We were outside Licata Marina Cala Del Sole at 06:00, Friday 13th May, yes we left port on a Friday 13th! Although we enjoyed our stay in Licata, towards the end the marina was ruled by a couple of packs of stray dogs which made it slightly un-nervy at times as they barked, fought and occasionally went for peoples ankles.
With Wind Pony we had a wonderful, beam reach sail in 12-18 knots 66nms to Mgarr Marina, Gozo, Malta, dodging the shipping, the largest of which was 335m long and 46m wide. Dick and Lynn were visited by dolphins but we were not so lucky, maybe next time. Once we were all settled, showered and had time for drinks, we headed off to the local town for dinner. Talking to people on the dock they had recommended several places, many of which seemed to serve seafood. We ate at Sammy’s, a family run restaurant with wonderful food.
Saturday we headed off to find the bus into Victoria with Lynn and Dick “Wind Pony”, the main town on Gozo. The taxi drivers at the ferry wharf were quite aggressive with their fare rates and we ended up taking a taxi into town. Once there, Tony the taxi driver said he would take us on a tour of Gozo Island for the day for 20 euros each. We did not know if this was a good price but as Saturday was the only day we had to see the island we agreed, so off we went. Our first stop was at a cultural craft market selling lace, glass and other local crafts, then it was onto the main shopping mall so we could organise phones, we also visited the Waitrose supermarket to pick up a few supplies. Back in the taxi we headed off to Ta Pinu cathedral, where Pope John Paul II had held mass ten years previously. It was a beautifully restored cathedral built 100 yrs. ago but incorporating a 400yr old church. Next it was Gharb, again with a large church dominating the town square, but we visited a Farmhouse museum with 28 rooms full of old printing press, washing machine and much more. Next stop was Dwjera, the Blue Hole where unfortunately the sea was too rough for the tour boats to go through the caves to the arch and Fungi rock, named for the medicinal fungi that grows there. Lunch, then a final stop at Xerri’s grotto, stopping to see the salt plains on the way, a limestone grotto accessed through what looked to be an old house. It was then back to the boats. All day as we drove, Tony filled us in on the history and culture of the island.
Malta consists of two main islands, Malta and Gozo and two smaller islands, Comino and Filfla. It has a total area of 122 miles and is situated between North Africa and Europe, thus it has been used by warring factions as a stepping stone or base for attacks in history. There have been two major sieges, one during the Order of the Knights of St John 1565, this may explain all the churches and cathedrals to be found everywhere, and one in the second world war, 1941/2, by the Germans and Italians, where the capital, Valletta, was bombed continually. Most of Valletta has been rebuilt and is a bustling area where the old integrates with the new. It has major traffic issues, but local transport is easy and very affordable, a 1.50Euro fare is valid for 2hrs from purchase. We used these frequently. The islands are arid and as a cruising ground there are not many anchoring options. Talking with the locals and marine guys, the winds do not settle until late June and change around the compass regularly and as there are no all-weather anchorages, most boaties go across to Sicily for their cruising. However, Malta has a great marine industry and it is easy to get good quality work done here. The people are very friendly and helpful, it is easy to see why the super yachts come here.
Sunday we said goodbye to Wind Pony, who were staying a few more days and sailed under headsail only the 13.6nm to Kalkara Marina, where we will get our new radar dome and chart plotter installed. Having destroyed the boat to run wires etc., the radar and chart plotter were installed and operational in a day, including modifying the bracket used for the old radar, we just have to learn to drive it now. The outboard motor from the dinghy went off for a service, along with the life raft, epirb and fire extinguisher.
We walked around to Grand Harbour to look at the super yachts and have dinner, just 15 mins from Kalkara. On Wednesday night we watched the final of the Europa League Cup where unfortunately Liverpool lost, but we only needed to walk 30meters to see it on a big screen. The following day, Thursday 19th May 2016, we motored around into Manoel Island Yacht Yard for our survey and caught up with Wind Pony again. The survey took almost 4.5 hours, John the surveyor did all the inside checks first and then we were hauled out at 17:30 and he did the underwater checks. We remained in the travel lift slings for the night and were allowed to stay on board, saving us the cost of a hotel room for the night. Whilst Dol was being washed down, we watched a racehorse swimming in the harbour, training they seem to do in Malta even though the harbours are busy. The survey went well and Dol was given a clean bill of health, so we headed off to meet Lynn and Dick “Wind Pony” for dinner, a wonderful Lebanese meal of cold and warm mezzies. An early start the next day, 05:30, and we were back in the water, collected our life raft and other safety gear and motored around to Msida Creek marina, where we hope our new steering ram will be fitted. Sitting in the cockpit of Dol, we heard “Hello fellow Aucklanders” and turned around to be greeted by Maddie and Tony off “Ripple Effect” who were moored two along from us. Introductions made, we agreed to get together for drinks the following day. Saturday evening we had a very pleasant evening with them over drinks and nibbles.
We were informed the steering ram would not arrive till Monday, so we decided to provision the boat and with Lynn and Dick, played tourist on Sunday using the Hop on Hop off bus to see the sights of southern Malta. We finished in Valletta for the firing of the 16:00 cannon at the Saluting Battery.
Finally late on Monday afternoon the steering ram was cleared by Maltese customs and in the hands of Ronnie, the engineer. He arrived at the boat Tuesday morning and with Brian acting as his apprentice set about installing the ram. As we guessed, the new ram was not exactly the same dimensions as the old one and required some modifications to the mounting bracket, and connecting hoses as the new ends were a different size. The work on the ram was finally completed on Wednesday morning, we will keep the old steering ram as a spare.
We left Malta at first light on Thursday 26th May and motor sailed all the way to Siracusa, Sicily, finally getting the anchor on the sea floor after a month in various marina’s. We enjoyed Malta and achieved all that we intended, including Brian finding a shop that sold Mount Gay rum. All our safety gear has been serviced, a complete vessel survey has been undertaken in preparation of some longer passages to come, the new chart plotter and radar are working well along with our new hydraulic steering ram. Malta is certainly a place where you can get good work done without a language barrier.