Our August is spent on three seas: the Tyrrhenian, the Ionian and the Aegean.
start from the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The departure from Fiumicino is uncertain until the last moment: it is August 1st, we worked a few hours before and we are tired to think about leaving early in the morning, but it is not the weather will clear as the sea and the wind and if it helps to sleep comfortably in the harbor at Anzio. In the end, we decided to leave. 2 pm Patu Patu casting off and out of the Tiber. The breeze is light, for a while we go motor, although with the mainsail. Only after a couple of hours the wind becomes more intense sailing until we reach the first houses of Anzio, but then the wind drops again and runs further north-west. We are forced to restart the engine. When we get there a bit 'long wave and a few boats in the harbor. More for less than 3 feet of water and sleep in peace until the next day.
Also from Anzio to Ponza we are often forced to accompany sails with the engine. For awhile there with a group of dolphins, as always, there's no way to photograph them (who knows where the camera!).
get to Ponza in the early afternoon, the wind is stronger and allows us to turn off the engine and do a good lap to sail. Under sail we come to Cala d'Inferno, where even relatively close to the ground and the "rock of the parish priest." Despite
docks in the port are not active, the island is crowded and too sparse: the forecast for the week always give winds west and north-west and all have drop anchor on the eastern side of the island. Fortunately, Most of the boats want to stay near the port and the country, remaining anchored on the beach front of the pediment.
We start a week with little sailboats (we remain anchored permanently), but is spent to explore with fins and mask around the eastern side of the island.
Landslides in Ventotene last year have prompted the administration of Ponza to close access to most of the beaches: small buoys a few feet from the ground to limit the area precluded the navigation and the presence of men. Do not disturb. On the contrary, represent a limit beyond which the impact of the crowd is reduced and a "path" for the Exploration island.
to swim, towing the dinghy, we discover the caves (large and small), the steps below the rocks and cliffs, the caves of Nero's Roman fish ponds, small bays surrounded by cliffs. As always, the fish are mostly small, but for the first time we ever see even a moray eel in Ponza.
Staying on the boat so the pace is slow. The clock no longer needed and the time it takes is that of the body and the environment: we fall asleep early, after looking a bit 'stars and we wake up soon. When the island is still asleep we dive, we have breakfast and then slowly begin our tours to swim, we return by boat to eat (And remain hidden, which meanwhile have left the rental boats and speed boats have arrived) and then sometimes in water at times to read or snooze in the shade, until the evening. When the anchor started to empty (soon because the fact of staying inshore to the east means that the area where we are anchored in the shade remains even after five in the afternoon and become unattractive to the ladies who tan motorboats). On the ground we
only twice: to throw in the garbage (which is produced in the boat anyway) and watching internet (work after me, although relatively non-invasive).
time passes, however, still and know that we will return to weekend in Rome. Weather forecasts are not the best: a disturbance that will bring strong winds from the northwest is expected for Thursday and the wind will remain in the same direction on Friday, to begin to fall only on Saturday. Thursday evening the wind picks up on time, black clouds to the north - the North West are beginning to see and then quickly reach the island by giving us a fascinating spectacle (an English painter from the 700 he would speak of the sublime, but the camera on my phone is not able to "give back" the feeling). The fact that we still did head is secure and we are now sure, after the gusts that blow in the afternoon, in However caliamo but also the "salmon" for years that we carry and use in these situations: a large lead weight (15 kg perhaps?) that is lowered by increasing the weight along the Calum (Calum is our mixed: about 20 m of cable chain and then, in this case we are anchored to the bottom of about 4 meters, and we have a Calum about 23 m).
At night really starts to blow. We do not have an anemometer, but also a few dozen meters from the ground rises a little 'wave. Fixed the dinghy at the stern with a second peak, set on the three loops that are under his bow. We are peaceful, but we sleep with one eye, hearing the wind howling down from the island and passing the rigging. In the morning we still see more off two large boats: one called "Black" on the engine, but with some reference to the principle of 900 boats (not nice, we can think of who can belong and be designed by a manufacturer of Manga), the other pole is a ship with four masts and square sails to flag a little recognizable, perhaps a training vessel.
The wind gusts continued to the next day. We planned to leave in the evening, taking advantage of the fact that it is expected that the wind changes a bit 'its direction: before moving to the north and then west. Perhaps we can avoid the Mistral straight forward. Prepare to pass the route on the map Ponza Zannone between the rocks and the dark and also let us mark the passage on the gps. In reality all this work is not needed: we decided to leave around 8, there is no wind (though close to the island is a bit 'in bursts and often changes direction) and there is light.
start with the nearly flat sea, near the island, but once past the waves begin Gavi (straight on our bow) and the wind feels. We are forced to a route that is less than ideal (about 130 degrees), keeping it failed to arrive even at Anzio, but we do not want to go to the engine. We continue sailing until one o'clock at night: PatuPatu traveling upwind on the five nodes (sometimes exceeds them even a lot) on the wave formed, with the bow and swept the foam from the sketches, but it is a pleasure: the first is the sunset behind Palmarola, then the stars start to be more numerous and visible. The boys remain in the cockpit until there is a little 'light, then go down below deck. Simon and I remained outside for a while ', then Simon also goes to sleep and I remain at the helm. And 'one o'clock at night when I surrender, I put the bow at Fiumicino, wrap the ribbon and start the engine. The mainsail helps a little, 'but often slams. While maintaining a speed of 5 knots, while the sea slowly tends to become less violent and tend to soften the waves: I leave the steering to autopilot. Let off the coast of Anzio seeing only two lights of boats at sea and a big ship all lit up. Simon is in the early morning to relieve me and I go down to doze in the bunk. We continue mainly motor sailing and occasionally up to Fiumara. When we enter the river, with the engine running at a minimum, lowered the mainsail and jib is opened just past noon.
