Tyhjennä haku
Ronan O'DriscollRonan O'Driscoll
SatelliittiMuokkaa reittiä
matkusti 8 maahan. Lue lisää
  • Doteyboaty
    1
    Päivä 405

    Vulcano

    20. elokuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    This blog is written by Colm

    As we approach Isla Vulcano in the early evening we are greeted by an amazing view of the sea stacks in the channel between the island and its neighbour Limpari. When we look up at Vulcano’s crater we see the fumarole vents on the semi-active volcano constantly puffing out smoke.
    We round the corner into the bay and a sulphurous rotten egg smell hits us. This is from the bubbling mud baths and underwater vents nearby. We drop anchor and get used to the smell during dinner.
    The next day we walk to the mud baths but they are closed because the mud is too hot. So we head for the crater instead but soon find out that it is also closed. The pathway is blocked with tape and there are warning signs. The reason for the closure is because there is more toxic gas than usual coming from the fumaroles.
    Here we meet an equally disappointed Canadian man called Steve. He took the fast foiling ferry from Sicily here today, specifically to climb to the crater.
    We throw caution to the wind and all duck under the barrier and start our illegal walk.
    After a few twists and turns, Ruby and Dad decide to turn around while Steve, Mom and I continue . We meet other people coming back down the path and they say it’s safe enough so we climb for forty minutes all the way to the summit. There is a very nice vista of the other islands and in the bay way down below, we see Régal. . We can also see down to the bottom of the huge crater and some of the rock is turned green from the volcanic vents. Luckily the wind is blowing the gas away from us.
    We then walk back the scorched mountainside with Steve and meet Dad and Ruby in town. After hearing all about our adventure, Dad and Ruby decide to return to climb to the crater.
    Meanwhile Mom and I go exploring again. We swim from the boat to find the underwater bubbling fumaroles. They are very cool and very stinky.
    The next day Dad, Mom and I go to the under water vents again to see the amazing bubbles. The are lots of fish around and we watch a moray eel feeding around the rocks.
    We’re sad to leave this magnificent volcanic island but happy to leave the rotten egg smell.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 403

    Palermo

    18. elokuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 38 °C

    ‘You will either love it or hate it’. Reading reviews ahead of our visit, it’s clear that Palermo inspires a strong emotional response. When we cross the road from the marina into the city the reasons are immediately clear. The place is littered, like the aftermath of a concert. The streets are dirty and potholed and there are beggars. On the other hand we feel an incredible energy as we wander through the bustling evening crowds and when we look up there are beautiful buildings everywhere. There are kids as young as twelve zooming around on electric mopeds; this is an edgy, vibrant and exciting city.

    We have dinner sitting outside a restaurant in a street full of tables, all full with people. The glamorous girls sitting nearby fan their faces with brightly coloured fans they have just bought from one of the many street sellers who come by.
    The next morning we begin our grand tour of Palermo at the chandlery. So for the following few hours, walking all through the town, Ronan carries a bottle of fuel additive.
    The Cabo outdoor market is busy and loud as the stall holders shout out their bargains to the crowd. We enjoy wandering through while munching on our freshly cut fruit salad.
    We join the line at the Cathedral and wait for our clothing to be assessed. We pass the modesty test and can enter, but anyone with exposed shoulders or short shorts must buy and wear a paper poncho. Meanwhile the lady walking up and down the queue begging has a child hanging off her breast.
    Inside the Cathedral we find the zodiac meridian line and wait with great anticipation to see the mid-day sun shine down on Leo, Colm’s star sign. If it did shine down from the tiny hole in the roof we don’t see it: a cloud might have been in its way today.
    Later we go to the shopping district and when Ruby and Colm see people carrying yellow Lego shopping bags, they get right on it with google maps. They stay in the shop until closing time, stuffing as many tiny pieces as possible into the self-fill boxes; nothing could make them happier.

    It is dark as we wander back to the marina through a new part of the city. Just like the area we were in the night before, the streets are full of people out enjoying themselves. There really is a special atmosphere in this city.
    The next day we lay low on the boat as the temperature raises to 43 degrees. We have the curtains closed and have as much shading up as we can and yet all the surfaces on the boat get hot. We put bowls of ice around the boat to try and keep the temperature down. In the afternoon a crazy wind starts to blow, like the hottest setting on a hairdryer. Black ash gets blown onto the boat and we see smoke. Early the next morning as we sail out of Palermo we see fires burning in some of the surrounding hills. Luckily the temperatures are down today and we hope the fires won’t last long.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 398

    Erice but not Egadi

    13. elokuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We spend several nights at Marina Arturo Stabile in Trapani city and enjoy taking a break from weather watching. A thunder storm or two roll by and we don’t mind at all.
    The small marina is in the city centre and run by a family so there is a nice atmosphere here. Colm enjoys spending time up in the shaded seating area and chatting to Muhammad the night watch man. I am excited at the prospect of a proper shower and there are several options here 1) A tiny cubicle with scalding water. 2) A medium size shower with a blocked drain. 3) A large cubicle that stinks and has a cockroach in residence- all three come with mosquitos. Over the next few days, I treat myself to a shower in each one.

    The city is a mix of pretty streets and run down areas. On our first evening here we feel a little uneasy as we walk through a badly lit park full of litter and dirty pavements. That uneasiness is immediately dispelled when we see generations of families and friends gathered around benches chatting and laughing together.

    The Sicilians we meet are helpful and relaxed and I am struck by their friendly, easy-going way. When Colm and I are finishing up at the self-service laundromat, the owners, their children and the grandparents come in to check on things. The Mum walks us to the door and waves us off down the street with thanks and goodbyes.
    People in cars on the other hand are not so friendly and drive with a ferocious urgency. At zebra crossings they only begin to slow down when we are right in the middle of the road and some get cross when we don’t start running.

    We have a great day trip to the hilltop town of Erice and take the cable car up and down. As we ascend the views over the city and out to the Aegadian Islands are spectacular but a little blurred because of the dirty windows. We enter Erice through the old gate and buy an ‘access all areas’ ticket for the bargain price of six euros. We can now go into any church we want to and there are many to choose from. We wander around the cobbled streets, climb old towers and descend into crypts. We have cannoli and continue to the Balio gardens to see the incredible views. When we look eastwards we see the ruined castle perched on the cliff top overlooking the cultivated fields far below. When we walk to the other side of the castle there are views to the north out over the sea with beautiful headlands and bays. And finally we cross the gardens to look westwards to the city of Trapani far below us and beyond it, to the Aegadian islands . We have a drink at the garden cafe and enjoy the incredible view as the sun goes down behind the islands. We are looking forward to nightfall because we have been told that temperatures drop quickly up here. There are jumpers in our bag that haven’t been worn for months and we are very excited about wearing them. It is that comforting, snuggly feeling we take for granted at home that now we yearn for in the constant heat. These days we dream of duvets, blankets and hot chocolate. We put our jumpers on and enjoy them with our dinner. As the cable car returns us to Trapani, the heat increases with our descend and the jumpers are off again- ah it was lovely while it lasted.

    The next day we are back to weather watching because it is time to sail on. We came to Trapani because it is the jumping off point for visiting Aegadian Islands. The weather in the coming days will make for rolly and uncomfortable anchorages in Isole Egadi, so we decide to skip them in favour of moving eastwards.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 394

    A lightning passage to Sicily

    9. elokuuta 2022, Tyrrhenian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    There's a favourable northerly wind forecast for the 200nm trip to Sicily, so we decide to cut short our time in Sardinia and go.
    We're bound for the Port of Trapani on the east coast.
    We leave the anchorage at 6.30, and within an hour the engine is off and we're sailing.
    When we try to sail directly a swell on her stern quarter is rolling us and banging the boom, so we point 20 degrees or so up into the wind, our speed increases and she settles down.
    We make good progress through the day and are enjoying the rhythm of being back at sea, passsage making in fine weather and with a favourable breeze.
    Around dusk we start to notice some lightning on the horizon, it's far away and of no concern. Not yet anyway.
    The kids go to bed and Margaret and I continue to observe the lighting. It's getting more widespread and is now across a long band of cloud to the east of us. It seems to be tracking parallel to us and is starting to block our course. We turn away about 20 degrees but the lightning keeps spreading and drawing closer.
    We put out our lightning conductor - a length of copper, attached to a cable which is clipped onto metal stays, and trailed over the side.
    Rather than seeking to conduct a lighting strike we hope to prevent the boat become charged by the electricity in the atmosphere, and leak this charge away, thereby reducing the chance of being struck.
    That's the theory anyway, but we feel better for putting it out. We put handheld GPS units and compass into the oven, which should act as a Faraday cage.
    Then one particular cloud starts to grow. And grow, and grow. It's big enough now to have multiple lightning inside it, often at the same time. Some tint it blue, others orange. There are occasional red bolts coming down to the water. I have never seen anything like it. It's both extremely beautiful and menacing at the same time. If this comes and sits over us we will be lit up like a Christmas tree.
    For a while it seems to be staying away from us, but then it starts to get closer. And bigger.
    We're glad the kids are in bed so they don't pick up on our concerns.
    We decide to try and get away as fast as possible - so we turn in the opposite direction and open the throttle to full revs.
    We're making 9 knots and holding our breath to see if we can get away from it.
    10 minutes go by, 15, and it's not gaining on us any more. After about 30 mins we have moved away and thankfully the amount of lightning seems to be reducing.
    We breathe a sigh of relief and try to get some rest, the dawn is only a few hours away now.
    The next morning brings more lightning clouds and a squall which gives us a good wash down.
    We're glad to see the coast of Sicily appearing in the distance and motor into Trapani, berthing at a marina while we gather ourselves and do a few jobs over the next few days.
    Sicily - we've arrived!    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 392

    Isla Tavolara

    7. elokuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Leaving the beautiful and busy Maddelena islands behind we head south to Isla Tavolara near Oblia. The island is very striking because it is one long rectangular or table shaped mountain with a low-lying narrow spit of land extending out on its western side.
    As we pass the city of Olbia we watch lightning in the hills surrounding it. The storm stays on the mainland but sends incredible cloud formations out over the bay, giving us an ever-changing sky.

    We anchor in amongst the many boats underneath the granite rock of Isla Tavolara and swim into the beach that runs the length of the low lying part of the island. There are gorgeous polished granite pebbles dotted along the beach.
    We have a exhilarating sail further south the next day with Ruby at the helm for some of it. We drop anchor at 6pm in clear water near a lovely long beach full of holiday makers. We could stay in a place like this for days but our sights our set on Sicily. We turn in after dinner as we have an early start for passage making tomorrow.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    1
    Päivä 389

    Turning Twelve

    4. elokuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    This blog is written by Colm

    We drop anchor in Cala Coticcio during the early evening when the tens of charter boats and day trippers are leaving . It has a spectacular view of the amazing granite mountains on Isla Caprera, which is one of the Maddalena Islands off the Sardinian coast . There is an ice-cream Rib that goes around to the boats and Dad calls him over. We get three magnums and a corneto for only twenty-four euro!
    The next day Margaret and I go ashore on the Paddleboard but the warden says that we are not allowed to walk beyond the beach .We snorkel around the rocks to the next beach which is so pretty that Mom paddles back to the boat and gets Ruby. We swim around in the shallow turquoise water and admire the beautiful rocky landscape. I see a Dentex , a big fish with a kind of a square head.
    Back onboard the crew decides that we will move on to the less busy Cala Garibaldi, named after the Italian General. It is a short trip up the coast of Isla Caprera. We arrive in the evening and drop anchor near one of the many beaches. We have a swim then eat dinner.
    The next morning is my birthday! We dinghy into the beach and walk up the road looking for the Garibaldi museum. It is very hot but thankfully we have some water to refresh ourselves. We go up a dusty road but feel we are lost. A big brown scary looking dog is sitting in the middle of the road. When he sees us he gets up, does a poo and limps off ‘maybe he’s going to the museum’ we think. We follow him along a narrow path through the trees and bushes for five minutes, passing sheep and goats with bells around their necks. The old dog pauses at a big blue fence, turns to look at us, urinates then continues. We follow him and finally emerge out into car park next to the museum. We thank our tour guide and have a walk around Garibaldi’s house.
    Continuing down the road we find a cool cafe in the forest with hammocks hanging between the trees. We stop off for a berry sorbet. On the way back we trek through some bramley hay fields and we come to a crossroads. Our choice is to continue down the hot dusty road or take a shortcut through the abandoned Club Med hotel which is full of ‘no trespassing’ signs’. We chose the latter and thankfully we are not caught.
    Back on board we have brunch , birthday cards and presents.
    I get lots of nice clothes , sweets , a magnifying glass and lots more.
    Then after that Ruby and I make my birthday cheesecake and have a ‘Monster’ energy drink in the process. For dinner we have lasagne courtesy of Margaret and then for dessert, blackberry cheesecake made with hand picked berries.
    After dinner we play charades which is great fun, I act out the song ‘Under Pressure’ and also the book ‘Sailing for home’ by Theo Dorgan. Then at about 10 o clock I go for a cooldown swim in the dark and Ruby notices that there are phosphorescence. I splash around and watch the water sparkle. Then I go and lie up on deck with Mom and I see four shooting stars, one was huge.

    The next morning Ruby ,Dad and I go into the beach for a few hours. When we arrive in, the Club Med Secuirity guard comes down to the beach and objects to the dinghy. Dad moves it while Ruby and I set up the tent , Deck chairs and the Picnic mat in the forest next to the beach. Later Mom comes in on the Paddleboard and we have a picnic and set up the hammock between the trees.

    The next morning the wind picks up so we motor to another anchorage nearby. After we get there Ruby and Margaret go on the Dinghy into the town to do shopping while Dad and I do some boat jobs .After that we have pizza then go to bed.

    I thank my family for a lovely twelfth birthday.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    1
    Päivä 385

    Cannigone

    31. heinäkuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We spend a few days on a mooring bouy in Canningone, mainly taking care of the mundane. During the to-ing and fro-ing Ruby and Colm find a hot bed of fig trees and brambles laden with fruit. Picking the blackberries feels just like August at home.

    We rent a car for a day and put it to great use; There is a visit to the doctor, a pick up in DHL, and a trip to Decathlon and Lidl. We squeeze in a bit of touristy stuff too and enjoy some of Sardinia’s stunning landscape from the delightful coolness of our air- conditioned car. We drive through the Costa Smeralda, a haven for the rich developed by the Aga Khan in the 1960s.
    It is full of Superyachts and gated hotels and it is pristine. No sign of litter or fly-tipping here. Unfortunately we see rubbish on some of the other tourist routes we drive on. There is an element of shabbiness in Sardinia. Some of the towns feel a bit run down and facilitates can be less than clean.
    When we return from our road trip we are hungry and have to settle for a dive of a take away that has seating upstairs. I settle into my broken chair with a glass of Rosé. We have a glorious view out over the bay and eat the best pizza I have ever tasted. I couldn’t be happier.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 382

    Nature Island

    28. heinäkuuta 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    People presume we are Italian because the Irish tricolour hanging on our stern looks just like a faded Italian flag. So as such, we have returned ‘home’ to Sardinia and are in the Maddelena archipelago national park.
    We want to get into a small harbour in Isola di Spargi which is very crowd so we act like locals and muscle our way in, “Ciao, Buongiorno!’’ We drop anchor right in the middle of a glut of boats and hang tough for a while. Soon our brass neck pays off and one by one all fifteen ribs, a catamaran and a motor cruiser, the tourist boat and three yachts all leave. ‘Peace at Last’, by dinner time we the harbour and the surround hills all to ourselves.
    Over the following two days only a handful of boats visit because there is strong westerly wind with gusts of over 30 knots. We are safely tucked in here and we watch the swell and white horses rise in the channel just beyond the rocks astern of us. We have no worries because Ronan has found a mooring block underwater by the pier that we run a line to. With that tied off at our bow as well as our main anchor and a stern anchor we aren’t budging.

    I enjoy a quiet wander ashore stopping now and then to smell the sweet scent of the myrtle bushes. I hear a persistent buzzing raising above the usual din of the cicadas and eventually locate the source in a little bush nearby. I bend down to see a bumblebee held in the tight grip of a Praying Mantis. It’s incredible to see this natural event close up; The bee has no chance, his time is up. I swim back to tell the rest of the crew but I am distracted by a little congregation of fish at a rock - different types all swimming together. I grip onto the rock to get a closer look and am startled when there is movement near my hand. I pull back quickly and refocus - I can now see an octopus camouflaged and tucked into a crevice. I wait and watch and he waits too, just for a little while. Then stretching out his tentacles one by one, he climbs to the top of rock and swims away with his band of merry fish following behind.

    The next day I bring the rest of the crew back to the same spot hoping to find him and I am surprised he’s not there. Luckily Colm finds a different little fellow under a small rock on the sand. This octopus has managed to hide everything under the rock except one tentacle which is how Colm spots him. When we dive down to get a closer look, his eyes peep out over his tentacle.
    One morning Colm and I swim into the beach with a dry bag packed with long pants and runners so we can venture up the narrow little path into the hills of wild bushes. We are armed with sticks in case we come across the wild boar we have seen wandering on the beach. We are half disappointed when we don’t meet him and half relieved.
    We trek right to the northern end of the island climbing granite boulders, whacking bushes and exploring derelict structures. We find a shaft going down into the depths of the rock. Braving the rusty ladder we go down a few steps into the darkness below. We could go further but the Mammy in me says ‘no’. As we continue on our walk we muse about what we might have found down at the bottom.
    We enter an abandoned house and follow it all the way through to back door. It leads us to a ravine of granite boulders which ends right down on the northern shore. We find a shady perch on one of the boulders and look across at Corsica and watch the swell roll through the Bonifacio straits.
    Our time here in Spargi is particularly sweet because we had the place nearly to ourselves in high season. The wind eventually dies off and the crowds return, it is time for us to be on our way.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 378

    Bonifacio

    24. heinäkuuta 2022, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    This post is written by Ruby ^_^

     The air smells of salt and diesel. Chalk cliffs rise up out of the water all around us. I can hear engines humming and the seagulls screeching. The deck shifts from the wash of a passing motorboat. Sunlight flashes off her gleaming hull into our eyes. We round the corner into the thin channel which leads up to “The best kept secret in France,” Bonifacio.
    Yeah
    This is certainly a town that won’t be leaving our memory anytime soon. The Citadel lies perched on the eroding cliffs, its stony walls looming up above us. There are marinas on both sides of the narrow bay and the murky water is constantly buzzing with traffic.

    Tying up is somewhat hectic (to say the least), as there is limited space and lots of other people nosing their way in and out. Regal is just tied up when we see a giant Superyacht reversing her way down between both marinas, with hardly any space on either side — and I thought our berthing was stressful!

    When the evening draws in, Dad and Colm go to dinner, while Mom hits the Citadel via the tourist train. Bonifacio is lit up beautifully, both from the lights of the boats and the restaurants in the narrow cobbled streets. Music starts playing from a few nightclubs fronting onto the water, and the town comes alive in a way it never did during the sticky afternoon heat.

    Mom and I share an ice-cream in the cockpit when she returns, and we gaze out at the lights and music, marvelling at the nightlife beauty of this unique town.

    In the morning, I walk up to the top of the cliffs, and enjoy the beautiful view of far-off Sardinia. When we motor out the channel and out into the open sea, I can point out where I walked to. This view of Bonifacio from the sea is breathtaking. Looking in at the cliffs, you would have no idea that an entire port was hidden behind those chalky rocks.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Doteyboaty
    Päivä 373

    A little diversion to Corsica

    19. heinäkuuta 2022, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Sailing north, we leave the coast of Sardinia and cross into French waters. We are travelling to Corsica for a petit sojourn.
    As the mountainous coast comes into view, it is clear to see why the island is so highly recommended.
    We pick up a bouy in Porto Pollo and from the cockpit we admire the stunning view of mountains across the bay. The nearest ones are dark and Ruby observes that just like a painting, the mountains in the background become lighter and lighter with distance.
    The little holiday town has a Spar supermarket at the beach so there is a drop of fun to the usual chore of shopping . We land the dinghy on the beach and walk past the windsurfing class before grabbing a trolley. The bill is noticeably more expensive than usual which I put down to us now being in France.
    Neither the Marina nor the village has a laundrette and we have travelled here with ten
    days worth of laundry. We decide that we had better make a dent in it, so Ronan and Colm ferry water drums to the port and fill up so we can do some washing without emptying the water tanks. This chore too is nicer than usual with such a beautiful view to look at as we stomp and wring our clothes clean.
    The daytime temperature in these parts is always more than 30 degrees, so the best time to venture inland is early morning or later in the evening. Ruby, Colm and I take a taxi to the historic site of Filitosa and arrive just as it opens at nine am and it’s already hot. We are here to see the small, carved standing stones that date back to same time as Stonehenge. The first occupants came here 8000 years ago and they used the natural caves and hollows in the Granite rock to make their homes. We use them now too for a break from the sun.
    Much of Corsica is Granite and we see extraordinary rock formations along the coast as we sail south and then east along the bottom of the Island. We stop at several anchorages over a few days and we explore the rocks and boulders on walks ashore, and in the water on paddle boards and snorkelling. There are lots of fish here and we find some hiding in the rock crevices including a bright orange Mediterranean Cardinal fish. Ruby and Ronan see two flying Gurnards feeding on the sea floor. Colm saw one in Ibiza but I have not yet had that pleasure. An Eagle Ray is kind enough to hang around long enough so that all four of us have a chance to see him. These days we rarely swim ‘sans snorkel’ as there is always something to see.
    It is high season and lots of people are out enjoying the water; sightseeing, jet skiing, fishing, kayaking and sailing. From the anchorage in Plage de Taravo we watch Kite surfers
    jump skywards in the strong afternoon breeze. Several Superyachts are in Golfe de Murtoli when we arrive. When the sun goes down they light up, illuminating the water around them in all different colours. They are far enough away that their lights don’t impact the view of the amazing night sky. It’s still so hot that I lie up on deck to cool down in the breeze before bed. I have a wonderful time star-gazing and listening to music. A most unusual satellite catches my eye and I watch it for over a minute as it travels like a slow night train across the sky. Its many lights all in a row make it easy to identify on Google as one of Elon Musk’s Space X satellites. I am so glad I took a break from binge watching Bridgerton to see this glimpse into the future.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös

Liity:

FindPenguins iOS-ohjelmistoilleFindPenguins Androidille

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Koti
  • Tietoa meistä
  • Blogi
  • Ryhmän seuranta
  • Lehdistö
  • Ehdot
  • Yksityisyys & Cookies
  • Tuki
  • Merkintä
  • Suomalainen