Sep. 28, 2007 - Marina bound

19 September 2007

Well we are now well and truly marina-bound and Atlantico looks awful without her mast and rig - Nige spent some time speaking to the insurance company, Hanse, Sparcraft for the rig and North Sails.  The office here at the marina has the only English speaking person in the whole area and she has been great and extremely helpful. We have checked for damage over Atlantico and tomorrow when the wind abates we intend to clean her up.  Having showered and feeling human again we walked to a local restaurant over the supermarket which tuned out to be amazing. Totally deceptive from the outside – all white leather and  designer interior. Superb food; antipasta to die for, especially the fish dishes and fillet steaks that were truly melt-in-the-mouth.  A huge pizza oven was manned by a chap fondly to become known at Joe 90/four eyes, who made dough by hand and tossed it around in the air like a cheerleader with her baton! 

20 September

The boys got the bikes out and went on a recci of the area which turns out to be not much!  The marina is situated in a hamlet of residential houses but nothing else.  One little supermarket which is limited and a bus stop into Cagliari about 20 kilometres away.  Great!!  No-one speaks English – how inconvenient and I desperately need to do some serious washing of sheets, towels etc.  

21 September

Arose early to catch the blue bus (advised by the marina receptionist that it’s the best one to catch) into Cagliari armed with two huge bags of washing (widow t****y eat your heart out!).  We waited and waited and waited – no bus; only the local one which stops at every village on the way and takes about 2 hours.  Eventually we decided to hire a car for a week as its cheaper in the long run and gives us opportunities to get out and explore.  The drive to Cagliari was interesting to say the least – just witnessing the Italians driving like maniacs, overtaking on solid lines, weaving in and out and honking horns, driving at 80 miles an hour – just unbelievable!  We made it safely and did laundarette and lunch.  Not too bad except the boys had two tee shirts and shorts nicked from the dryer.

Over the next few days we gradually got into the swing of a non-sailing itinerary.  The boys found a sandy beach down the road from the marina where we swam, we went back to Cagliari to sort out the boys’ flight home gaining a parking ticket into the bargain, we played dominoes, ate Italian ice-cream by the bucket load – wonderful stuff, motored the boat around to a little bay where the boys swam and snorkelled until rain stopped play.  Eventually, it was the boys last day before departure to UK via Florence at 0600 Wednesday morning (26^th).  We decided to go to the beach as the sun was shining for the first time in two days.  We found a little cafι open (everywhere has shut down as end of season) where the owner did us proud and shared a complimentary liquer with us which we had to swig “ tequila-style" straight down. A superb final farewell meal at the Piano Bar above the supermarket and a bleary-eyed drive to the airport at 03.15 a.m. the next day.

Nige and I really missed the boys - they had been great company and we’d been through so much.  We drove to Villasimuis, a town 30 kilometres away on true hairpin bends on an amazing coastal road with wonderful views and sheer drops – toe curling at times!  Back to the marina and rain.  Our wedding anniversary (27^th ) was hectic during the day doing another laundarette stop, chandlery (yes more money!)  attempting to locate a post office to pay our parking fine and  a bike shop to buy a pump (flat tyre).  Relaxed later over a super meal ….. and yes it was raining yet again.  Who said the Med was always hot and sultry!

28 September

Nige met local rigger, with his translator, to discuss requirements.  At last, a break-through with somebody – still no news from any other ******s.  It is so frustrating just hanging around for quotes and e-mails with prices. 

We have decided to fly over to Greece to spend our last week with Baz and Rita on their boat complete with mast and sail.  We are over-wintering Atlantico at Marina de Capitana where she will get her new mast and rig and the yard will anti-foul her.  Nige will drive over next April with new sails and prepare her for the last leg of our journey to Greece – 6 months late but life isn’t plain sailing ….

We travel via Rome and Athens and then a 6 hours coach drive to meet up with Baz/Rita in the Ionian and hopefully have a bloody good sail!!