July, 2012

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Saturday July 14th. Valetta, Malta

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

After a good night’s sleep and a cooler morning the energy came back. I folded a few sails, since I have the luxury of being alongside a dock. Unpacked the folding bike. But then I realized that Valetta is about 10 kms from here. So, I locked the bicycle and took the bus. Then I joined the tourist throngs in Valetta. The first stop was at St. John’s cathedral. Built by the European noble men/warriors who had managed to stop the onslaught of the Ottoman Turks after the Great Siege of 1565. More recently on August 15th (which is also the feast of Mary’s assumption, one of the four main Maltese feast days) 1942 the Maltese were able to stop the assault of the Italians, part of the fascist Axis. The tanker, the USS. Ohio came to the rescue when the island’s governor had lost all hope. This vessel was the first welded, instead of riveted, double hulled ship. The USS Wasp also played a significant role. But this whole island is a fortress. This weekend is the feast of Saint Mary of Mount Carmel, which is also one of the oldest parishes on the island. The main streets are all decorated and lined with these gaudy removable wooden statues, see pictures.

In the meantime it is Sunday morning and I moved the boat to the other side of Valetta and I am anchored near the Royal Malta YC. I rowed to shore and attended 9.15 high mass at the St. John’s cathedral. I believe that I can soon make claim for having attended more services in famous and out of the way churches than most. It was a beautiful service, latin mass with about a 50 member choir and a magnificent organ. Now back to the Saturday visit of the museum part of the St.John church. You are given a self guided audio tour. So much nicer than having these groups of people following a guide explaining it in their language. The two particular artist that have contributed their talents to this church are first of all Caravaggio a 16th century Lombardian painter. Particularly the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. And the Flemish tapistries of de Vos. Carvaggio was another artist with a wild temper and very controversial. Pictures are not allowed in the museum part.

In the museum I met Rudi and Froukje both from Leeuwarden who are here on a discovery visit to check their competition for the 2018 European city of culture nomination. The work for the Leeuwarden entry. At first I thought that Malta would be no match for Leeuwarden but then they explained to me that with all the history here the Maltese have very little access to cultural events. So, root for the Frisian women!!

I dropped the trip to Tunis, talking to my British neighbors in the anchorage, they pointed out that there is really not much of interest to experience. The winds sound  not too encouraging to go from here back to the S.W. part of Sicily. So, I might stay another day on anchor. Otherwise I’ll leave this afternoon and might end up with a two night sail. I am sort of done with the Med and anxious to get up to France and on to Amsterdam. I am very glad I stopped in Malta. The Maltese are not a particular attractive people. And they rank right after Brazil in the way they dress, men and women. But hat has little to do with their warmth and generosity. Maybe it is because I have just been between the gorgeous Slavic women and the beautiful Italian women.

Sunday evening: There are some real nasty gales blowing tomorrow north of me. Force 7 and 8…. So, I’ll stay put since I am not paying moorage. It’s a long row from the anchorage to Valetta and not many places that you can get to town other than climbing over high fences. I chose to go through the hotel marina. And on the way back I got their wireless access code  which I can catch here on the anchorage. But it comes and goes. After mass while I was working on the blog with a cool beer I ran out of battery power. At the table next to me were Anne and Valeska from Sittard. Really nice ladies in their early thirties. Anne had studied a year in La Fayette, La. and works in the medical administration of a Sittard hospital, Valeska has a degree in German languages. She studied in Dresden. If you look at the picture you’d wonder, just like me, how these nice gals managed to keep from being snatched by a good man yet. They’d make great daughters in law for you. They love to travel and both have learned to sail when they were younger.

There is an armada of sail and power boats returning from their weekend outing and the regatta.

I am putting a few pictures below, these are the ones Photoshop just plain refuses to size for a slide show. But I have made so many good pictures here that I have put them in a slide show of 22 pictures, included now in  at : www.cometosea.us/albums/albums/WesternMed.wmv 

I might do a little more exploring tomorrow and in that case will add those pictures as well. I’ll let you know.

 

 

 

Friday the thirteenth of July, Malta

Friday, July 13th, 2012

I left Syracuse around 3 p.m. When I checked to see the time, to make a note in the log book, I did not have my watch on. I sped back to the marina but in the less than an hour lapsed when I hung it in the shower dressing room, it was gone. And apparently no one had turned it in to the marina office, right next door. My daughters in Tacoma gave it to me last Christmas. I loved that watch. But I shall buy a $ 25 Casio with a velcro band. This way I will become credible again when I tell people that I just live on Social Security. Their eyes would go to my watch and they’d have trouble controlling their smirks. I also lost my favorite Polaroid sunglasses, I bought in Durban in  2006. I may need to get a job. Because I am spending fortunes on moorage. I wrote about the 46 Euroes I had to pay in Syracuse. That was a bargain. I just paid 64 Euroes ( nearly $90…..) here in Valetta at the Grand Harbour Marina. I checked some of the other marinas but they were having a regatta weekend at the Royal Malta YC and the other one was under reconstruction. But I’ll have to say that it is one of the best marinas I have visited. The showers are like something you’d find at the Ritz. No comparison with the junky place in Syracuse.

I sailed most of the way, until this morning when the seas were so incredibly confused that the little wind was just slapped right out of the sails. It is again very hot. It evaporates the energy I’d like to have to do chores and go exploring. It is now close to 8 p.m. and finally getting some relief. Malta is an incredible place. I need a week to see all the sights but with this kind of moorage charges I may have to cut it short. I’ll see about an anchorage. I’d like to go to mass on Sunday here in the St.  John’s cathedral. The Maltese language is a mixture of Arabic, Italian

I’ll add the pictures tomorrow, weak internet. I am hungry and tired. I slept very little at all during the night because the wind kept changing strenght and directions constantly. There were lots of tankers/freighters but never in my way. Visibility has been poor. A haze, because of all the forest fires.

 

 

 

Thursday July 12, Syracuse

Thursday, July 12th, 2012

I got up early and wanted to try and see the sights in the earlier cool hours. When I arrived on my folding bike at the Neapolis site I found that it did not open till 9 a.m. Then I found out that the amphitheater is still covered with wooden bleachers that were used for the annual festival in late June. But you will get an idea of the dimensions of the “stadium”. Plato is supposed to have entertained here as well. The setting in this river valley is worth the visit. Lemon groves, lots of flowering shrubs. My next stop would have been the catacombs at the 6th century church of Saint John. There were about 20,000 Christians buried here. What the picture shows are the ruins of the church that was once built by the Normans.

I am off this afternoon for an overnight sail to Malta. I am once again below the 38th Latitude, south of Athens. Malta is slightly further South and Tunis is about the same latitude. It is still over a hundred Fahrenheit, but there is an overcast that reduces the heat.

 

Wednesday July 11 in Syracuse, Sicily

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

I left Rocella Ionica yesterday at noon and arrived here at 1 p.m. Not bad for  96 nautical miles, as the crow flies, but sail boats have to tack against the wind and I must have covered over 110/120 miles. Practically sailed the whole way. At midnight the wind changed to a reach from the tacking I had done earlier. I ended up with two reefs in the main and just the little storm jib, doing 5 knots.  Lots of fishing boats and rotating red and white lights on the end of their nets. But practically no commercial vessel to be seen.

Syracuse is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Paul stopped here on his way to Rome after they had wintered on Malta, after the shipwreck. I might do his voyage  in reverse. I am thinking of heading for Valetta tomorrow and then possibly stop in Tunis. My only hesitation is the unusual high temperatures. It was over 40 degrees centigrade again this afternoon. This morning it had cooled off so that I needed to put on a t-shirt.It is too hot to cook, so, I am on a salad diet.

I just nearly choked when I heard what the moorage costs, 46 euroes about $65… That is more than double what I paid in the previous Italian ports except the one in Sta Maria de Leuca, where it was 31 euroes. I will try see the Greek amphitheater from 450 B.C. Syracuse was founded by the Corinthians and at one time its population was over 300,000. It played a very important role in the Greek and Roman cultures. Then I will either anchor out in the bay here or do an other overnighter. You should try watch the sky before sun rise in the area where the sun rises. I think it is Venus and Mars or Mercury who are in a straight vertical line and both are very bright.

I just found ou today that the article in Wooden Boat Magazine’s Sept/Oct issue, about Botters, will be a cover page article. You have got to read it. WB did a great job putting my information together. Back in 2004 an article I wrote about the “Groote Beer” for Spiegel der Zeilvaart also made their front cover.

 

 

Tuesday July 10 still in Rocella Ionica

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

I made a pilgrimage this morning to the church of the “Virgin de la Gracia”. Founded in 1545. She is the patroness of the seamen and fishermen. Over the years seamen and their families have prayed for safety at sea. The church is full of ship models that rescued shipwrecked sailors have brought as offerings. There was big celebration here last weekend in honor of the virgin.

The church is located in the river valley above the village. A gorgeous landscape. I will be talking to the sail maker in Lecce to see if there is any possibility to get together while I am on the run from Italy. Otherwise I plan leave this afternoon and try get to Syracuse on Sicily by tomorrow evening.

Monday July 9 in Rocella Ionica

Monday, July 9th, 2012

I left Santa Maria de Leuca at noon and sailed all night. Except for the last 3 or so hours I sailed nearly all and something of everything, some very nice sailing. Ieven had the light spinkaker up for a half hour, then the wind died.

This coast line of the boot and heel of IItaly is totally different from the other Med sailing. There are very few natural harbors or even a cove to anchor in. Just fairly steep sand beaches. From here to the next marina is 70 miles, too much for a day sail. So. I’ll probably do the same leave in midday and sail over night. I am parked next to a Dutch couple on I believe “Atlantis” registered in Schoonhoven. Apparently the moorage is inexpensive here so I might try and see if I can get together with the client of Guus Bierman who once again has come to my rescue to replace the wasted 150% Genoa.

The below pictures, of the turn of the century homes in Sta Maria de Leuca are for my two best architect friends, Sid and Roger and my architect nephews and one grandson. There is a whole section of the town with these strange form of architecture, something out of a Fellini movie. Someone tell me what this period is called.

When the Italian version of the Blue Angels came down off the heights where the Basilica and the light house are towering over the town, the enormous water fall was turned on.

Sunday, July 8th in Santa Maria de Leuca

Sunday, July 8th, 2012

I managed to get cash out of the ATM machine after all. I will do some provisioning and then leave this afternoon. It is more than a day sail from here to the other side of the bay of Taranto, I’ll make it an overnighter. There appears to be some wind from the right direction but the forcast is for zero wind during the night. But I have very little confidence in the forcasting here.

I climbed up to the basilica, next to the tall lighthouse tower, above the city and went to 8 a.m. mass. Very nice service. They do not allow photographs inside the basilica. But you did not miss much. Gaudy, baroque. The gospel was from Mark 6. “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” So true, on both accounts, Gig Harbor Y.C. and recently with my siblings. Oh, well. That is only a tiny aspect of the rest of the world. But it still hurts.

July 7 Saturday evening in Santa Maria del Leuca

Saturday, July 7th, 2012

This part of Italy is the third world. I’ll have to wait till Monday for the banks to open to get cash from an ATM machine….  Wireless internet  is almost non existent in the boot of Italy. Yesterday in Brindisi, which is a repectable size city I just gave up.  I sailed all Wednesday night, from Trani, and passed Brindisi in the early Thursday morning. The wind kept increasing and was right on the snoot. I was not making any headway  trying to get around the heel of the boot of Puglia. In the end there was no harbor to go back to except Brindisi. So all that precious upwind proghress I had made wsent to waste and I spent another three hours sailing back down wind to Brindisi. I was totally wasted because I had not been able to get much sleep during the day. I dragged my self up the steep stairs trying to find an internet connection. No such luck. After a decent sleep I did laundry and some maintenance chores and tried once again to get wired at a nearby restaurant. Did not work. Then I left the Brindisi marina and anchored for the night within the break water and left at 5.30 a.m. this morning. By the way, on Thursday I blew out my favoorite sail the light dacron 150%. It was all of 32 years so I guess I got my money’s worth out of it. But now my next biggest sail is a 140% piece of crap I bought second hand in Annapolis in 2009. I had Schokker in Volendam try to fix it but that was a wasted effort. Today there was very little wind and I motor sailed the whole way. I will go to mass here in the cathedral tomorrow.

Looks like an nice town. Moorage is expensive, 31 Euroes. They at first wanted 39.  I have paid 22 and 22.78 i the previous ports.

 

 

 

Wednesday July 4th Happy Birthday America!

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012

It should make for a special fire works display, with the full moon.

I spent a second day in Travi, I worked on a couple potential newspaper articles about the Croatian discoveries. It was still extremely hot and humid. I was interupted in my provision shopping when they closed at 2 p.m. when I went back in the evening they were just closing once again. But I managed to get most of what I need. The wind is still from the direction I need to go. I might try to do an overnighter. At least it is a little cooler and no need for mosquito net on the water. I am definitely charmed by Travi. I cannot make heads or tails out of the dialect they speak here in Puglia. Worse than Sicilian.

I also made up a slide show of the regatta from Komiza on Vis to Palagruza, with the lateen rigged fishing boats. Go to item 98) on the web site to find it. And on the subject of traditional sailing, I was sent the final proof of the article I wrote for Wooden Boat magazine about the Nieuwboer Botter yard in Spakenburg and about Botters in general. It will appear in the September/October issue. I’ll remind you again at the time. The WB people did a terrific job with it and it has a ton of good information in it for those who will ever wish to see the spectacle on the Dutch waters and in their museums. “Groote Beer” is also part of it.

I heard back from my very dear friends I knew in Saigon who live on the Cote d’Azur. I will meet with our then land lady of 423 Hai Ba Trung, next month, I last saw her February 26th 1963, when I left Vietnam. The rest of the family I have seen last in the seventies in Paris.

 

 

Monday July 2nd Trani, Puglia

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

I had a good sail on an early start from Vieste. Full main and 150% light dacron genova. But the wind was from the South, I had to make a few tacks. Then the wind kept getting stronger but I was lifted to make my intended course. One reef, two reefs, from the 150% to the 120% then the storm jib. I had to ease off from my course because the wawes were slowing me down and I had to have the forward hatch closed because of waves breaking over the bow. In this heat that gets nasty in side. So, I picked Trani for a night’s rest. This is a jewel of a town, just south of Barletta, North of Bari. Compared to Vieste. They even have internet in the cafes. I am in a marina and took a well deserved shower. It looks like we might get some thunder showers. It makes for great photographs in the red evening sky. And a nearly full moon. The whole town seems to be out on the malecon and parks. This is a happy place .

I just found out that Italy did not win the Europa Cup, they lost from Spain last night. No more Italian flags here.