Southern Italy 2016
Otronto on the heel and along the south coast of the “boot” to Sicily, kicking off at the toe!
Otranto, Italy! 5 – 9 September
N. Othonoi, Greece à Otranto (44 miles) – 5 September – We sailed out of Greece and into Italy today. The wind pretty much cooperated though we needed to head a bit off course to be able to sail. When we got close to the Italian coast, we had to weave through a line of fishing trawlers, unsure whether they were dragging nets, which took us a bit further south of Otranto Harbor than we had planned. We called the marina and spoke to them in Italian, asking for a place to tie up. They weren’t sure they had space, but in the end, they brought us to a VERY tight spot and Heinz handled the boat amazingly well – wedged us in to a space that was not really big enough for our cat. 15 years of experience with his twin-engine motorboat really came in handy here! We started the check-in formalities and were told to come back later. When we returned later, they said the police would come the following day. It was all a bit confusing, but somehow, we got through the process and were finally and officially in Italy!!!
The harbor was nice and the old part of town (an ancient walled city) was very picturesque. We went walking through the town and enjoyed the first afternoon here. We planned to stay two days, but wound up spending four. We tried heading out on the 7th, despite weather warnings, and a few minutes after clearing the harbor breakwater, I saw a water spout (like a tornado that comes down to the water surface). I had never seen one before while sailing! They can be extremely dangerous and I immediately recommended (and not entirely calmly) that we turn back to the harbor, which we did.
Siracusa, Italy! 12 September – Spring 2017
Otranto à Siracusa (3 days two nights) – 9 – 12 September – We finally made it out of Otranto and weren’t sure where we’d stop, but in the end, we sailed 3 days and 2 nights to Siracusa. We pulled in there due to weather – thunder and lightning too close for comfort. We thought we’d stay overnight and then continue on toward Ragusa. It was already dark by the time we pulled into the harbor. On the way in, we passed by the old city and castle, a beautiful sight all lit up in the evening sky. We got ourselves anchored and had some dinner, which I had already started fixing on the way in. We sat outside, happy to be staying in one spot after 3 days. We somehow started singing (karaoke) and then playing Zucchero and other songs. We danced and carried on. Heinz wondered who I was and what I had done with his crew. J We then decided that we really liked the location, and decided we would see whether we could stay here at the marina rather than continuing on to Ragusa. We paid somewhat of a premium to stay at a more-than-somewhat less secure dock, but we were exceedingly happy about it!
So here we are at Marina Yachting, directly in front of Ortigia (the old city), Siracusa in Sicily. The location and view couldn’t be better… the floating docks and most basic ablutions could be better and leave much to be desired. We’ll see how we fare over winter, but we’re glad to be here and enjoying this beautiful place.
One of my favorite things about being located in the old city of Siracusa is the daily fresh market… it’s one of the best! Who knew that Sicily grew as much produce as they do? And, along the street where the market is located are fabulous shops for cheese, wine, and just about every wonderful thing you can imagine!
So ends the sailing season in the Med for 2016. Work beckons with travel to the US and parts of Europe, then the sailing adventures will resume next spring. Stay tuned and follow the Adventures Afloat!
Heinz, thank you for allowing me to accompany you on the first leg of your sailing adventures!