Back South

Thursday 27th August... LINDA - Well we don't often go back to where we've already been, so this will be almost a first for us. We're at a bit of a loose end, can't go to Malta or Greece because on re-entering Italy we would have to quarantine, and our winter berth is in Sicily so we are worried they may not let us back in. 

From Siracusa we were hoping to go another 50 miles north to Taormina but the weather (as always) is playing silly games and sending lots of wind down through the Messina Strait. There's no particularly well protected marinas along the way, the only one wanting us to pay 137 euros per night in August/September... No thankyou. That will have to wait until next year when in April it's only 82 euros. 

So the decision has been made to head back south towards Licata (our winter berth) (and maybe beyond). Plus the forecast for Siracusa over the weekend looks windy for four days and we would be feeling pretty fed up by then. 

This means that today we left Siracusa and travelled back south 25 miles to Marina di Marzamemi. Sitting at anchor in Siracusa harbour for 9 days has presented us with a barnacle infested hull and propellor. Great. For the first hour until we passed the headland the sea swell was horrible, much worse than expected but it flattened out after the headland.  In fact it was so calm we pulled into what turned out to be a fantastic crystal clear anchorage and Dean jumped in, scrubbed the propellor, hull, and most of the important bits. This delayed us by about two hours, but when we carried on we found we were able to sail all the way to Marzamemi. Bonus.

Approaching the anchorage

Coastline is lovely

Very wild and secluded

A wonderful place for a stop over

on a calm day

We even saw a lot of big dolphins, originally in the distance for quite a while, then they eventually found us and came to play for a while. Some even swimming upside down.

This evening we are sitting pretty in the marina, we like this place it feels so homely, they seem to really want to please you. In fact they not only have courtesy bikes, but they also have two cars you can use. Never been offered that before. Maybe tomorrow we shall be going for a land trip.


Friday 28th August... LINDA - Our land trip in the marina courtesy car this morning was to the launderette (which was superb) and whilst we were waiting for the laundry we went to the supermarket (a double bonus). Where we could buy as much heavy stuff like bottles of pop as we liked because we didn't have to carry it home. We (I) was so excited to be in a car on a road, it felt like we had been transported to a different world in an instant. Cris came with us too, as Phil was waiting for a diver to scrub the bottom of his boat after our 9 days in stinky water. The day was going brilliantly and by 11.30am the washing and shopping had all been done and we were back at Thesee.

Looking at the marina from the car

After lunch at about 2.30pm Dean and I took a little car ride up to the small town, only about 2km north of the marina. Well, when we finally got there after some road closures we were taken aback at how lovely the place was. We parked up and walked around the small fishing harbour. It reminded us of a Cornish fishing village. Loads of really lovely bars and restaurants, a beautiful piazza, even a small fishing boat sitting in the water full of pretty colourful flowers. Everywhere we looked it was lovely, lots of little touches to the decor, with the backdrops of the old fishing stores. We stopped for a beer and orange fanta. It was a very hot day. I thought the town was called La Balata, but it may just be Marzamemi... i'm not sure. In fact, i think it is Marzamemi.

Who lives here?

Nice but not very protected from the sea

Approaching the Piazza

Restaurants

Gluten Free here !

We might come back tomorrow night

with the others

More restaurants

Rocky inlets

...and more restaurants

The flower boat

The piazza

We kept saying we couldn't believe what a super day we were having. Everything was going our way without any sort of hiccups at all. Would it last?? 

I'm pleased to say yes it did, but there was just one more event yet to come....

Before we had gone out on our afternoon trip we had noticed some police around the marina and out at sea about a mile offshore there was a yacht surrounded by three coastguard boats and a customs boat. We guessed that there was a drugs haul discovery going on and didn't think any more about it whilst we were out.

When we got back about 4pm there was a large police presence in the marina, along with officials dressed in full protective clothing, and a lot of people dressed in red and white. About half an hour later we noticed a coastguard boat waiting in the marina entrance and then a mast appearing behind the breakwater. Here goes... they're bringing the boat in. When the yacht appeared i was gobsmacked to see it completely covered with about 40-50 people... OMG migrants... It never even crossed my mind that would happen. I was speechless.

The yacht, coastguards, and customs vessels offshore

Here comes the said yacht

Yikes and double yikes

Customs boat following

HOW MANY PEOPLE 

on that boat !!

It took ages for the coastguard to dock the boat pulling on lines as they kept running aground at the dock. At 7pm the migrants had only just been able to get off the boat. I don't know when it all ended as we went inside for dinner on Bora La, but this morning the boat was gone.  We would think the boat must have been stolen. It was flying a French flag, but looks like it was registered in Italy as it said Mazzara del Vallo on it, which is on the Sicilian south coast. 

So that was the story of our extremely eventful day, oh and i also finally managed to find a bikini i liked and Dean bought it for me. What will tomorrow bring on the Adventures of Thesee?

Saturday 29th August... LINDA - Back to boat work after yesterday's excitement. It doesn't take long for the decks to become covered in sand and all sorts of stuff, and it was in need of some nice clean water. Dean got busy with the hosepipe as usual, and he also had to give the dinghy a proper clean and brush up. The barnacle marks from the other day were all over it and even in the seams. We've never seen it so bad before, lesson learned. It's thirsty work out in the hot sunshine and heat. Whilst Dean gets the short straw, i'm doing the chores indoors with the lovely air con unit. We've managed to keep the inside of the boat down to 27 degrees today. Believe me that feels cool compared to the usual indoor temperatures of 30-33 degrees. 

Dean and Phil also took the courtesy car down to Porto Palo, just along the coast. They are trying to buy diving cylinders but strangely it's not easy finding one.

Tonight the four of us went up to Marzamemi town again. You know, that lovely fishing harbour we found yesterday. My first drink was a Peach Daquiri. Dean was on the Dark Rum & Coke, Cris drinking a Spritz, and Phil on the Mojitos. Mine came in a lovely babycham looking glass. 

My Saturday night out treat

Whist we were walking about we saw two bride and grooms, not together of course. They were both smart beautiful young couples. One couple even had a shiny red Ferrari to drive away in. I thought i had taken a photo of the Ferrari, but annoyingly i don't seem to have. Too much Daquiri obviously.

Here's Cris guarding her Spritz and my Daquiri

The Happy Ferrari Newlyweds

Sunday 30th August... LINDA - Busy today with lots of boat movements in and out of the marina. The Ormeggiatori (marineros) are constantly walking the pontoons checking and mooring boats. Bora La had to move berths as there was a large motor boat coming in and needed a wide space. 

Dean did a few jobs including sticking a patch onto the underside of the dinghy, where the seam had started lifting slightly.

The patch

All of our 'fleet' are now here in Marina di Marzamemi. Tonight, our designated social secretary David suggested evening drinks on Thesee and a catch up. And that's exactly what we did.

Monday 31st August... LINDA -  Poor Saffy is still leaking, this morning for the first time she had a wet bed.... instead of a wet puppy pad. We have turned the air con down a few degrees and she obviously felt like curling up in her basket instead of on the floor as usual. Dean got his big bucket out to wash her bedding....here he is trampling the washing as if it were a bucket of grapes. 

  

  

Tonight we all walked into the old quaint part of town again. This time i was wearing my turquoise blue dress and felt it appropriate to order myself a Blue Hawaiian cocktail. Which, when it arrived could not have been more closely colour matched. Unfortunately i forgot to take a photo. On the way back we stopped at Sicily's famous Don Peppinu's ice cream parlour. No.1 in Sicily they say. I'm not sure what flavours we had but we both agreed it was totally scrumptious.

Tuesday 1st September...LINDA - First of the month again, and we were hoping to move on. But alas, we are stuck here with the usual problem WEATHER. Instead, Dean decided to do his monthly maintenance checks. Saffy is a bit up and down still. Not much else to say about today.

Wednesday 2nd September... HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE 

LINDA - Still here in Marmazemi, fairly rolly sea today so can't take the chance to venture out and around the corner back into the Sicilian Strait just yet. Dean cycled to the nearest shops for some bread and potatoes. It's all exciting stuff you know. Some boats were craned out of the water today. Later on Dean washed the decks, filled the water tanks, and did a bit of needlework on the bimini to stop it rubbing where the straps hold it down.

In the background, one of the boats in the crane hoist

Dean's neat needlework

I don't know how he thinks these things up

View from underneath

Thursday 3rd September... LINDA - We woke to a still morning and off we went to the supermarket to get some last minute shopping. The plan was to leave today but when we got back to the marina we had to do another weather check because the sea had got up and so had the wind. Honestly, it's a nightmare trying to plan where and when to go. We had a conflab with the others. The outcome... stay put..... again. Mainly because the place we were supposed to be heading to was not looking as good as we hoped, and we didn't want to be up all night.

To keep ourselves amused after lunch and Saffy's second mini walk of the day, Dean and I took advantage of the free marina bikes and off we went cycling for a couple of miles down the coast road. I haven't been this way before, and Dean only once in the car. It was a great couple of hours. We haven't been cycling this year at all (apart from Dean going to the shop). We found two beaches, they were great except the amount of rubbish on the beaches is truly disgusting. It would never be allowed in the UK. 

On the rocks at beach number 1

Looking the other way, here's the rubbish tip

Dean with bikes and even more disgarded rubbish

Beach number 2 was much better as there was a beach bar and we stopped off for ice-lollies. They were delicious. It was quite amazing to find such a nice place virtually on our doorstep.

Beach number 2

The beach bar

We were back at the marina in time for Saffy's dinner at 5pm, Here is a photo of Thesee in his imposing position along the pontoon. By the way it was cloudy again today.

Can't miss him can you? 

The guy on the boat next to Impavidus was hauling his genoa up the forestay and having a bit of bother even though he had some help. Dean and Ant couldn't help themselves by having a close look.

Friday 4th September... LINDA - Girl's Day Out today. We borrowed the marina courtesy car and the four of us girls went to a town called Noto about 15 miles north. Cris volunteered to drive as she is used to driving on the right being Brazilian and living in the US for a number of years. Caroline was doing the navigating, whilst Cindy and I relaxed in the back seats. 

I must admit i've never heard of this place before, and what a weird name too. We found out it is in fact a UNESCO World Heritage Site 😮

Arrival in Noto and getting our bearings

 Chiesa (Church) di San Domenico

Fairy lights on the main parade

Painted steps here

Historical ladieswear

Inside Noto Cathedral now

It was pretty impressive

...with very vibrant colours

More ceiling artistry

Front view of the Cathedral

Sicilian Baroque style

Here's Cris at the Historical Town Gate

Churches, Theatres, and historical buildings 

all along the main street

Sailoresses on tour

So after the sightseeing was done we found a nice little trattoria for lunch, where a wasp took a fancy to Cris's leg and stung her. How rude. 

On the way back we did a small detour to Lidl (need to take the opportunity whilst we have a car) and then got back to the boats about 4.30pm. What a lovely unexpected day out, whilst Dean was working on the boat doing chores, and cleaning toilet pipes. 

Check out Wikipedia Noto for more interesting facts and photos. 

Saturday 5th September... LINDA - Bike ride day again. This time we had a morning cycle north to the the beach road just past the town. It was a very pleasant ride and we commented how much you actually see when you're riding a bike. Behind the beach road there was a large residential area so we had a ride up and down some of the side roads looking at nice houses here and there. We ended up back in the town and in the plaza square and it was time for refreshments. I had a slushy lemon thing, it's called a Granite i think.... Anyway something to do with pomegranates. Dean had an iced coffee. Ooh. We sat for quite a while looking at tourists passing by.

Elevenses

Saturday morning in the plaza before the mad tourist rush

Watching the world go by

So relaxing

Tonight we had a pre-arranged social get-together, with us ladies parading the town in our posh frocks. This time my tipple was Bucks Fizz. Lovely.  Looks like we will finally move on tomorrow. 

The next blog post will be called 'A Sicilian Dilly-Dally'