Njord's Adventures

26 February 2022 | Marina di Ragusa
25 February 2022
02 September 2021 | Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH), Valletta, Malta
22 August 2021 | Slimena
22 August 2021 | Valetta, Malta
19 August 2021 | MMH Yard, , Malta
19 August 2021 | The Black Sheep, Sliema
12 August 2021 | Sliema
12 August 2021 | Just off Manoel Island along the front
12 August 2021 | MMH
12 August 2021 | MMH’s yard in Grand Harbour, Valletta
12 August 2021 | Grand Harbour Valletta, Malta
12 August 2021 | Crossing from Sicily to Malta
03 August 2021 | Lumia Restaurant , Lungomare, Marina
13 July 2021 | Porto Turistico, Marina di Ragusa
13 July 2021 | L pontoon, Marina di Ragusa
13 April 2021 | Marina di Ragusa
02 April 2021 | MdR

January 2022 - Marina di Ragusa

26 February 2022 | Marina di Ragusa
Clare
The year has started off with very cool evenings and cold overnight, the days very windy but with some beautiful sunny days. This weather is somewhat different to the previous winters we have spent here, but then the weather in the UK and rest of Europe has been unusual too.

This photograph was taken mid January on our pontoon by Njord. I managed to do my yoga practice this particular day here as there was no wind at all, beautiful.


Autumn & Winter 2021

25 February 2022
Clare
We decided after our summer sailing this year we would go back to the UK for approximately three months (30 August 2021 to 30 December 2021).

We left Marina di Ragusa at sunrise with all our paperwork printed out for Passenger Locator Forms, negative flow test certificates and all our Italian paperwork and cards. At the airport we received a "Perfecto" from the check-in lady for being so organised. That might sound easy but it was a bit of a challenge as the rules kept changing.

Sunrise in Marina di Ragusa


We stayed in the north west and explored the Lake District. Jon our sailing friend joined us too which was great and lent us his "red pepper" car so we could get out and about; very kind, thank you. It took us up to Scotland to visit Njord's big sister Great Escape and down to Bournemouth and Poole.

Borrowdale, Keswick


Castlerigg, Keswick


On our way to our rental apartment in Bournemouth for November and December we stopped off in London at Nic & Tiff's apartment.

The evening view from their apartment ...


This gave us lots of opportunities to get to know our two adorable grandchildren. The eldest is now three and we last met him in New York aged three months. His younger brother we hadn't met before as he was borne in Manhattan during the Covid pandemic. As this is an "open blog" site we won't be posting photos of them but trust us they are the cutest ever, (do all grandparents say that?).

Bournemouth's beach huts from the famous pier


In November I went on a yoga retreat which was the best yoga experience ever. It was with Sally who as well as a superb yoga teacher is a fellow cruiser with her husband. I follow her via zoom virtual sessions, but this retreat was simply wonderful. We were at Caradoc of Tregardock near Port Issac of Doc Martin fame. Check out her website for future retreats - www.yogisal.co.uk

View from the main house at Caradoc


And finally we arrived back in Marina di Ragusa at sunset on 30 December 2021 just in time for New Year's Eve and to wish the new year in.

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2022

24 December 2021
Clare
Clare, Vic and Njord

Regular Maintenance for Njord - aka Njord's Beauty Treatments

02 September 2021 | Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH), Valletta, Malta
Clare
In 2020 Njord did not have a lift out for antifouling and polishing. Don't be fooled through, she had lots of loving whilst in her berth in Marina di Ragusa; regular baths, a teak deck workout in the shape of plugs and caulking and a caulking hair cut.

Thank you from us for all the loving she received; you know who you are!

So in 2021 and still in a year of Covid restrictions we wanted to have the antifouling paint applied and the hull and top sides polished. The fouling in MdR is not as bad as in Piraeus (Athens) but bad enough and she blushed when she came out of the water in MMH's yard in Malta.

After ... SeaHawk BioCop antifoul ... Njord is happy again



This year we had to yet again change the antifoul paint to comply with what is acceptable in the Med. I think it has something to do with the copper content in the paint and its safely for marine life. Fair enough to be eco friendly but that gives us a problem in matching a compatible to paint to the previous layers over the years without going back to the epoxy. We will have to do this at some point as the last time was in 2013 in Ipswich. So maybe we go back to the epoxy in 2023 or we are thinking now of "sucking in the purse strings" and going to copper coating. It is more expensive initially but then cheaper in the long run. The cost of antifoul paint keeps rising and the length of time it is lasting in these warm Med seas is reducing.




In the travel hoist ready to launch. This is the small hoist at MMH they can also cater for superyachts, tankers and the like. This small one has wheels that stand taller than us at 6 feet.



Back in MdR in her berth looking good



MMH was fantastic. Attention to detail was superb and nothing too much trouble. They brought in the expert mechanics and engineers as required. We were assigned a project manager and her assistant and the owner's son organises the yard and staff. Each time an was discussed a quote was sent and after our agreement to that extra item the work commenced. So no nasty surprises when the invoice arrived.

Chilling in Slimena

22 August 2021 | Slimena
Clare
Our air conditioned Airbnb is lovely and cool in the current heatwave. The temperatures reached a record 48.8c in Syracusa whilst we were away in Malta having Njord's lift out.

St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Valetta, Malta

22 August 2021 | Valetta, Malta
Clare
We last visited this spectacular cathedral in January 2017 when we were seeking out possible marinas for over-wintering. This cathedral never disappoints.

The 17th century high alter. It is so rich, in all senses of the word, gold, silver, and beautiful jewels give it a special feel.
Vessel Name: Njord of London
Vessel Make/Model: Malo 39 Classic
Crew: Vic Farhi & Clare Harrison
About: Learnt to sail together and the first sailing experience was in Lanzarote in 2005. We then bought Mandarin, a Bavaria 39 and in June 2012 bought Njord, a Malo 39 from the Baltic.
Extra: As attributed to Mark Twain: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bow lines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Njord of London's Photos - Sardinia
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Njord in Villasimius Marina - Med Mooring
Horses in the May Day Parade
May Day Parade, Cagliari
May Day Parade
Father Christmas makes his way up the mast
The Devil
Roof tops over Cagliari city
Looking across the landscape over the salt pans from the Castello area in Cagliari
The entrance to Portus Karalis Marina
Torre dell Elephante
57 varieties !
Roman Amphitheater - Cagliari
The Harrison family enjoying sea urchins - New Year
View on New Year
Looking from the coastal walkway towards St. Elmo Marina - New Year
The Devil
Testing out my new camera - fresh from the market - the weekend shop!
Poetto Beach,  Cagliari city
Poetto Beach, Cagliari in January 2016
Christmas day on Njord 2016
The local Cagliari beach: Poetto Beach, about an hour
Bengy the bunny celebrates Easter in Cagliari, 2016
Njord in her berth in Portus Karalis, Cagliari
Sardinia
WWF Reserve - Sardinian Deer
Sunset over the Mediterranean: The sunset on our trip from Menorca towards Sardinia.   There was very little wind at this stage of the passage and the sea was absolutely flat.
Portus Teulada: This was our port of refuge coming into the Southern coast of Sardinia.  At around 02.00 we decided we were never going to make the Bay of Cagliari.  We went out to sea away from the coast at an angle and then tacked back in the early hours of the morning to make Teulada at around 07.00
White horses in Teulada Bay
The ride to the airport from the marina (Portus Teulada)
Portus Teulada Marina
Coastline between Teulada and Cagliari
Cagliari Bay from Njord
Botanical Gardens
Water fountains - Botanical Gardnes
 
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