Sardinia, where to explore by rib?

[jfm]

I've driven Corsica a few times and it is beautiful but not fast. Ferry straight to Sardinia makes sense, esp from Toulon/Marseille if you are driving from UK
I agree the other comments about winds - you would get much more settled weather in Cote D'Azur. But hopefully you can find protected and "in the lee" places so all ok. It is a beautiful area.
A rib is perfect for Lavezzi because the little anchorages there are so crowded these days - you struggle to get a 50 footer in there but a big RIB loaded with a picnic would be great. Easier to get to from Bonifacio and you would need a good forecast to do it from NE Sardinia, but perhaps go really early when it is still and then when you come back the wind will be behind you. Consider a bimini - sun is like a blow torch.
To be honest I would chuck away your Sardinia tickets and take the RIB to St Florent NW Corsica which has beautiful RIB cruising ground. Then drive down to Porto (1/3rd way down w cost Corsica) which is a little RIB enclave from where you can cruise beautiful Girolata and the caves and stuff. Then down to propriano - stunning rib-able beaches. Then Bonifacio which is awesome imho, and from there and you can get to Lavexzi easily and the place pictured in Nick-H's post above. There are more places like this with turquoise sea and sandy bottom in Corsica w coast than where you are planning on going. Here is the main anchorage at lavezzi (pics don't do it justice - it is prettier than this). First pic is viewfinder's. I have loads more pics that I could post but don't want to hijack your thread!
Good luck anyway

 

[crazy4557]

Please post your pictures, by no means hijacking, I think a few images of med beaches with beautiful colored sea will go down well with most folks.

 

[jfm]

OK just quickly, and all these are Rib-able places, and all upper 2/3rds of w coast Corsica, to reinforce my point that you don't need to go to Sardinia (and these places are nicer, imho). sorry that I'm slightly changing your Sardinia thread into Corsica, but you did ask and I'm just saying what I think. Feel free to ignore me!

Loto beach, near St florent, top of Corsica. Great RIB territory...

Saleccia beach, 1/2 hour RIB from st florent (St florent is RIB city, btw)....

View of st florent...

Girolata, 1/3 way down w coast of corsica, easily reached if you launch RIB in Porto...

Overall view of girolata, and the caves etc shown below are in the far headland

Porto, another RIB city, 1/3 down w coast Corsica. Stunning cruising from here...

Rocks and caves near Porto

Now moving south, beaches in bay of Propriano. Rib launch place nearby...

This last one is NW corner of Propriano, cala D'Orzo, and has restaurant on the beach out of shot to the left

The whole bay of st florent and the town 0:34, saleccia beach 1:15, and loto beach 1:55 and are in this video. 1:51-1:60 is the exact spot where the first still picture above is taken

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

First of all, from Cannigione you will have just a short (4 or 5 NM, by heart) and reasonably sheltered route to reach the S bays of Caprera, that offer an excellent protection from Mistral. (

Actually M the run north from Olbia to the Maddalenas was usually quite calm because it is sheltered from the mistral. It was only when turning into the channel between the Maddalena islands and Sardinia that you would feel the full effect of the mistral. Yes the islands provide some shelter but the channel being aligned NW-SE often becomes quite choppy and it is made worse by the wakes of passing boats and ferries. Yes the OP will be fine in a well found 7m RIB in the channel but he needs to be aware of the potential sea conditions even there

Btw has anybody mentioned that you have to buy a permit to navigate in the Maddalena national park http://autorizzazioni.lamaddalenapark.it/index.php?ln=en&ssez=Home? For a 7m boat its not too expensive but for a 20m boat I thought the fee was extortionate because you get bugger all for it. In fact IMHO the whole Costa Smerelda is a rip-off and as you pointed out there are other equally nice cruising areas in Sardinia which are less crowded and far better value for money

 

[MapisM]

Actually M the run north from Olbia to the Maddalenas was usually quite calm because it is sheltered from the mistral. It was only when turning into the channel between the Maddalena islands and Sardinia that you would feel the full effect of the mistral.

Agreed, but that's exactly what I meant.
Coming from Olbia, after Capo Ferro you had the Mistral right on your nose for the last part of the trip.
But the OP will be based in Cannigione, which is down at the bottom of Arzachena Gulf, and to reach Caprera he can follow the W coast of that Gulf, which is reasonably sheltered from Mistral, up to Capo d'Orso.
And from there, it only takes half a mile or so of "exposed" crossing, before reaching either the southern bays of Caprera or S.Stefano island. :encouragement:

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

The whole bay of st florent and the town 0:34, saleccia beach 1:15, and loto beach 1:55 and are in this video. 1:51-1:60 is the exact spot where the first still picture above is taken

Crikey jfm is that you in that flying death trap?

 

[jfm]

Crikey jfm is that you in that flying death trap?

Yup sure is. Only did it once; that's enough. Pilot (Leo, cool dude from st florent) seemed to know his stuff. No seat belts.

 

[petem]

Whoop,s
I retired yesterday -senility has set in less than 24 hrs

Congratulations, what was your career and why plan do you have going forward? Please excuse thread drift and nosiness!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Yup sure is. Only did it once; that's enough. Pilot (Leo, cool dude from st florent) seemed to know his stuff. No seat belts.

Bigger balls than me!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Agreed, but that's exactly what I meant.

OK sorry misunderstanding.

 

[MapisM]

Bigger balls than me!

Positively +1.
And just to put it in perspective, I did apply for admission in the IT Air Force when I was still a teenager, with the aim to join the aerobatic team.
But that thing? Not in my bucket list, thank you....!