Cruising to Corsica

[Vernet]

We are planning to go to Corsica next July with our boat. For that, the original idea was to trailer it to Piombino (Italy), because it seems to be the shortest passage to the island.

In the guides I have, they only describe the passage from France (Nice).

Someone could recommend me a guide that describes this passage? Has someone the personal experience on this and wants to give me some advice?

Thanks a lot for your help in advance,

Miquel
Culzean

 

[gianenrico]

Miquel, if I kneww type of boat and how You plan to transport it to Italy, I could give, hopefully, more sensible advice.
In principle, if You trail your boat with the car, it does probably make more sense to ferry everything from NICE or CANNES (France) or SAVONA, GENOVA, LA SPEZIA or LIVORNO (Italy); PIOMBINO allows You to have a short trip to Elba and then from Elba to Corsica; IMHO it does not make much sense to drive to Piombino and then sail to Corsica: if the boat and the crew are fit for, better sail from French riviera or italian coast (Marina di Carrara is my home port and gladfully can arrange at my Club Nautico for any asistance, including trailer parking). If You Google a bit for "Corsica Ferries" You can find timetables and prices. Marina di Carrara to Cape Corse (Macinaggio) is some 70 nautical miles and allows emergency harboring in Capraia Island.
I warmly recommend that You take a counter-clockwise tour of Corsica, as the previling summer winds blow from NW - W.
I also reccomend having a VHF to listen to French weather forecasts, as the Med is know for very sudden changes of conditions, sometimes without much warning time: perturbations are seldom spotted in advance to 12 / 48 hours.
Un fortunatly I know only the italian tranlation of a french series of books covering the mediteranean sea, by Jacques Anglès, or some italian ones which are not available in english.
PM me freely for any further integration of information. By the way we will be sailing from Marina di Carrara to Porto Vecchio on July 2nd
Hop e You will enjoy the trip, as it deserves.
Cheers,
Gianenrico

 

[jfm]

His boat is a macgregor 26.

I'm going to corsica and sardinia next weekend, for a week. Can report back after that!

 

[tcm]

urgh, blackberry pate

ooh, have a lovley time!

 

[Vernet]

The boat is a MacGregor 26X. I choosed Piombino because it was in theory the shortest cruising distance, and we don't want to ferry car & boat because we want to do some "off shore cruising", but from Nice it is too long, and as you say, the Mediterranean can be tricky (I have been living in Barcelona untill 97 and sailing to Balearic islands and in general the coast of Spain & France).

Thanks a lot thow for the info on the predominant winds.

Regards,

Miquel
Culzean

 

[gianenrico]

Miquel,

I enclose the site of the Port Authority:

http://www.porto.piombino.li.it/index_ing.htm

I would try and clear BEFORE arriving where to launch the boat and where to park car and trailer, may be with some Club in the area.
May I suggest that, according to time available, southern coast of Elba, Corsican coast from Bastia to Cap Corse and from there all the way to Bonifacio (counterclockwise) are a must.
If You like more infos, feel free to PM me.
Cheers,
Gianenrico

 

[davidbains]

I kept my tri in Campoloro for three winters. And twice circum navigated Corsica and Sardinia.
In general the winds are light on the east coast even when the Mistral is blowing on the west coast. Mistrals seem to come through about every ten days in the summer but we rarely stopped sailing for more than one or two days. They are well forecast by French VHF. I would have thought crossing from Piombino in a small cat was wise. It can get very rough between Cap Corse and the Riviera if you get caught out. At the end of the summer the anchorage SE of Cap Corse becomes quite crowded with yachts waiting to head north.

 

[whisper]

How long are you going for ?
The reason I ask is that you should spend at least a week on Elba - it's a super place.
We chartered from a new marina just south of Piombino at Portiglioni a couple of years ago. Our route was from there to S.coast of Elba (P.Azzurro & Marina di Campo) - Bastia ( interesting but "rough") then up the NE. coast of Corsica calling at Macinaggio (not worth it) and around C.Corse to St. Florent(lovely).
As we only had a week we then returned via Capraia(interesting) and Elba again (Portoferraio not to be missed). We had big seas on the Elba - Bastia leg - steady F7/8 and F9 when berthed in Bastia and it was very, very cold for three days - it was early May though. We had a great trip and hopefully it will be repeated soon, but extended further around the NW coast of Corsica. With your size of boat I hope that you have plenty of time for your cruise. You can then stop in port if the weather is not too good and sail on another day.
Enjoy yourselves.