one of the many amazing vessels we have seen and envyed

Our crossing to Sardinia from Volcano Is took 53 hours, two nights at sea. This trip was a bit more comfortable than our Greece to Malta trip. We had some good sailing and some motoring. As we closed on the Sardinian coast the westerly wind arrived early, or were we late? So we motor sailed the last 20 miles or so. As we motored into Brandinghi Bay I looked back and saw a small ketch.

“Look maybe that’s Morning Cloud”

We weren’t sure where they were heading to after their stop at Ustica Is. I swept around with the binoculars.

“ no that’s not them because there they are anchored over there.”

What a nice surprise , so we shared a couple more days together. The next day we went into the town of Olbia. Selwyn and Joanne weren’t sure if they wanted to make the detour, but the lure of a good supermarket was too much so they came too. We anchored in the bay at the head of the harbor, the free wall was already full of boats. The supermarket is very close to the anchorage, in fact we tied the dinghy up just across the road. No lugging heavy bags this time.

The weather forecast predicted high winds later in the week so we headed off north, hoping to enjoy a few bays before having to hide from the Mistral. The Morning Clouds decided to stay and do some travel while there was a secure place to leave the boat. So another goodbye, not sure where but we will catch up again could be sooner or later.

As it was the weekend the bays and coast between Olbia and Cannigione, (where we are now) was full of large luxurious motor yachts and smaller luxurious fast launches. Our first anchorage at Marinella was a little rolly to start with. At about 6 oclock the last of the jetskiers went home to swop the roar of the jet for the thump of loud Saturday night music ,the launches left for their marina berths and about 4 yachts were left, with a peaceful smooth bay, to enjoy the sunset. As with many places we have been the sun goes down and the music goes up, still a very pleasant anchorage.

Sunday, we called into Porto Cervo for a look, couldn’t stay as the 150 Euro for one night on a mooring buoy was a bit out of our price range. This is where the Aga Khan and his rich mates developed a marina and town for the rich and famous, the Costa Smeralda. We carried on up here to the Golfo di Arzachena dodging the speed boats and their macho Italian skippers who only knew about speed, not the safety rules of the sea. We saw some amazing boats, the best was the sleek black speed boat with the anchor well on the bow shaped like a jaw, quite sinister looking. He was too quick for me to get a photo.

We are now anchored at Cannigione in the Golfo di Arzachena, the mistral has caught us, it has blown 30 to 40 knts most of today. We picked our possie on Monday and put two anchors out ready for the winds arrival last night, it was a few hours late but when it arrived in the early hours of this morning we felt confident hanging on our two anchors. I hope it doesn’t last too long, I’ve been reading about Corsica and especially Bonifacio we hope to get across there as soon as the wind dies. The wind funnels between Sardinia and Corsica through the Bonifacio Strait. The Bouches de Bonifacio is only a few miles wide but you still have to pick your weather as it is probably the windiest part of the Med when the mistral is in full flight.