Refreshed after a good sleep and a swim first thing, we prepared Trilogy for the passage to Cagliardi, Sardengna. As the winds were again to be from the north west, but considerably lighter than the 20 knots of yesterday, we would have to be prepared for a slower trip than we had hoped. The distance to travel was 170 NM and we weren't prepared to wait for more favourable winds. Jack stays were laid out along the deck and in the cockpit, so that at all times the crew were all clipped onto the boat, and if we did go overboard, we would not go far. Trilogy slipped away from the mooring around 11:00 and the course was set once Trilogy rounded the headland. About 10NM west of Isola Favignana is Isola Marettimo, another of the Isola Egadi group. From the sea steep rocky peaks with soft green grassy coverage rose and on the only small flatish section, a village hugged the cliffs. We pondered on what life would be like in this type of existence. We did see a ferry arrive while we sailed by.
We settled quickly to the rhythm of two watches, each of three hours, with the skipper covering both watches and sleeping when he could. The main was reefed in to one or sometimes two reefing positions and the motor was kept running to sustain a speed of around 6 knots. The headsail was occasionally unfurled to take advantage of a wind shift and we tacked 15 degrees either side of the course to maintain the rum line . Before we knew it the sun was setting and the clear night sky sparkled above.
For some of us, a night sail was a new experience, which has its own unique challenges. We were fortunate to have a three quarter moon illuminating the sea from the port side, setting around 03:00. The watch leaders checked the foredeck hourly for anything that may need attention, otherwise the work could be done from the safety of the cockpit. Around midnight, the wind had freshened a little and moved more to the west, which allowed switching the engine and auto pilot off and helming through the senses, with the help of the compass and wind direction. This was a magical time, as Trilogy seemed to relish the freedom of filling her sails and harnessing the breeze. By the end of the watch there was a wind shift and we lost some of the advantage that had been gained, so once more the motor was employed.
Dawn was a special time, with the sky slowly losing it's darkness and the sun beams scooting across the waves. During the passage three sightings of silvery dolphins and one of spouting whales were memorable moments. It was fortunate that very little shipping was around, although we remained forever vigilant, as a close encounter with a large tanker or passenger vessel, was to be avoided at all costs. Not all vessels are AIS registered, which presents another hazard, as our on board computer can only detect AIS boats.
Lunch, dinner, breakfast and lunch again were all served during the passage, plus numerous cups of tea. Working in the galley has its own challenges, with the need to constantly brace the body for changes in position as Trilogy surged through the waves. Sue celebrated her birthday while underway, starting with a toast at midnight Australian time (16:30 boat time with Perrier only, of course!) and later, a frittata and salad lunch, as we neared the Sardengna coastline. Forever gracious, Sue had to wait for more spoiling until we got to shore. There is no internet when far from land, which meant all birthday greetings from family and friends were kept on hold.
Cagliari is at the top of a wide gulf, so we finally approached our destination, with land insight for some distance. Around 17:00 we docked at Marina de St Elmo, all tired and desperate for a refreshing shower. GNT's saluted our journey's end and a Brit and a Scot from the next door yacht serenaded Sue with 'Happy Birthday' before we went for an evening meal. Being Sunday night, many restaurants were closed, but to our amazement a Sushi Wok restaurant near the marina was doing a roaring trade. This was a self serve buffet style, large family restaurant with a vast selection of sushi, sashimi, spring rolls and other fried foods, teppanyaki and wok dishes. The food was well prepared and all very fresh. A bottle of sparkling white wine ( Torbato, vino Spumante), a rather Japanese looking birthday cake and Happy Birthday music over the restaurant music system,completed the birthday celebrations!
By now, we were all really tired, so sleep we did!