Friday 28 June 2013

Corfu to Sarande, Albania


Sailing from Le Castella, you might remember that we were still deciding on our destination. With very variable winds throughout the night, which meant that we were always putting up or taking down sails, motoring then back to sailing, we didn’t have the stamina for the full distance to Sarande in Albania. And some lovely Greek islands were right there in the way, so why pass them by? Our first night in Greece was spent anchored in a pretty bay at Erikoussa, just north of Corfu, where we learned that no island in Greece is so small that it doesn’t have a taverna.
 

Next day we followed Guy and Seed in Skaf over to the small harbour of Kassiopi in Corfu. The best known island in the Ionian, Corfu is a beautiful island of forests and green hills, along with the blue water beaches we had been expecting. At this time of the year, the whole island seems to be covered in flowers and ripening fruit on the trees – it really is gorgeous and you can see why the rich and famous have long been purchasing villas here. Some of the locals are understandably resentful, however, and you can see why as soon as you try to walk anywhere. Private villas mean that access to the best places is impossible, and many (most?) of the beaches are not available to the public. We anchored in a lovely bay around from the harbour and used the dinghy to get into town – beach access is obviously not a problem if you can swim off the back of your boat – but I am glad we’ve managed to keep our beaches public in Australia. I would hate to have to watch through the fence as rich foreigners played on my local beach.
 

We were due to leave with Skaf for Sarande after two days in Corfu, but sadly Seed’s father passed away and they had to return to France. So we journeyed on alone, making the crossing of just six nautical miles between Greece and Albania at this point, and docking comfortably alongside the Catamaran Ooro, out of Fremantle in Western Australia. Unbelievably, another Freo boat, Saving Grace, came in the same day, making three of the four yachts in Sarande Harbour all registered in Fremantle! We were welcomed in by Agim and Leela, who helped us dock and then processed all our paperwork. They have been endlessly helpful, and if there is ever any sort of problem on the dock, one of them will magically appear to sort things out. When the crew of Ooroo had some difficulties with an official in a neighbouring bay – he threatened them and made them leave without even letting them retrieve their line – the line appeared on the dock next to their boat the following morning, and Agim informed them that the fellow had been dealt with, that unfortunately there are still some people who are living in the past.
Three Fremantle yachts in Sarande harbour

Ray and Annette, from Saving Grace, have just wound up a chartering business they’ve been running in the Ionian for the last seven years and they are now doing some cruising for their own pleasure. We went with them on a day trip to one of Sarande’s famous attractions, the Blue Eye Spring, where clear fresh water of just 10 degrees C gushes from the earth creating a powerful stream of the most refreshing water you can imagine. The place is in deep woods, where apparently lynx and bears still abound. There are certainly plenty of butterflies, electric blue and gold dragonflies and bright green frogs. Kind of like fairyland, really. It has a couple of simple restaurants and a few basic cabins, and the absence of tourist “attractions” is part of its appeal.
 
 

The other must-see near Sarande is the archaeological park at Butrint, a forested peninsula that has been described as a “microcosm of Mediterranean history”. One of its earliest incarnations was Greek, where there was a sanctuary of healing dedicated to the god Asclepius. A substantial Roman settlement succeeded that, and there are fascinating remains of the theatre, villas, temples, baths, fountains and the aqueduct. In the Christian era Butrint was the bishop’s seat and there are extraordinary remains of a 5th Century basilica and a baptistery with a lovely mosaic floor, still largely intact. Then there is the Norman castle and the fortifications of the Venetian period. Finally, Ali Pasha built a castle in the late 18th Century, where he entertained celebrity guests such as Lord Byron. Interestingly, the excavation of Butrint was undertaken by an Italian team beginning in 1928, part of Mussolini’s drive to recreate the glories of the Roman Empire.  You experience Butrint as a walk through the woods, suddenly happening upon an ancient well, or a section of a massive wall, a villa with fine brickwork in stone and terracotta or the remains of a temple overlooking the shimmering estuary. Once again, there is just enough infrastructure to make it enjoyable – explanatory plaques, drink vendors, a small local handcrafts stall, maps, toilets – but no touts or hawkers, and you can actually get in close to look at things. The only restricted areas are the actual digs where work is in progress. It is quite wonderful.
 
 

Food, both the fresh produce in the market and meals in restaurants, is excellent and very cheap. I’m told that all the fruit and vegetables are organic as the farmers cannot afford chemical fertilizers or pest control. They are certainly delicious – and it’s cherry season! Our favourite restaurant was Fredi’s Taverna, just a street back from the harbour on an upstairs veranda. We tended to eat a range of small dishes, like Greek meze or Spanish tapas, where you can taste a variety of the local specialties: meatballs, crunchy rice croquettes, stuffed peppers, squid, fried zucchini etc. This, plus bread, beer and fruit, typically set us back about three euros per person.

Perhaps Albania’s long stretch under the dark cloud of the dictator Hoxha has had this one silver lining: that it has not (yet?) suffered the overdevelopment that blights the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia and probably other places we haven’t yet seen. The hotels and apartments being built here seem to be on a human scale, and the waterfront is lively and attractive. We’ve found the people friendly and welcoming without any pressure to buy stuff. The young people often speak excellent English and are keen to try out their skills. You can see evidence of the privations of the past in the remnants of brutal Stalinist architecture and in the small stature of the older people. Often the older folk seem stony-faced and suspicious, which is hardly surprising given what most of them have lived through, but a smile and a greeting typically transform the encounter; they beam in return and assure you that you are very welcome in Albania.   

 
Many thanks to Linda and Hugh Moore of Wild Goose, on whose recommendation we came here; we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our stay and we would definitely pass on the recommendation to other cruisers.

Friday 21 June 2013

Calabria


Calabria, the province on the sole of Italy’s boot, is the original home of many of Western Australia’s Italian families. They emigrated during the 1950s via assisted passages, leaving one of Italy’s poorest regions which had been further devastated by an earthquake in 1953. Mostly young men, the pioneering migrants seized the opportunity to work hard, then started vineyards, market gardens and small businesses of their own. Once established, they sent home for the rest of the family, and for brides. In some cases, entire Calabrian villages were transplanted to WA.

 
We hired a car for a few days to explore the Calabrian countryside while Common Sense was moored in the nice little town of Le Castella. It was fascinating to see the small towns and villages nestled in the valleys, or perched atop the steep hills. Some of them look as though they haven’t changed since the 1950s – except for the satellite dishes beaming in endless soccer matches and melodramatic soapies.

Driving was fun, if your idea of fun includes hairpin bends on mountainsides, potholes the size of bathtubs, driving along ridges with a sheer 500 metre drop on both sides and numerous Italians overtaking you on blind corners at high speed. A bit of a buttock-clencher for me, but Terry embraced his inner Andretti and was driving like a native after day 1 (apart from the blind corners, of course).

 
The scenery was really spectacular in the mountains north-west of Crotone, views of deep green woods, fertile farmlands and olive groves laid out in patterns and the hazy blue Med lapping it all in the distance. We found a beautiful lake in the mountains at Palumboso, eerily deserted despite the glorious weather and the spring flowers in bloom. It is a popular resort in the summer, and also for skiing in winter, but Italians, like Americans, seem to be on a strict holiday schedule – you go to certain places at certain times. The only place we could find open was a restaurant with an ice-rink inside! It wasn’t operating, but in the season it must be amusing to eat your pasta while watching a hockey game or some figure-skating. And the pasta al funghi was great, by the way, even though we were the only patrons.

 
Other excursions - to Crotone to see the Greek ruins and the archaeological digs and to Isola di Rizzuto – and we also grabbed the opportunity to fill our fuel cans (25 gallons = $A279) and do some heavy shopping (ie mostly beer). After a week we had become very fond of Le Castella, especially the ritual passeggiata up the main street each evening to the Camel Bar, where we could sit and enjoy a quiet drink and watch the passing parade.
Remaining column from the Temple of Hera at Crotone

A few days of good weather lay ahead, so it was time to set forth across the instep of Italy. Would we head for Santa Maria de Leuca on the heel of Italy (80 nautical miles*), the Greek islands north of Corfu (128 nm) or all the way to Albania (150nm)? It would all depend on the wind, the seas and our stamina.
Mystery destination...

* We travel at an average of 5 knots, which is 5 nm per hour

Sunday 9 June 2013

Goodbye Sicilia - We'll be Back!


It wasn’t difficult to spend a few more days in beautiful Syracuse. We checked out the Archimedes museum – definitely one for the maths nerds, though they’ve put in an effort to make it interactive. Amongst his many contributions to physics and mathematics, Archimedes was Syracusa’s most potent weapon against the invading Roman fleet during a siege. Once the fleet was trapped in the harbour, the Syracusans used Archimedes-designed giant catapults to hurl rocks and other debris with great force against the ships. He also designed an array of large mirrors, which were assembled in a curve to focus the sun’s rays onto the sails, igniting them. The Romans were under strict instructions to capture the genius alive, but Archimedes was killed in his house, somewhat ironically, by a soldier with a sword.

A little out of town there is an archaeological park, home to an ancient Greek theatre which is still in use (Oedipus Rex, Antigone and The Parliament of Women were playing while we were there), a Roman theatre and an excellent museum. The wealth of artefacts was organised in a sort of spiral through the ages, from Neolithic to Roman, so you could really see the evolution of pottery, metalwork and other artefacts, as well as the influence of trade and conquest.

After five days at anchor, using the dinghy to get around, we decided to moor at the town dock for a while to make it easier to take on water and food, and to enjoy a few nights out at the city’s great restaurants. The town dock is free for five days, and you are right there on the beautiful boardwalk, in prime position to watch the locals make their passeggiata in style each evening. The only downside is that you have to shift position every now and then as superyachts or small cruise liners come in. Unfortunately at this time Terry broke his toe accidentally kicking something in the cockpit, so our excursions were curtailed somewhat. We did manage a walk around the tip of the old city of Ortigia, which was beautiful, and of course eat a couple of excellent meals (Don Carmelo’s is highly recommended). Good water was free from a public tap near the dock, and we made many trips with jerry cans to fill the tanks. Remember, nothing on a boat is easy! While loaded up with water cans (and several good meals) Terry broke our passerelle (gangplank for getting on the boat) and we had to make an emergency one from an aluminium ladder purchased at the local hardware store. Actually, with a bit of modification this turned out to be ideal - plus we also found a neat little fold-up cart for toting water cans! So after one final visit to the wonderful market for fresh swordfish, tomatoes, cherries, oranges, baked ricotta it was nearly time to move...

Common Sense (right) on the public dock in Syracuse
 
Another superyacht was heading in, so rather than moor again, we decided to go out on the anchor again for our last night. We farewelled Yorge and Karina, a delightful Greek couple who gave us some excellent tips for our upcoming cruise with Kathy, Leonie and Steve (can’t wait to see you guys!) and then headed out into the bay. We really recommend Syracuse as a destination – there is a lot to see and do, and it’s a genuinely warm and welcoming place.

A pleasant day of mostly sailing plus a bit of motor when the wind changed, and we reached Acci Trezza, our planned overnight stay. Well that was the only part that went to plan. It was marked as an anchorage but there was clearly no place to anchor in the tiny fishing harbour, so we tried for a mooring between a fishing boat and a French yacht. Aarrgh! We had been lulled into false confidence by the easy Med mooring on the dock in Syracuse where we could drop the anchor at the bow and back in with plenty of space and good holding on the bottom. This was a different matter – the wind blew us sideways, the bow-thruster only worked intermittently and the anchor didn’t dig in! We turned and tried again, with the French guys trying to assist, but we managed to get stuck on the anchor chain of a large fishing boat, with the wind blowing us hard onto it. The French blokes tried to float a long line out to us to pull the boat off, but it would only float so far so I had to jump in and swim out to get it. It was still too hard to pull us off in the strong wind, so we launched the dinghy in record time and Terry tootled around to attach a line. And what happened then? The wind changed and we floated gently off the chain. Marcel and Olivier, our new best friends, pulled us in sideways to the dock behind the fishing boat and everyone was able to breathe again. A few of the local fisherman had looked on with amusement during the whole process and advised with the usual Italian + English+ mime and gesture that they would be going out at midnight and that we should stay right there!

The Cyclops' Islands
 
Whew! Time to relax and share a beer with Marcel and Olivier, a jovial and generous father-son team of cruisers. Olivier sounds like a similar thrill seeker to our Paddy – kite-surfing, snow-boarding and snow-kiting, which I had never heard of before but involves ski-ing up the slopes as well as down them. I hope some kind boater is there to help them when they need it; cruising karma seems to work this way.

We recovered enough from our ordeal to go for a stroll around this lively little town. Apparently it’s an Italian tourist destination rather than an international one, so there were plenty of people out eating and drinking and making their passeggiata around the town and the waterfront. Acci Trezza is famous as the home of the Cyclopi in Homer’s Odyssey, and an array of strange pointed rocks at the harbour entrance are supposed to be the very rocks hurled by the enraged and blinded Polyphemus as Ulysses and his remaining (uneaten)sailors made their escape.

The next morning saw us underway early, escaping before the return of the fishing boat made exiting any more difficult. We were heading for Taormina, a comfortable three hour sail up the beautiful east coast of Sicily, which is dominated by the brooding presence of Mt Etna, towering over all. The land around the volcano is incredibly green and fertile from the mineral enriched soil and the abundant water from melting snow – clearly the reason people continue to live in its shadow despite the ever-present threat. Etna creates her own weather, with clouds of vapour issuing from the crater. Her last major eruption was in 2001, but there are frequent hiccups and lava flows which are said to be spectacular.

Etna beginning to smoke...
 
It wasn’t really a pleasant sail, with quite a significant swell making for a rocky journey. And unfortunately, the swell was coming right into Taormina Bay. We had a look at the anchorage, where three other yachts were moored or anchored, and decided that it was just too rough and dangerous: even the catamarans were bouncing around like corks. So, sadly, we had to give Taormina a miss this time around, which is a shame as it looks like such a beautiful town; perched high on the hills with a fabulous view of Etna and the coast. A funicular railway takes you up the slope from the water to the town. Ah well, we’ll definitely return to Sicily and will save it for next time.
Taormina - the sea looks much calmer than it really was!

So now we had only one choice – head for the mainland – but the nearest useable harbour is a long way away and the south coast of the ‘sole’ of the Italian boot is generally fairly hostile from an anchoring point of view. Le Castella seemed like the best place to head for, and that meant an overnight trip and arrival at about 10am the next morning. So we changed course and hoped for more wind, which did eventually arrive as we crossed the Straits of Messina. The narrow point of the Straits is where Ulysses encountered Scylla and Charybdis, respectively a many-headed sea monster and a giant whirlpool, one on each side. Apparently these were based on fact – there was a maelstrom here, until an earthquake changed the topography, and it was also a common place to encounter waterspouts – like snake headed monsters and just as dangerous. We only had a bit of strong wind to contend with, which was a relief. During the night we had good winds and were able to sail at 6 knots for a good clip before the motor had to go on again. One thing we are learning is that Mediterranean weather is very localised and rapidly variable. No wonder it took Ulysses ten years to get home – those winds that got loose from the bag are still out there!

And finally we made it into Le Castella, a lovely small marina with a huge old Spanish castle built on the point, over the ruins of a Greek temple. We backed in with no trouble at all and the staff have been friendly and helpful, the rates very reasonable. The Ionian Sea is calm and blue, the beer is cold and we’re very happy to be here in beautiful Italy.