After a mid-way overnight anchor stop at Porto Penne, yep, just like the pasta, we made a good day passage of 63 miles to Molfetta. Its long, protective sea wall looked inviting for a tie-up as Force 6 (25 kt) N winds were forecasted, but the incoming fisherman's boats and quayside activity had us look to the N end of the inner harbor and a small fleet of moored power and sail boats. The buoyed shallows needed our full attention, but despite the seeming lack of space for Sangaris to squeeze in, locals from the private "Ippocampo Sailing Club" helped us tie bow-to and extend slime-lines and the stern anchor mooring, but not before we had buckets of mud and mussels on the deck! Could've been dinner, but a little too slimey for some of the crew. New vocabulary: "Ippocampo" is Italian for SeaHorse, we were told.

The hospitality of this little Italian speaking-only club was boundless. Every time we appeared to be about to climb over the bowrail to go ashore a worker ran over and pulled our bow in and help Kath with a graceful landing. Likewise they wanted us to use their water for our tanks, and to wash the boat!, plug in to their (low voltage) electricity, join them for a coca-cola at the clubhouse, even join in a card game, but the rules were al little tough to follow! And all this for free! Two days later we said our farewells after collecting very inexpensive bags full of fresh veg, fruit and fish from a local market, exploring the old town in the heat of the day and sampling the obligatory sidewalk gelato. Craig spotted some named "olio di motore" - "motor oil" - and absolutely had to order some ... tasted more like licorice to me! Best market find: "Scupazizzo" a local Molfetta vegetable that was a cucumber/pear-like fruit or maybe vegetable? Anyway, it was tasty and fun to shout it out like the vendors.

Cruiser's Notes:
- The "Ippocampo Club" mooring was a rare find and, we think, only available because a local member was away on holiday. We were a bit oversized for the space (our 14 mtrs next to 11& 12 mtr boats) but it was a good experience. There was a decent outdoor veg, fish and meat market at the end of the quay near town. We would, however, recommend going alongside the primary town quay as it is likely free, but may be without a fresh water supply.
- Just around the corner from Brindisi, Punta Penne provided an excellent anchorage, open only to the N & NE and bypassed the long entry and exit into Brindisi harbor proper.