24 05 2018, Thursday
We did certainly not regret being 'stuck' in Porto Vecchio (Corsica) as we have mentioned in our earlier blog.
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| Capo Bianco, Golfe de Sant'Amanza, Corsica |
What we did not appreciate was that we had to spend five days waiting for better weather. 'Better' meaning some break in the dark deep hanging clouds, less than 16 - 25kn wind and a pause in the rain.
Starting early on Thursday the 17th of May. Early sunshine provided a great start to our ‘mammoth’ task on our way to Bonifacio (berth booking essential). The task was to survey the coves and anchoring spots and photograph all 18 of them in their best possible and informative aspect. Our task unfortunately did not even allow enough time to anchor for lunch in one of the beautiful coves and enjoy their turquoise/blue water because we had already booked a space in the harbour of Bonifacio for the evening.
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| Bonifacio |
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Bonifacio Haute Ville with dangerously perching houses
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| passage de la Pintarella, Bouches de Bonifacio |
At 18:00, still with bright sunshine, we arrived a little exhausted but happy in Bonifacio, Corsica. The well hidden entrance amidst wonderful rock formations is spectacular! High up, perched on the cliff is a medieval town leading the observer to fear of some house dropping into the sea at any moment (or year). With the white Chapel of the Roc you are also reminded of the plague in 1572 which reduced the population of Bonifacio from 5000 to about 200 inhabitants. Unimaginable!
Bonifacio has a modern harbour with a large selection of
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| Easy Rider in Bonifacio |
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| Capo Pertusato and Île de Saint Antoine, Corsica |
restaurants, shops, bars
and even a nightly disco, for the young at heart.
We left very early on the 20th to have a look at the “pile of rocks” which in the parlance of the skipper denotes the rock strewn Lavezzi Islands (Corsica) in the Bouches of Bonifacio. Some of the attractive calas for anchoring and snorkelling are already
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| Cala della Chiesa, Îles Lavezzi |
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| Semillante Memorial, Lavezzi |
in great demand by day trip skippers. And who would not try to be there early…even before the Germans…:-)? One remote tiny cove was just large enough to accommodate one small boat. Lavezzi island remains in everybody’s memory related to the ship wreck of the French Frigate “Semillante” who in 1855 during the Crimean war ran aground in thick fog in a violent storm on the rocks of Lavezzi. All 693 hands were lost.
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| Cala Lazarina, Lavezzi |
From Lavezzi we rushed back up the Corsican east coast almost to Solenzara only to turn round and head back to Sardinia to the Marina di Olbia and prepare Easy Rider for the arrival of our Hertfordshire family over the long Bank Holiday weekend. Trying to get ER ship shape and Bristol fashion.
We’ll let you know whether we managed…
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| Cala de la Palma, ÎleCavallo...yes you can get in here, but you have to be careful... |