We stayed in Rocella Ionica until Friday 25 August, having walked into town and climbed the hill to the castle and its adjacent Torre di Pizzofalcone. The castle was abandoned for a long time and then the local council took it on and did some restoration including installing an impressive multi-media display and description of its history.

We had one night at anchor off the beach at Crotone (71nm) and another at Volvito (30nm). Our final stop before Taranto was Borgata (47nm) where we anchored just below the castle.

Minnie B was to stay in Taranto at Molo St Eligio – not the best marina we have been in by a long way. It is at the north end of the enormous harbour and the fetch with wind from the south west had the pontoon bucking like a rodeo steer. We didn’t know this before we left for Matera on Monday 28 August but had the full experience when we returned on Wednesday 30 August – it had been like that for two days and fortunately we had the equivalent of 10 lines on the stern and our big fat fender.

We took the bus to Matera – the bus station being only a 10-minute walk from the marina. The bus took an hour each way. We stayed in a hotel close to Sassi, the old part of Matera. It is famous for its cave dwellings and churches and an incredibly higgledy-piggledy layout of streets, alleys and houses. It is also famous as a film set for such as James Bond “No Time to Die”.

Over lunch on the first day, we marked up our map with all the places we wished to visit and we were slightly worried we had not allowed enough time. Ultimately, we only missed two things and that was because the Salvador Dali sculpture exhibition had been closed for a while, and because the foot path down into the gorge and the rope bridge had been closed as it was regarded as unsafe. This had the effect of slowing us down and enabling us simply to wander and see where alleys would take us.

Highlights were many. The views over Sassi exceed those of other Italian hill top villages and towns. The Cathedral seems to dominate the old town standing on the summit and visible from many angles. The Piazza di San Pietri di Caveosa with the nearby towering rock which has been excavated to form the rock church of Madonna dell Idris e San Giovanni in Monterrone is unique.

The nearby the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario is furnished as it would have been in 1953 when the Italian government started to move the families from the cave houses of Matera, embarrassed that people were living in caves (albeit with a walled-in opening and a door) comprising one room for a family of six or more … plus their animals such as a donkey and hens.

The church San Pietro Barisano dates to the 11 century, and is carved out of the tufa rock. It has three naves and a crypt where the bodies of the deceased were placed in recesses and not moved for burial until nothing was left but bones … and it has a bell tower …

The Chiesa del Purgatorio is decorated with skulls and skeletons, but there is a nearby bar close to Piazzetta Pascoli where you can get a refreshing Aperol or Campari Spritz sitting on the terrace and looking over Sassi Caveoso to the Cathedral and Madonna del Idris.

It was only recently that the enormous underground cistern of Palombaro Lungo was rediscovered, having been abandoned nearly 100 years ago when the aqueduct was built, and is well worth a visit. The Castello Tramontano is a modest affair, but notable for having been built not to defend the city but to repress the local population.

We had excellent meals with some unusual local dishes - lamb’s innards was particularly outstanding -and were warmly welcomed by everyone we met. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was a 2019 European Capitol of Culture and we cannot speak too highly of it.

Finally regarding Matera, under the tutelage of daughter Anna and son-in-law Neil, we have some photos of locations that appeared in “No Time to Die”, and of course a suitable pose had to be adopted by our one and only Bond girl …. the menacing black motorcycle in one of the photos was pure serendipity.

We did a quick provisioning when back in Taranto, filled up with diesel, motored and sailed the 48nm to Gallipoli where we anchored for the night. The weather forecast was such that we decided to stay until late afternoon when we set off for an overnight sail of the 90nm across the Straits of Otranto to the small island of Erikoussa, just north of Corfu. We had a superb beam reach once past Capo Santa Maria di Leuca with wind 17-23kts from the North, arriving after 13.5 hours at 0700 on Saturday 2 September.

The anchorage is fine as long as there is any north in the wind and there was, so we stayed onboard on Sunday with the wind 25+ kts. The forecast was for winds moving easterly and westerly so on Monday 4 September we moved the 12nm to Afionas on the west coast of Corfu … where we had gusts of F7 and torrential rain. A nearby boat dragged and it was fenders out to prevent any damage. The skipper let out more chain, as did we, and all was OK. Once the wind eased the skipper re-anchored and we hauled in the extra 25 metres of chain we had deployed.

So, the weather pattern in these parts has been affected, just as it has in the UK, by a massive shift in the direction of the jet stream. We have reached for our fleeces and rain gear, while the UK basks in 25C temperature. The folk in the UK deserve it and we are happy to take one for the team … for a few days at least.

Photos in the Gallery.

Scilla (pronounced Sheela) was a very pleasant surprise. We decided to take one of the moorings at the harbour for two nights. The Boat Service shuttle to the shore runs 24 hours and you simply phone and they arrive at your boat very quickly. The shuttle will pick up from boats at anchor (Euros 5 each way - phone +39 349 617 5095). The waterfront by the harbour is essentially old houses for fishing folk which have been converted to cafes, restaurants, hotels and holiday apartments. The town spreads over a headland with castle, and the western bay has the beach facilities for holidaymakers. The rest of the town is high above the waterfronts with winding steps or a lift at the western beach.

We had an evening meal at Molo 72 and lunch at Nautilus, both overlooking the sea and we ate swordfish at both. Very good too. The Straits of Messina are famous for swordfish and there are very special fishing boats. In the middle of the boats is a large metal tower, usually about 30 metres high, with an iron cage at the top. The spotter is up top to sight the fish and pilot the boat. Extending 45 metres from the bow is long, light metal bowsprit, called a Passarella. The harpooner is positioned here and can strike directly above the fish. Unfortunately, we didn't see any of these strange boats, so no photo.

We left Scilla at 1000, having consulted the pilot book about tides in the Straits of Messina. It was important because we were at Spring tides - the south-going tide starts 4hours 30 minutes after HW Gibraltar. So far so good and soon we were romping along at over 9 kts with assistance from the 3kts current. We also had a northerly wind kick in so we were sailing along very nicely ... until we hit some north-going current and our SOG was down to 3.5kts. However, at Punta Pellaro we had a major wind shift, coming right on the nose and the foul current disappeared. Our overnight anchorage was at Straci, which is open from west through south to east, but offered plenty of room anchoring in 8 metres on sand. The anchor dug in well and we had a comfortable night.

The following day, Sunday 20 August we motored, in no wind, the 45nm to Rocella Ionica, which is a fine marina and very reasonably priced.

On passage, after Capo Spartivento and near Galati we saw three yachts abandoned on the beach - apparently, they are part of a pattern of yacht thefts in Turkey being used to bring migrants to Italy - the boats are simply driven on to the sandy beach and left.

We are holed up for a few days as the Gulf of Squillace is doing what it does - 18-25kts Northerly - halting our progress towards the Gulf of Taranto temporarily. The people running the marina are very nice and the town is about 45 mins walk each way and due for some exploration by us. We are catching up on boat jobs, laundry and admin.

Photos for Palermo and onwards are in the Gallery as the marina has decent wifi.

Clearing the south-east of Favignana we were on a reach for the 25nm to San Vito Lo Capo, and then dead downwind for the 28nm to Cap Gallo. Our normal downwind rig is poled out genoa on one side and main with preventer on the other side, but with having to gybe the prospect of repeated pole dancing on the foredeck was not attractive, so we sailed with main alone. The key to cruising happiness is "reef early, reef often". We didn't. We were expecting apparent wind of around 12-16kts. Wrong. Our F5 became a F6/F7. Oops. Small tear in the mainsail at the top spreader. Fingers crossed it would remain small. Skipper took full responsibility and mate was gracious in keeping her "I told you" to herself. Sail repaired OK. Skipper pointed out that it was a bit of a WOW, having clocked a top speed of 10.6kts. Mate still not impressed.

Marina Arenella is on the northern outskirts of Palermo and primarily for small boats but they have one pontoon that can accommodate yachts up to 14 metres. It is fine - the staff are extremely nice.

We took a bus into the city and for 1.40 Euros each you can take multiple buses for 90 minutes - very sound.

In September 2019, Phil spent over a week in Palermo while Norma flew back to Northern Ireland for her stepfather's funeral, so she hadn't seen much of the place. We started at the northern end of Via Maqueda and despite the 70% off sales, the shops of Gucci, Prada etc did not draw us in. The Teatro Massimo, where Phil saw La Traviata does not have performances in August so we just admired the architecture. Our first stop was Quattro Canti, the crossroads with Baroque stonework and fountains ... and the draw for every tourist in Palermo. Nearby Piazza Pretoria is dominated by an enormous 16 century Tuscan fountain (no water), with over 30 near-naked nymphs, tritons, gods and youths.

A little further west along Corso Vittorio Emmanuele is the No Mafia exhibition presenting the history of the mafia, its banditry, brigandage and murderous campaigns against the police and judiciary. It is a fascinating exposition, supported wholly by donations.

We are getting a bit jaded with all the cathedrals and churches, so look for something with a difference, and this was the Cappella Palatina at the Palazzo dei Normanni. The latter is a mishmash of Arab and Norman architecture and is now the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly.

The Cappella Palatina was built by Roger II around 1140, and its decoration recognises the three religions of his kingdom: Muslim, Catholic and Greek Orthodox. The ceiling is wooden stalactite vaulting made by craftsmen from Syria, Iraq and Libya - unique in a Christian church.

An afternoon in the Botanical Gardens was a real treat, escaping the bustle of the main tourist areas and seeing some remarkable specimens of trees we had seen in the Tropics and some that we had never seen before.

Our stay in Palermo was longer than intended. One of our fridges was playing up and we had a refrigeration technician attend. He added more gas and changed the thermostat - a spare we had been carrying since we were in Thailand. It turned out to be the wrong spare -for a very large freezer rather than our relatively small fridge with a freezer compartment. All was sorted in the end and it gave us time for another visit to the historic centre of Palermo where we did visit the Cathedral, it's museums and the tombs of the Norman kings of Sicily including its first, Roger II who died in 1197, and Frederick II (d.1250) Emperor of Germany and King of Sicily. The interior of the cathedral is remarkably plain. This kind of ticked off all the sights as we had visited Monreale previously.

We stopped for beers and Aperol Spritz at Taverna Azzurra in Vucciria just off Via Roma, where you sit out in an alley next to a fruit and vegetable stall, adjacent to the rubbish bins. It has character and is hugely popular with young people of Palermo.

We left on Friday 11 August and stopped off at Termini Imerese to fill up with diesel, anchoring for the night in the old port of Cefalu which is very pretty. Our target destination was the Aeolian Islands, and we headed for Filicudi. However, the anchorage we had planned to stop at was on a lee shore with breaking waves and much smaller than we expected. We turned east and the wind picked up, giving us a super beam reach to Isla Salina, but none of the anchorages appealed (too rocky, poor holding, too exposed) and settled for our fall-back anchorage at Pontecello on the north-east side of Lipari.

There is an enormous area in which to anchor in 4-10 metres just off the former pumice quarries and processing facilities. There is something quite fascination by the industrial archaeology of the abandoned workings and buildings. It also offers a good view of Stromboli and the island of Panarea. However, Stromboli is not offering and spectacular eruptions so we have passed on heading over there.

The size of the anchorage and the time in high season of holidaying in Italy have meant that it is incredibly popular with boats of all sizes during the day but in the evenings most disappear and it is quite quiet. It has been great to spend four days just relaxing, doing a bit of boat maintenance and burying ourselves in books.

Next, we plan to head for Scilla (as in Scylla and Charybdis) for a couple of days then south through the Straits of Messina and onwards along the sole of Italy.

Photos in the Gallery when we get decent wifi. Decent wifi in Rocella Ionica so photos are up.

The N and NW wind meant that we were well sheltered at Punta Longa on the island of Favignana. We took the dinghy into the very full small boat harbour and had to scramble ashore over the rocks. It was about 20 minutes walk across the island to the town of Favignana. It is the ferry port for vessels from Trapani and Marsala, and so was very busy.

It has three main points of interest. First, the Palazzo Florio, which was the home of a 19th century tuna tycoon and is now the town hall.

Then the Tonnara di Favignana, which is a former tuna cannery, having closed in the 1990s, and is now a heritage museum covering the tuna business – niche but remarkably fascinating as it explained the process of catching tuna in fixed nets, herding them through various pens and hauling the final net chamber tight so the tuna have no space, and then pulling the tuna out of the water with gaffs. A brutal and bloody business, made very clear by a film shot in the 1950s.

And, the prison – home to some of Sicily’s finest mafiosi apparently.

A quite refined café, bar, restaurant called Camparia provided excellent iced coffees and local pastries.

With the wind forecast to turn southerly we left Punta Longa at 0600 on Friday 28th July for Cala Rossa on the north coast. An interesting location as it is a former tufa quarry. It is very popular with boats big and small. There were two boats there when we arrived at 0700, but by 1030 we had lost count. The place was bunged. We had prudently picked up a mooring as we expected it to be a bit busy and after our cheek by jowl anchorage experience on Comino, Gozo we did not want to get caught up in any crossed anchors or boats being dangerously close.

The afternoon brought some drama. There were lots of folk ashore having arrived by ferry and made their way there. Bicycles are big hire business on Favignana. Anyway, clearly someone had fallen and hurt themselves while exploring the former tufa quarries. Emergency service people arrived and the only way to get the casualty to safety was to call in a helicopter. Crew and casualty were winched aboard and we admired the skill of the pilot and crew.

We also thought that getting away from the Egadi Islands for the weekend would be quite a good idea, leaving the various bays to the armadas of RIBs and tour boats. We left Cala Rossa about 1140 and motored the few miles to the island of Levanzo to check out a possible anchorage, but we were not overly impressed given the forecast was for some strong wind in the following week. So, to Tripani and Marina Arturo Stabile where the marineros were excellent at helping us berth Minnie B. The marina is, well, basic as it is also a working boatyard.

The big attraction is to take the cable car to the hilltop village of Erice (Eryx). At 750 metres high it provides splendid views to the Egadi Islands and the rugged Punta del Saraceno across Golfo di Bonagia. The village’s Carthaginian walls have survived and the warren of crooked streets and alleys makes it a great place simply to wander. The Giardino del Balio provides a shady place to linger beside the Castello. A highlight is Pasticerria Maria, where elderly Maria Grammatico presides over the till. She learned her skills in making pastries at the convent, but it closed in 1975 and so she opened her pasticerria and now vies for the accolade of being Sicily’s best baker. There is a shady courtyard to linger over cannoli and almond tarts, and excellent coffee. Prices are ridiculously low.

We were directed to an enoteca just across the road from the marina – Vini Sfusi, Osti Nati where we stocked up on wine at around 2 Euros per litre – Grillo, Merlot and Nero d’Avola.

We returned to Favignana on Monday 31 July, anchoring at Lido Burrone, but after a rolly night we move a mile west back to Punta Longa. The weather forecast was showing West and North-West F6/F7 for Friday and Saturday. We thought we might get better shelter by moving to some moorings just north of Isola Preveto about a mile and half further west. However, by 1900 on Friday it was clear that we would be better off back at Punta Longa. We slipped the mooring and turned east. Then the torrential rain arrived and the NW F6/F7 became F8. Not the best conditions for re-anchoring, but Norma got the anchor down and 55 metres of chain out in 9 metres depth. The anchor dug in well, the wind eased a little and we had a good night’s sleep. We stayed through Saturday and with the wind turning W F5, conditions were ideal for the 64nm sail to Palermo and Marina Arenella.

Photos in the Gallery

At 0615 the engine was on and we were ready to depart Comino. It was going to be much easier this being Monday 10 July now that many of the weekend boats had gone by Sunday evening. The process involved Phil swimming ashore with a fender to tie to the chain on our stern line, Norma releasing tension and hauling in. A quick pat down with a towel and up with the anchor. All went well.

There was very little wind SE 6.5kts but with the main hoisted and some north-going current we made good progress and completed the 68nm by 1700.

We spent time in Licata from 2019 to 2021, having had a couple of Covid affected trips and getting to know the superb Volvo technicians from Ricca srl in Ragusa as we had extensive engine issues. It is a rough and ready town with a large fishing fleet and marina. The first thing we noticed was it seemed to be much cleaner with less litter about the place. Then, what a surprise, they have introduced recycling bins. The place is by no means pristine but it is improved and the feral dogs didn't appear to be around anymore.

The staff in the marina were very hospitable and it was good to see them again. Maria Setibondo, as well as being one of the senior staff has also been elected to the Licata Town Council and is leading on making the town more attractive for tourism. We genuinely wish her well.

We stayed two weeks as our friend Remy was due to return from Switzerland, having had to lift out his boat for engine repairs and return home for some medical treatment. He was due back in Licata on 20th July. We made the most of our time on boat maintenance, yoga and reading. There were sociable folks around and we spent time with Don and Anne on s/y Ghia and Walt and Hope on s/y Gold.

The hot weather was a major factor and basically we got up around 0630, got everything we wanted to do complete before lunch and then hid down below with fans on. Surfacing around 1800 for a cold shower and then some drinks and not a lot to eat before retiring about 2200. Cold water ... and cold beer kept us going. One day, late afternoon, we had a westerly wind with 37C temperature and in the space of about 40 minutes the wind shifted north raising the temperature to 45C before dropping back to 38C as the wind changed to easterly.

Remy duly arrived back and we spent most of Friday, Saturday and Sunday with him catching up on the ten years since we last saw him in Panama in 2013. We ate and drank, and the craic was mighty. The joys of cruising friendships.

Our plan was to continue a clockwise route around Sicily to the Straits of Messina. We left Licata on Monday 24 July, stopping overnight in Sciacca (pronounced shaka) which was a bit underwhelming. With a favourable forecast for southerly winds then turning NW late afternoon we had an ideal passage for the 53nm to Favagnana, one of the Egadi Islands. Winds of c.20kts pushed us along nicely on a broad reach, albeit until we reached Granitola we had waves on the beam making for a rolly sail.

We anchored at Punta Longa where the breakwater provides some relief from the westerly wave train. We will stay a few days.

We have to say something about the Mediterranean migrant situation.
When we went to Malta from Pozzallo, from late morning we were hearing Lampedusa Radio on VHF Ch16 - the Italian Coastguard on the small island of Lampedusa nearly 100nm south of us and about 180nm from the coast of Libya. We also heard an aircraft of United Nations interception organisation seeking to enforce the arms embargo on Libya. It was a MAYDAY and MAYDAY RELAYS. We listened intently as reports came in of three migrant vessels adrift not far from Lampedusa. Two of them had 25-30 people on board, including women and children, no food and no water. We could not make out how many people were on the third vessel.

Help did appear to be forthcoming but the situation is not made easy for any rescue vessels. There is a German assistance vessel based in Licata and we spoke to the crew about what is happening. The Italian authorities are making it very hard for rescues to take place. If a vessel picks up people they become the responsibility of that vessel. So, the Italian coastguard is directing any rescue vessel to take migrants to distant ports such as Trapani on Sicily or Bari on the mainland rather than to the nearest port, namely Lampedusa. If a rescue vessel ignores this direction they will be fined and not allowed to put to sea for about three weeks. If the direction is ignored three times, the vessel can be impounded.

On passage from Licata to Sciacca, and again to Favagnana it was the same with either the UN aircraft or other vessels calling the Italian authorities, who did ask merchant vessels to stand by until the coastguard could reach stricken vessels. All this is playing out over the VHF radio so it is plain for anyone listening in that the numbers of migrant vessels are huge and the typical description is "vessel adrift in position xx with 30 persons on board; vessel is very low in the water and rescue required". For clarity, we have never been closer than about 100nm or 16 hours of motoring to distressed vessels.

When we set off long-term, long-distance cruising what to do if encountering a migrant vessel in distress was much discussed among cruisers. For us this was quite important as we were sailing south from Portugal to Madeira, Canary Islands, Western Sahara, Senegal and Cap Vert. The received wisdom was to call a MAYDAY for assistance provide water and food, provide flotation if possible, and crucially standby but stand-off, because in taking people on board they become your responsibility and this can be extraordinarily problematic with many national authorities where they can be safely taken. Clearly, in extremis, the next steps are to launch the dinghy and liferaft to help people .... and ultimately take them onboard if possible.

The situation can only get worse as climate change compounds the impact of wars and economic desperation. Only by aiding desperate and devastated countries to adapt to climate change and mitigate strife and poverty can the level of migration be reduced. The failures of the developed countries to provide sufficient aid and maintain international development budgets can only risk this crisis becoming an overwhelming disaster.

Photos in the Gallery.

We had attempted to visit Malta in 2021, but engine problems (speed governors and fuel activation rod) prevented that trip, so it was with a certain trepidation that we fired up the engine in Pozzallo at 0615 on Saturday 1 July. All good and we slipped our lines.
After an hour, fog closed in so on with lights, radar, Sea-me and lifejackets. That lasted about two hours as we moved south towards Malta. By 1200 we had slight wind of NW 6.5kts and we were motor-sailing, arriving for our berth at Royal Malta Yacht Club at 1455 – the 58nm took 8 hours 40mins, an average of 6.7kts.
The arrival in Marsamxett Harbour with Valletta to port and the imposing presence of Fort St Elmo and the rest of the fortifications, makes this an iconic harbour to arrive in. Grand harbour on the other ide of Valletta was for another day.
We were made very welcome at RMYC and had a splendid dinner that evening, including Malta’s national dish – rabbit.
We were very energetic with our tourismo, exploring the streets and alleys of Valletta.
We visited the marvellous Fort St Elmo with its National War Museum and learned much about the arrival of the Knights of St John in 1530 and their subsequent defeat of the Ottoman Turks in 1565 after the Great Siege. Then Napoleon’s mixed legacy pillaging Valletta’s riches but leaving behind elements of the French language (Bonju is good morning in Malti and Bonswa is good evening) and changes to the way Malta was governed. The British drove out the French and stayed until 1979, when the last British forces departed – Malta gained its independence in 1964 and became a republic in 1974. Of course, World War II really made Malta famous in modern times, being pivotal in defeating Axis armies in North Africa simply by not being invaded and providing a base for Allied planes and submarines to destroy Axis planes and shipping. Malta withstood blockade and pounding from June 1940 to 1943 and was awarded the George Cross in 1942, which is on display in the museum. Marvellous museum.
The other highlights were St John’s Co-cathedral (built 1573-78) with its astounding 17th century baroque interior, the Lascaris War Rooms housing Britian’s WWII command centre, the Siege Bell memorial, Upper Barrakka Gardens, and the Saluting Battery.
The Three Cities beckoned and we took the ferry across Grand Harbour to Vittoriosa for lunch and a wander around the quiet backstreets.
The OCC Port Officer, Paul Warren was most helpful when we met him for a drink at RMYC, and he advised us to download the Bolt taxi app. This gave us 20% off our first four trips and we used it to good effect to visit Mdina, a hilltop Arabic walled city. St Paul’s cathedral and the cathedral museum are well worth the effort. The floor of the cathedral is covered with vivid polychrome marble tombstones of Maltese nobles and clergy.
Then to Gozo and Camino. We had two nights in the marina at the port of Mgarr. A drink at the Gleneagles Bar was recommended, and rightly so – the balcony overlooking the harbour provides plentiful watching of the comings and goings of the ferries and tourist boats, with a background of early Rolling Stones music. We took the public bus to Il Kastell and wandered the fortress, then another bus to Dwejra to view the Inland Sea and the collapsed cavern of Dwejra Bay. Then bus back to then Il Kastell for lunch and bus back to Mgarr. It was OK.
Our final Maltese adventure was a huge mistake. We expected Mgarr marina to be busy at the weekend so went there on Wednesday and Thursday, planning to go to an anchorage at St Niklaw Bay on nearby Comino for the weekend. Now, if we thought Mgarr would be busy why didn’t we think St Niklaw Bay would be busy? Well, we did. So, we bought fuel in Mgarr early on Friday and headed over to St Niklaw where there were about half a dozen boats, expecting more to arrive Friday evening and during Saturday. What we didn’t expect was the sheer number that turned up. When we arrived, we anchored and took a stern line ashore, thinking that there was space for maybe another dozen boats at a squeeze. By Saturday evening there were over 50 boats in the bay, rafted up, cheek by jowl, some anchored at the stern many with hardly any chain out and anchors not dug in. We were amazed. Then, of course, there were the barking dogs, the shouting and whooping, the loud music of the thump thump variety, the burbling diesel engines and smell from diesel exhausts. We had thought “a relaxing few days in a pleasant anchorage with walks ashore”. We never left the boat apart from snorkelling to check the anchor and swimming round the boat. Even that was fraught with risk as some folk zoomed around on jet skis or without much of a lookout other than searching for their friends. We are told that Monday to Thursday it is pretty quiet. Hm.

On Monday, 10 July we headed north to Licata, Sicily where we will stay in Marina di Cala del Sole for a week – they have given us a special 25 per cent discount, so we are well pleased.

photos in Gallery