SofF to Corsica and Sardinia - Med Cruise Summer 2014 (lots of pics)

[BartW]

Wonderfull post J, thanks for sharing this fantastic story,

In the first map picture, you forgot to draw the epic trip from Hardmy ;-)

Yes that Novurania tender is fantastic, and all are happy with it;
swmbo because the doesn't get wet feet anymore
my mum, because there is no spray
my kids because they can go very fast
and my friends, because she's much better for waterski then our old 30Hp tender.

Don't you have I'cloud installed for your iphone ?
in august I fell off from our passerel in the sea, right before going to the airport,
clothes, passport, wallet, and I'phone all wet. (not injured)
three hours later I was in Belgium, and I first went to the applestore, and 10minutes later I left the shop, with a new I'phone, alle data, all pics, all settings (conection to company exchange server) as before,
even the BA picture on the main screen ;-)

yes that trip, including south sardinia still is on our wish list
thanks again for this nice report !

 

[benjenbav]

Wonderful pix, jfm. That's what you can't put a price on: the memories of what was obviously a magical time. Do it again!

 

[Cheery]

Rotundo was about €540/night for 24m in August.

Strewth and I thought this place was dear where we went for a drink on a Caribbean snorkelling/bar crawl a few weeks ago.

http://www.yccs.it/marina/

 

[mjf]

Wonderful stuff Jfm. Absolutely fab write up. Rather good timing too give the uk weather this week

Be nice to catch up at LIBS

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

We are heading to Cannes for Cannes Lions June 21-27 , then will hand around in SOF for a week or 2 and then start a trcck down Corsica and Sardina. Which coast is nicer for the Sardina part - East or West? If all Marinas are as expensive as Porto Rotondo then we will be anchoring a lot!

What was the Pt Rotondo charge?

Its more a case of which coast of Sardinia is least exposed to whatever wind is forecast. Certainly this year, most of the wind has come out of the NW so the east coast has tended to be more sheltered and there are rumoured to be some lovely deserted anchorages on the E coast as well. We recently moved our boat from NE Sardinia to S Sardinia for the winter and cruised down the E coast because the distance was shorter. Sods Law being what it is, we had a NE'ly wind for the whole trip which made the anchorages on the E coast untenable for anything other than short stops. Generally speaking the best cruising grounds in Sardinia are the famous NE coast (Costa Smerelda) and the S coast which we hope to discover next year. Maybe Mapism can fill you in with more info on the W coast
The Costa Smerelda itself is stupidly crowded and expensive in July and August so best to avoid going there during that time. We cruised the area again in Sept and it was much more relaxed. Sardinia is apparently known as a windy island and after our summer there, I can well believe it. Since leaving the UK and heading for the Med, I have become accustomed to not checking the weather forecast every few hours but this year I certainly had to do that because the wind blew very hard sometimes and often changed direction very suddenly. As for Rotondo, we spent 3 days there in August parked alongside Match and whilst we thought it was a great place, it was hideously expensive. I also had a big argument with them when I went to pay because they either deliberately or accidentally overestimated the length of my boat when preparing the bill. Fortunately I had checked their website for the tariff beforehand and knew roughly what the bill should be. They also charged extra for leccy, water and rubbish collection which was cheeky to say the least. I ended up with a bill of about €1300 for 3 nights once the Italian VAT had been added as well which qualifies it as the most expensive place I've stayed in the Med by a long way. But, as I say, go in June or Sept and you'll find the prices much lower. The marina prices on the S coast of Sardinia seem to be much more reasonable generally

 

[harstonwood]

A great read, really enjoyable
Thanks JFM

 

[gjgm]

Super report, and this time I can actually see the photos at work !
I do notice that a BIKINI slipped in, and a seriously suspect pair of knee length shorts on some gentleman ...
Ok, I think I will shelve any idea of doing a Brittany report until this one has slipped 500 threads below ....

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Yep, I get that! There is that bucket list of 10 ports that every sailor should sail into in his boating career, and Bonifacio is high up on it, for reasons you will know - it is a wonderful harbour to enter from the open sea.

jfm, first thanks very much your wonderful pics and for the kind words on our new boat. Agree entirely on Bonifacio. We visited twice, once in August and again in Sept and we loved the place. The fact that fuel is about 30c/litre cheaper there than across the water in Sardinia is the icing on the cake. On both visits, we were berthed close to the Kissing Pigs restaurant and it is indeed one of the prime spots in Bonifacio with the only drawbacks being the hundreds of tourists on the quay just willing you to cock up your berthing manouvre and the mad tripboat skippers who zoom past you just as you are about to be blown onto some moored boats I don't want to hijack your thread but here are some pics I took in Bonifacio this year

 

[Hurricane]

Wow - berthing on the pontoons in Girolata - I bet that was a "bottom clenching" moment.
It really didn't look deep enough when we went there - in our dinghy!!!

Very different when we were there - only us and the other boat traveling with us.

Propriano

As for Propriano - we overnighted on the south side of the bay - and had dinner at one of the best beach bars we have ever visited.
Maybe DJEFABS will remember this - in my dinghy:-

The beach bar can be seen in the distance - great food.
If you haven't used it before - well worth visiting next time.

 

[FirstMate II]

Simply Stunning Great post

 

[crust]

great pics and an enjoyable read
thankyou

 

[matt13]

Wow those pics certainly brightened up a cold December day, thanks for that!

 

[jfm]

Thanks for the kind words everyone

@Deleted User, don't apologise for hijacking- post away. The berth you are in in bonifacio is quite funny- step off passérelle and you are literally in the restaurant! I was there once. Btw, you Bimini needs a wash . Yes I get you logic if your boat is based in NE Sardinia: visit bonifacio now and again for a very nice trip out and €1000 fuel saving. Pretty compelling!

@Hurricane. Thanks for the beach bar tip. I dont know that one. You could spend ages in golfe de propriano and still not discover everywhere! You woul fit JW on the girolata pontoons ok. The aft of my boat was level with end of pontoon and I had a foot of grounding clearance at the bow. You only take the berth at 7pm, daytime not allowed, and by then there is no wind and you inch the boat in v slowly. The dock master comes t help and he knows it like back of his hand. His life story is he visited girolata 40 yrs ago, fell in love, married girolata girl, stayed ever since and is one of the 14 residents. Delightful guy and incredibly helpful. He doesn't like genset running while on pontoon which is no problem. We ring in the morning and ask for pontoon that evening.

Sorry typos. On iPhone only, waiting for air traffic control to mend itself. I've taken 2 LHR flights today and a booked on. 3rd tonight to Nice. Whitelighter can you sort it out mate

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Btw, you Bimini needs a wash

Yup we did notice that! In actual fact it was that windy when we entered Bonifacio that it blew the bimini off one side of the frame so we were just pleased to have hung on to it

 

[kanajobe48]

Thank you very much for the time to upload your trip, timing is always the essence and given the weather at the moment it couldn't have been better, I now can't wait for the boat to be back in the water and off again next year, thank you

 

[sonvida2]

Fantastic post - I see some things haven't changed since I was here last.

Lovely boat porn and stunning scenery :encouragement:

 

[jfm]

Fantastic post - I see some things haven't changed since I was here last.

Lovely boat porn and stunning scenery :encouragement:

Hi Mick! Tee hee, I think if you came back to this place after even 10 years away you'd still find cruising reports from around Europe and occasionally further. Old dogs/new tricks. In the last year we've had Finland and Russia from Scubaman (in a Phantom), Hurricane further Spanish cruises and Hardmy's very recent Croatia tour, plus BartW's huge travels in his Canados. Those and many more are worth a skim through if you have a quiet hour. Keep us posted on your new machine

 

[sonvida2]

Indeed. Some great reading during my lurking years John as are the boat build reports. All goods stuff to lure me back once I had the business on the plane again :encouragement:

I can't find my old cruising posts then I remember they were lost when the forum software changed a few years back. Still, the memories and photo album have seen us through many a dark day over the past few years.

Hurricane's promotion of Sant Carles continues too and I pointed a friend in his direction and he too now enjoys boating from SC marina.

Yip, good place this and nice to be back

 

[rbcoomer]

Great post! What a beautiful location and so well captured in all the images!

Great to see group cruises - as well as the company, it also means you get to capture the atmosphere with own boat included.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who takes lots of pictures of rock formations too - I think I detect an 'inner geologist' trying to get out!

 

[petem]

Looks absolutely dreadful, you have my deepest sympathy.

Seriously, thanks for taking the time write this up and post the pics (I was wondering what you'd been doing with the boat the past couple for years)!

Note to self.... get off lazy ar$e, go contracting and buy another boat.