Windy start to "Cruising in the Western Med 2013"

If we'd been super organised we might have left Marina di Ragusa, fondly referred to as MdR by the winter residents, by mid April, but we kept finding more jobs and as we were about to hoist the mainsail realised that the batten pockets needed some reinforcing.  Luckily the local sailmaker took it away and the repair was done within a few days......but by then the weather had closed in with continued blustery conditions and we continued partying.  One more final barbecue, quiz night, bridge night, mexican train, happy hour drinks with a select group of musical sailors entertaining in grand style, and of course any opportunity for pot luck food and drinks on the "runway"!

Roberts I & II in charge of the barbecue

Shani posing with the carabinieri...see Bob and Stephen just getting a look in;)

We did eventually sail away on Monday 6th May at 0630 hours, just ahead of the "fleet", at least 15 boats left MdR that morning and several more in the next couple of days.  Some had left with a following easterly breeze to spend some time in Licata and others had a reach to Malta.  But we were heading east and needed westerly breezes.  We said fond farewells to our friends on "E" dock and to some others who were up early enough to run down the dock and wave goodbye.  We set the main in lumpy seas with 1.5m swell just outside the marina but we could see the breeze strengthening and switched off the engine to relax and sail once more at the start of a new adventure.

After an hour or so we had poled out the jib and together with a number of our friends, goosewinged our way to Cap Passero, the very south eastern point of Sicily.  As we rounded the point we had to furl the jib and take a reef in the main as the NW wind was gusting to 26 knots and the seas were choppy.  We watched Summertime, looking magnificent as she sailed off into the distance on her way to Greece.  Others followed in their wake while the rest of us headed north to Siracusa.  There was drama though with a PAN PAN relay given by our Scottish friends on Corsair who were standing by an Italian yacht on fire!!  The fortunate crew had escaped into their dinghy and were towing their inflated liferaft.  The Coastguard had sprung into action and were seen blasting their way to the "casualty scene". 

It was a good feeling at 1800 hours to anchor once again in Grand Harbour and view Siracusa at sunset sipping our sundowners and looking forward to the days ahead.