbour and we joined the many locals that come down here at weekends for a delicious feast of a variety of freshly caught fish. We're off next to explore Gozo and Comino....
 

Marsaxlokk harbour

Marsaxlokk harbour