What have we been doing?

30 Apr

Monday 30.04.2018

...actually quite a lot!

However it was mainly related to painstakingly reviewing and researching the La Maddalena Archipelago and the bays, coves and nooks on the way to Olbia, where we are now.

You can imagine that we may be waiting for the right weather to continue our quest. For Madeleine the sun must be absolutely right and shed light in the most favourable way on the water to reveal the coves in their most amazing colour scheme.

To be honest, the waters and the beaches and coves along the Costa Smeralda are indeed breathtakingly beautiful. [I have to stop myself not to indulge in too many superlatives from now on].

market place in Santa Teresa Di Gallura

rock formations on Capo Testa

Let’s start at the beginning of our exploration along the northern coast of Sardinia. Leaving Isola Rossa we rounded the famous Capo Testa, a headland which looks quite forbidding yet has three safe and relatively easy accessible anchorages. Santa Teresa Di Gallura provided a great stop in a well kept hilly medieval town. The marina staff were very friendly and were the only ones who actually responded to our VHF call before entering the harbour. The weather continued to be good and the La Maddalena Archipelago beckoned. La Maddalena is a very special Marine Reserve with very complicated rules and regulations for mooring and anchoring. However, the rules are not enforced until the 1st of June so after a quiet night at anchor in Cala Giorgio Marino our exploration of the archipelago commenced. We investigated about 11-14 coves and anchorages during two days. Far too numerous to describe in any detail. We will only give you some kaleidoscopic presentation of their charm and changing qualities of beauty. La Maddalena is also the main city on the island of La Maddalena. We had a wonderful stay in the main harbour.

ER in Santa Teresa Di Gallura

Madeleine daring a 20ºC sea

Continuing from there, we sailed along the Costa Smeralda. We passed one of the most extravagant (i.e.) expensive hotels in this area in the Ramazzino cove. For those who have been (or not) in the area, the names of Cala di Volpe, Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo will trigger (hopefully) fond memories. Yes, the Costa Smeralda in high season (July - August) is extremely expensive and mooring prices are increased usually well over ten to twenty times above the out of season level or even more. In April we could moor for about 15.00 -25.00 Euros/night.

Fazit: If you want to explore this coast do it out of season and you will absolutely love it. (The weather however performs not always as you would have liked it)

Some aspects of our recent 'work':