Well we are back on the move having
spent winter back in the UK house sitting for our friends Linda and Dave whilst
they toured Australia and New Zealand for three months. We had a great time
back home meeting up with friends and family, and I got to spend some quality
time with my daughter and grandson Isaac. One of our fun things to do after I
picked Isaac up from school was to do some baking which he enjoys, on one
occasion we made chocolate cakes after which he was allowed to lick the bowel,
when asked if he had been eating chocolate his reply was “no”.
spent winter back in the UK house sitting for our friends Linda and Dave whilst
they toured Australia and New Zealand for three months. We had a great time
back home meeting up with friends and family, and I got to spend some quality
time with my daughter and grandson Isaac. One of our fun things to do after I
picked Isaac up from school was to do some baking which he enjoys, on one
occasion we made chocolate cakes after which he was allowed to lick the bowel,
when asked if he had been eating chocolate his reply was “no”.
Christmas was spent with Kevin’s brothers family, but before heading
off to their house we called into see Kevin’s daughter Rachel and the two
granddaughters Summer and Taylor, they couldn’t wait to show us what Santa had
bought them, and were even more excited when we gave them our presents they
couldn’t get the paper off fast enough. Although we were not able to spend
Christmas day with them we did manage to spend more time with them whilst back
home.
off to their house we called into see Kevin’s daughter Rachel and the two
granddaughters Summer and Taylor, they couldn’t wait to show us what Santa had
bought them, and were even more excited when we gave them our presents they
couldn’t get the paper off fast enough. Although we were not able to spend
Christmas day with them we did manage to spend more time with them whilst back
home.
Whilst back in the UK Kevin
undertook some work for his old boss Trevor and so had to spend weekdays in
Swindon, only getting home for the weekends, one of which we spent walking
around Carsington Reservoir, which is eight miles, and had to be achieved in 2
hours as Kevin didn’t think we would need longer, on getting back to the car I
told him “never again” my legs ached for days after as I had done the whole
walk in wellingtons having left my walking boots on the boat.
undertook some work for his old boss Trevor and so had to spend weekdays in
Swindon, only getting home for the weekends, one of which we spent walking
around Carsington Reservoir, which is eight miles, and had to be achieved in 2
hours as Kevin didn’t think we would need longer, on getting back to the car I
told him “never again” my legs ached for days after as I had done the whole
walk in wellingtons having left my walking boots on the boat.
Prior to heading back to Marina di
Ragusa (MdR) we managed to get a week’s skiing in Italy, Kevin was in his
element back in the mountains, the snow was great and we did manage a little
off piste skiing, nothing too grand though, however Kevin did take a
spectacular fall when he decided to take a short cut back onto the piste after
our usual coffee stop, he ducked under the piste netting and set of down the
hill, unfortunately he was attached to the netting by his ski pole and wasn’t
going anywhere, other than on his backside. Next minute along comes another
skier who shows him how it should be done.
Ragusa (MdR) we managed to get a week’s skiing in Italy, Kevin was in his
element back in the mountains, the snow was great and we did manage a little
off piste skiing, nothing too grand though, however Kevin did take a
spectacular fall when he decided to take a short cut back onto the piste after
our usual coffee stop, he ducked under the piste netting and set of down the
hill, unfortunately he was attached to the netting by his ski pole and wasn’t
going anywhere, other than on his backside. Next minute along comes another
skier who shows him how it should be done.
On the 9th March we
headed back to Marina di Ragusa, it was great to get back to the boat, however
when we got there Miss Lilly was covered in red sand which had been brought
over from the Sahara desert when it had rained, so one of Kevin’s firsts tasks
was to wash down the boat.
headed back to Marina di Ragusa, it was great to get back to the boat, however
when we got there Miss Lilly was covered in red sand which had been brought
over from the Sahara desert when it had rained, so one of Kevin’s firsts tasks
was to wash down the boat.
It was great meeting with old
friends and we also made some new ones, there was plenty to do on our return,
as well as preparing the boat for sailing we had several social events to
attend, first of was Helens birthday bash at the Pizzeria, then Barbara’s 60th
where we had a beach barbecue, and there were also a couple of concert nights
put on by the Sailing Nomads, a group made up of several live a boards, along
with all the other usual social activities.
friends and we also made some new ones, there was plenty to do on our return,
as well as preparing the boat for sailing we had several social events to
attend, first of was Helens birthday bash at the Pizzeria, then Barbara’s 60th
where we had a beach barbecue, and there were also a couple of concert nights
put on by the Sailing Nomads, a group made up of several live a boards, along
with all the other usual social activities.
One of the talking points in the
Marina was of a Russian guy berthed next to us who was trying to turn a mono
hull in to a trimaran using channel section aluminium, nuts and bolts and two
big fenders for floats, several people came to look and shake their heads, it
was not going to work was the general consensus. Sure enough after an overnight
sea trial the converted trimaran returned a mono hull much to everyone’s
amusement and comments of I told you so.
The 100mm+ aluminium section had just sheared off.
Marina was of a Russian guy berthed next to us who was trying to turn a mono
hull in to a trimaran using channel section aluminium, nuts and bolts and two
big fenders for floats, several people came to look and shake their heads, it
was not going to work was the general consensus. Sure enough after an overnight
sea trial the converted trimaran returned a mono hull much to everyone’s
amusement and comments of I told you so.
The 100mm+ aluminium section had just sheared off.
Prior to setting off we had friends
Andrew and Karen Henshaw visit us for 10 days, we hired a car for the time they
were with us and set off to visit various places, mount Etna being one of them,
unfortunately it was cloudy and you couldn’t see a thing and so we didn’t make
it all the way to the top, much to Andrews disappointment, not sure about Karen
though, I think she was relieved she didn’t have to go in the cable car. Andrew
even managed a sail, he is normally feeding the fish but this time he managed
without and even seemed to enjoy sailing. It was great to see them again, the
time flew by and they had no sooner arrived than they had to leave again.
Andrew and Karen Henshaw visit us for 10 days, we hired a car for the time they
were with us and set off to visit various places, mount Etna being one of them,
unfortunately it was cloudy and you couldn’t see a thing and so we didn’t make
it all the way to the top, much to Andrews disappointment, not sure about Karen
though, I think she was relieved she didn’t have to go in the cable car. Andrew
even managed a sail, he is normally feeding the fish but this time he managed
without and even seemed to enjoy sailing. It was great to see them again, the
time flew by and they had no sooner arrived than they had to leave again.
On the 11th May we set
off, first port of call was Siracusa, all though I was ready to set off I was
sorry to leave Marina di Ragusa, we had met so many great people there and had
a great time, hopefully we will get to see many off them back in MdR next
winter when we return later this year.
off, first port of call was Siracusa, all though I was ready to set off I was
sorry to leave Marina di Ragusa, we had met so many great people there and had
a great time, hopefully we will get to see many off them back in MdR next
winter when we return later this year.
We did manage to sail the majority
of the way to Siarcusa, although the wind was not in the best direction for a
direct sail, however we did get to see two pods of Dolphins and one lone
dolphin who stayed with the boat for a good forty minutes much to our delight
as it was the first time we had seen dolphins in ages. We arrived in Siracusa twelve
and a half hours after leaving MdR, longer than we had thought it would take,
and we put this down to having a foul bottom as we rarely managed to get above
5 knots. On entering the anchorage the wind dropped completely we found our
anchorage spot, I was given the ok to
drop the anchor, nothing happened, the windless was not working in the downward
motion, so Kevin had to drop the anchor manually, this was the only thing we
had not checked before leaving the marina.
of the way to Siarcusa, although the wind was not in the best direction for a
direct sail, however we did get to see two pods of Dolphins and one lone
dolphin who stayed with the boat for a good forty minutes much to our delight
as it was the first time we had seen dolphins in ages. We arrived in Siracusa twelve
and a half hours after leaving MdR, longer than we had thought it would take,
and we put this down to having a foul bottom as we rarely managed to get above
5 knots. On entering the anchorage the wind dropped completely we found our
anchorage spot, I was given the ok to
drop the anchor, nothing happened, the windless was not working in the downward
motion, so Kevin had to drop the anchor manually, this was the only thing we
had not checked before leaving the marina.
That evening was the first time we
had been able to spend the entire evening sitting above deck without getting
cold, it was a lovely calm evening and a very enjoyable one to finally have
some solitude.
had been able to spend the entire evening sitting above deck without getting
cold, it was a lovely calm evening and a very enjoyable one to finally have
some solitude.
The next morning we were up for an
early start to Crotone where Miss Lilly was to be hauled out of the water for
anti fouling. On lifting the anchor the windless did not sound too healthy and
so Kevin left the wheel to check how things were going, normally as the anchor
comes up I would ensure the chain was lying evenly in the locker to prevent the
windless getting jammed. However my mind was on getting the anchor up and not
the chain, so at the ten meter mark the chain caught around the windless, and
as the downward motion did not work it was pretty well stuck. With some brute
strength Kevin managed to free the chain, with a few expletives, I made myself
scarce at the stern end of the boat. By 0520 we were on our way, twenty minutes
later than planned. This time there was either no wind or it was all mixed up,
one minute the sails were up, and then they were down, we ended up having to
motor most of the 160 miles to Crotone. One of the highlights though was
watching the sun set on our first day, and for Kevin seeing it rise again the
following day as he was on watch, and the best highlight was capturing a shot
of a dolphin as it tried to get in the frame whilst Kevin was taking a picture
of the sunrise.
early start to Crotone where Miss Lilly was to be hauled out of the water for
anti fouling. On lifting the anchor the windless did not sound too healthy and
so Kevin left the wheel to check how things were going, normally as the anchor
comes up I would ensure the chain was lying evenly in the locker to prevent the
windless getting jammed. However my mind was on getting the anchor up and not
the chain, so at the ten meter mark the chain caught around the windless, and
as the downward motion did not work it was pretty well stuck. With some brute
strength Kevin managed to free the chain, with a few expletives, I made myself
scarce at the stern end of the boat. By 0520 we were on our way, twenty minutes
later than planned. This time there was either no wind or it was all mixed up,
one minute the sails were up, and then they were down, we ended up having to
motor most of the 160 miles to Crotone. One of the highlights though was
watching the sun set on our first day, and for Kevin seeing it rise again the
following day as he was on watch, and the best highlight was capturing a shot
of a dolphin as it tried to get in the frame whilst Kevin was taking a picture
of the sunrise.
We arrived at Crotone at 1215 on
the 13th May, exactly two years after leaving the UK to start our
sailing adventure, that night we went out for a celebratory meal at a restaurant
on the waterfront, before completing the necessary preparatory work to ensure
Miss Lilly is ready for this seasons sailing by ensuring she has a nice clean
bottom and shinny hull.
the 13th May, exactly two years after leaving the UK to start our
sailing adventure, that night we went out for a celebratory meal at a restaurant
on the waterfront, before completing the necessary preparatory work to ensure
Miss Lilly is ready for this seasons sailing by ensuring she has a nice clean
bottom and shinny hull.
Log 238.4
Cumulative Miles 2699
Engine hours 39.27
