Italy

[sailaboutvic]

Vic, your last few posts describing anchorages are all good for winds S of W but not with north in them. What are the normal prevailing winds? When we sailed south along this coast years ago we had persistent northerlies at this time of year. Brilliant for the spinnaker, some of the best runs we have ever had, but finding anchorages was a problem.

Vyv yes your right I am only describing harbour that are protected from the south at the moment , that's is because what we getting are south and south easterly winds , but that's not to say there isn't any that has good protection from the north .
As it happen it's harder to find harbour that are protected from the south then the north .
If it wasn't for the southerly winds we be on Capri now ,
as it is we probably give it a miss and head straight for Procida and once again we be anchoring on the north part rather then the good anchorage on the East and south .
It does make life a bit hard , has the only possibility maybe just out side the harbour and the sea bed full of pipes and cables .
Maybe Punta ottimo but again more pipes ,
but to me that's what make cruising interesting , the ability to find new spots .
This bit of coast we on at the moment is open to the north , but that's why we chose it , if the wind was blowing from the north a 12/14,mile sail across the bay would give us plenty of anchorage to shelter like .pozzelo, Nisda or Molosiglio just to mention a few .
Good news there a good westerly blowing to day so that should give us a very fast sail to the islands , that's if the rain stops .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Here the next lot of anchorages, all protected from the North just for you Vyv
Two very sheltered on island of Procida just outside the town with its colorful painted house , the other out side Chiaiolelle marina both well protected northern winds , although we did get a small swell in Chialiolelle with a NE .
No problem leaving your dinghy in the marina and our friends got water from one part of the marina for free in containers.
Corricella has a big supermarket some 10 min walk to stock up or smaller just few mins from the quay .
Leave the dinghy behind the break water .
We had the anchorage almost for our self .

On Ischia we anchored just off the causeway under the castle really nice island with some nice walks . Dinghy can be left on the taxi pontoon but leave it on the left side and right down the end by the small beach , there quite a few local mooring buoy but also lots of anchorage space .
We had 16 boats here during the day , just six over the night .
Now all we want is some wind as it's going to be quite light and from the North for some days .
Happy weekend guys

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks Vic, as you have, we found little difficulty anchoring off the islands and also used Procida. It was the mainland coast where we found most difficulty, Anzio and Circeo in my memory as places we were lucky the wind was light.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Our next free harbour was some 23 miles NW although it took us a bit more then 23 miles tacking back and fro island of Ventotene , the first part of the harbour wall is a transit berth , no time limit , we when side on , big mistake one of the ferries
Take enjoyment in open up as he leaves , we ended up leaving with a small bit of our teak toe rail left behind , Med moor here and keep well of the wall .
Lovely island other then the ferry captain everyone else was really nice .
After that island we sailed to Ponza anchored just in the harbour , there a set of yellow buoys which we think marks the anchorages .
now we have cruisers both side of Italy over the years and love the Italian and always found them helpful ,but I have to say here they are the most nasty Guarding the pontoons not for a second can you moor to any one , it comes to taken your dinghy ashore , we wasn't even aloud to use a pontoon which are littered along the beaches and sea front for a second , just to pick up the lady's , the other thing we found was nearly all the restaurant where the same prices as if the whole town had got together and decided on a no use policy and food prices , I can understand when in the summer hundreds of dinghy and rib may try and use these pontoons but if there was more then two boat on any of them while we was there that would be one boat too many , but hey .
Has for the islands there sheltered anchorages on both sides ,
Like to stayed a bit longer but we escorted a boat to Rome with gearbox problem , so off back to the main land .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Our next two harbours
Anzio and Fiumicino
we tried to find a free transit berth in Anzio without much luck , there was so much coming and going fishing boats and locals we decided to give it a miss ,
First we anchored just out the channel behind the starboard mark protected by the harbour wall and that was fine but with just under .2 under our keel and wash from the fishing boats we move about half a mile NE , a boat that draw 1.5 would had been fine .
The spot NE of the harbour is fine in settle weather we just happened to have the left over of the SE that brought us here although come 2200 we ended up anchored in a flat sea .

Fiumicino
Our stop over choice was between the two bridges in the canal ,
We had some problem finding out the opening times , everything we read on the net and in the books was wrong , at the moment the times are 0930 and 2000 at weekend and 09.30 only on tues,weds and Friday , it's doesn't open Mondays and Thursday , this is likely to change in the coming weeks .
the current can run fast as you enter the harbour , we had about 3kts
If you happen to miss the bridge there a basin that house a club plus a small marina before the bridge , if you need to wait for the bridge you may find a space on the wall but most are taken by fishing boats .
We had to more after a while to let a boat in .
Once pass the two bridge there are a few boat yards which offer mooring for around €20 a night ,
This is a good place to visit Rome , which is a bus then a train ride away .
Also good to stock up here with good super markets and a meal out with a beer cost us €13 a head .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Giglio
where one captain wasn't paying attention some years back and over turn a cruise liner with lost of life .
Two very good anchorage both on sand we first sat out one blow from the SE at Campese then moved to Cala Cannelle to sit out a blow from the NW .
Just out of interest we took a look into the port and ask about a free transit berth , only thing on offer was on the wall at €30 a night , not for us but if your the type that pay €30 in June for 13 mts isn't bad .
As I write this we now roaring at 7.2 kts to Talamone some 16 miles back on the mainland for a quick over night stop before heading to Elba to morrow .

 

[sailaboutvic]

A very quick sail took us from my last posting Giglio to Totamore on the main land .
Lovely small Tuscan town most of it incase within the old walls , great little anchorages .
the marina has taken up most of the harbour but there plenty of protection , anchored on sand good holding , bits of weed here and there ,
the town is worth a walk around ,
we sit in a bar having a afternoon beer surrounded by pots of sweet smelling flowers , pinky colour clay tiles line the court yard floor ,while over looking the anchorages where us and three other boats waving around on the anchors .
Tuscan at its best .
If any one wondering why we sail the 16 miles out of our way when we heading for Elba there two good reason , one is wind forecaster for to day was to come almost straight up our back side which meant running dead ahead on the wind but by sail to Totamore we should have a nice 37 miles just off beam reach sail
The other reason is we just love visiting new places , even if it was only for a few hours as we did here just for a walk around the town before our sun downers .
This is cruising for us , not sitting in the same anchorage for weeks on end .
Of cause if I really really honesty . which one of us can resist a mid day sail in just the right winds to wiz you off to new horizons .

 

[vyv_cox]

Vic, be very careful where you anchor when you reach Portoferraio in Elba. Yachts that were allegedly anchored too close to the ferry turning area have been towed away by the harbourmaster. Owners then fined and have to pay for the tow. A scam of course but can be avoided by anchoring well away.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Vic, be very careful where you anchor when you reach Portoferraio in Elba. Yachts that were allegedly anchored too close to the ferry turning area have been towed away by the harbourmaster. Owners then fined and have to pay for the tow. A scam of course but can be avoided by anchoring well away.

Thanks for that , I keep it in mind , I guess our empty anchorage may be coming to an end once we reach Elba and July loom ahead .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Elba..... Port Azzurro is was where we ended up yesterday , anchored in a large bay .
harbour just a few mins dinghy ride .
It doesn't quite have the Tuscan feel about it but all the same , supply shopping is good ,there fuel on the quality although expensive @€1.78 lt .
The other side of the bay there a small marina which haul-out , I guessing it won't be cheap there .
Sitting having a cup of tea writing this , I expected it to be very busy here but for a Saturday afternoon in mid June not so , counting 19 boats all well space out ,
You could easily get another 50 in .
This is the most we had since starting the Italian coast , we not had any more then six if you don't count the weekend local day boat and even then not that many has I remember it from years back .

We did get conned this morning , well worth mentioning it .
We caught the bus to Portoferraio , we paid the drive which cost €4.20 each , I did think at the time that was expensive, checked the ticket and there it was in black and white boldly €4.20 , public transport is ok in Italy prices are ok , anyway on the way back we brought our tickets at the bus station @€2.20 each , we was told if you buy tickets on the bus you pay more , bloody hell €2 each more , I could had got 2.5 lts of fuel for that that's taken the piss .
Sunday to morrow , day of rest although I do have a oil leak in the outboard that needs fixing which I keep putting off ,
so guess we have another day here before deciding where to go next , I feel Pisa call me , we will see .
Have a good weekend guys ......

 

[One A.]

Port Azzurro brings back some nice memories Vic, we took a bus up into a mountain village, Capoliveri, and had some of the best squid ink pasta I've ever had, and the early aperitivi drinks in the local bars brought so many nibbles, dinner was not necessary as we were so full. Enjoy.

 

[sailaboutvic]

And another port , portoferraio is the main ferry port on Elba , very large bay with different place where you can anchor ,
we anchored with just 1.9 under us just to be close for getting off on land .
But the bay is so big you could anchor hundreds of boat in different places .
Lots of large super markets , fuel just down the road from a garage , chandlers and every thing you would expect from a big town .
The town harbour is a bit of a dinghy ride for us but for fast rib we seen them reach the town within mins .
The Down side , there ferries coming and going all the time, and if you want a flat anchorage this spot we in may not be idea because of the ferries wash ,
Best option would be anchor here. Do what you want to do on land and move to one of the other anchorage around the bay , which is what we probably do some time to day.
Just to add Elba a very large islands and there tons of bay you can anchor in , which every the weather coming from .
Now we debating where to go next, back to the main land and head for Pisa up the river Arno or give it a miss and sail to Corsica or Sardinia .
We need very flat seas for us to enter Arno , no swell as depths are low for us .
So some planning needed .

 

[Mistroma]

And another port , portoferraio is the main ferry port on Elba , very large bay with different place where you can anchor ,
we anchored with just 1.9 under us just to be close for getting off on land .
But the bay is so big you could anchor hundreds of boat in different places .
Lots of large super markets , fuel just down the road from a garage , chandlers and every thing you would expect from a big town .
The town harbour is a bit of a dinghy ride for us but for fast rib we seen them reach the town within mins .
The Down side , there ferries coming and going all the time, and if you want a flat anchorage this spot we in may not be idea because of the ferries wash ,
Best option would be anchor here. Do what you want to do on land and move to one of the other anchorage around the bay , which is what we probably do some time to day.
Just to add Elba a very large islands and there tons of bay you can anchor in , which every the weather coming from .
Now we debating where to go next, back to the main land and head for Pisa up the river Arno or give it a miss and sail to Corsica or Sardinia .
We need very flat seas for us to enter Arno , no swell as depths are low for us .
So some planning needed .

We enjoyed several long stops there. Even managed free Wifi. Have you found the direct shortcut to the Coop supermarket? It's better than the one in town.

The town quay has an odd business model. Charge 120 euro to stay overnight but OK to come in early, fill up with water for 5 euro and stay all day. We spoke to several people who'd been in all day, lunch out, water, poss. even power and out at 5 o'clock. We felt guilty having a quick walk around after filling up. Pretty certain boats were going around in afternoon before deciding it was full and then anchoring. Marina almost empty overnight on some days.

Still in Preveza, accosted by a lady offering to sort out our DEKPA. I should have asked for a price instead of looking very confused and saying we'd do it ourselves on way out of Greece. Why would you pay someone to sort out stamping a DEKPA? I wonder if this is fallout from people being paid to sort out TEPAI. A couple of people told us they'd found very helpful "agents" (for a price ).

 

[sailaboutvic]

Yes thanks Mike we found the co op , we ask marine services if we could leave the dinghy at there quay and they where very helpful , even taken our rubbish of us and offering us a ride into town as he was on his way to town ,
It save us the long dinghy ride to the harbour .
Co Op just across the road to them .
A good day out in all followed by a big shop at the Co Op

We now anchored on the other side of the bay , I can't believe how empty the anchorages are , the most we had was the other night while anchored in Porto Azzurro but then it was the week end .
We ended up with about 30 boats if you add up all the little motor rib out for one night .
Maybe they all gone to Greece ,
I must not joke some are getting up set with any remakes I make about Greece
Any way we moved to much better anchorage in Cala Concia , very clean blue water and some nice walks .
There a small hotel which seen to took over the beach with deck chairs although if there was 15 couple on the beach that be one too many .
They have a small pontoon where you can leave the dinghy , useful .
Enclose photo of our crowed anchorages to night , all of two boats and us .
Enjoy the rest of your time in Greece , and mind those mossy. .

 

[sailaboutvic]

River Arno
We crossed the bar with 1.7 under us , that's 3.4 depth although we did have a 10cm rise as we was on the top of the tide .
We ended up one mile up river at Arnovecchio yard , €35 a night including water and power , not bad for Mid June . Nicole speaks very good English he can haul out boats with his travel lift . The cost is around €170 .
The yard like all the other is in country side so don't expect any shops , but there a bus stop just out side and €2 will get you to Pisa , this is a Great spot the banks on the other side of the river is all greenery horses and deers come down to swim and drink the fresh water .
I would recommend this yard , it has a small shower but as most just park and go it's shouldn't be a problem . You can live on board while on the hard but you will have to take out a fire insurance and after a short stay he would charge for power over the winter .
It's a reminder of my early days on the east coast sailing up the rivers .
there are many yards with stage mooring , the current runs about a knot but get less as you go up .
If your passing its well worth a visit ,

 

[sailaboutvic]

Le Speza
We anchored Le Grazie , you can berth into the wall free on the south east corner of the bay in the town ,there also small pontoon , which I wouldn't recommend as it jumps all over the places , the bay is a good size , it big enough to taken a large amount of boats , weekend it is almost packed (June) but as many other bays in Italy come the evening many go back to home port .
The Bay very well protected from most parts
Mud and good holding .
Boat yard come marina with a travel lift , super market big enough for most stuff , Busses to Le Speza , few bars and restaurants.
Swimmers beware small boats do speed through, although usually followed by shout for other boats to slow down .
All in all a nice town .
After the week end rush it's very quiet here now .
If you into classic yacht Le Grazie is the place to come , with a good selection moored on the town quay , all looking fantastic .

A 14 mins sail took us to and anchorage on the east side of Almaria a small island just south of the breakmwater , very clear water a great night stop or as we used it a lunch and swim stop before return to Le Graize.
We also had a lunch stop north of Portovenere and waiting for the wind to pick up to sail on .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Porto Di Ponente Monterosso
We now some 440 miles as the crow flys down the west coast .
Five towns in one , its the most crowed beachs we seen so far , I guess with a train line running into this holiday town it's going to be crowed .
Nice sand anchorages , make sure you keep out from the swimming buoys , there. a small break in the rocks on the north west corner great to leave the dinghy .
Some nice walks from one town to the other , tunnels have been cut into the rock to make a walk away plus for cars to use , train station bang in the town .
Supermarket , Bakery and other stores plus one after the other ice cream Parlours.


Late start to day , some jobs needed doing , our sail all of 4 miles in a straight line took us four hours and added another 7 miles , we give up in the end and anchored in this bay,
Bonassola ,
no other boats in sights only about a few hundred sun bathing.
W to Se protection on sand , on shore facilities unknown , as it too hot to go yet , swim and a few beers is a much better option ,once the beach empty and it gets cooler it be a better time to explore .

 

[vyv_cox]

You are now within striking distance of Camogli. Don't miss it, some of the most striking buildings you will see anywhere.
Enjoying your accounts, thanks for them.

 

[sailaboutvic]

You are now within striking distance of Camogli. Don't miss it, some of the most striking buildings you will see anywhere.
Enjoying your accounts, thanks for them.

If to day is anything to go by Vyv we might make it by the end of the summer .
Actually it was quite a nice day , we had six anchorage marked within 12 miles we could choose from.
bobbing along at 2 kts tacking back and fro was ok , much cooler then anchored, for once we could have lunch without needed one hand to stop everything taken off.

Any way going back to where I left off in my posting .
A trip a shore at 20.30 was timed right , in between the swimming buoys there a lane for a local boat hire , we left our dinghy there , the guy was helpful he came out of his office to help us take in up on the beach .

We expected the town to be packed after what we sew on the beach , but the town was delightful, most of the people had gone , the restaurant although quite a lot sat just a few in each one , menu prices where around € 14 for meat meal ,a salad was €5 , not over expensive I suppose once you add your wine in you looking at €20 a head .
But what really makes these Italian town is the back street , with arch balconies plants and flower hanging down from them , the stone and brick work looking old but not looking as if they about to fall down , even the clothes hanging from some windows give it that added charms .
And What could be better then looking through a gap to see a whole bay with just one boat sitting on a flat sea .

We been really lucky so far with our anchorages , other the. The weekend they been empty and what's happen to the loud beach music , playing to the early hours of the morning , only once have we really had a problem with music .
Now I said all that I bet things will change and we be kept up with bang bang bang and anchorages where you can swing a cat .

 

[alexsailor]

Nice Vic.
But what can a sailor do in bad weather? I see that all the anchorages are open to W, SW...