Glimpses of Isola Capri, the Bay of Naples and Gaeta

The famous "Blue Grotto"

We'd thought we could find a sheltered anchorage on Capri, at least for a few hours, to take a break from the big swell and choppy seas.  It had only taken 24 hours from Isola Panarea but it seemed like days.  We'd heard a gale warning for the area west of our position but apart from gusts > 23 knots around Stromboli, the wind strength was okay.  It was the constant change in direction that drove us mad, gybing, altering course all the time to keep some wind in the sails.  The Amalfi coast looked uninviting and we could see 3 cruise ships at Sorrento under a grey overcast sky.  We took the main down in the lee of Isola Capri and motored the rest of the way into the Bay of Naples.  The weather had improved and the sun came out as we anchored in Rada di Napoli just north of Capo Posillipo. It was time for our arrival apperitivo with a view of Mount Vesuvius towering over the sprawling city of Naples.  The bay was full of boats but by 1700 hours they had all left, leaving us to a peaceful "rolling" sleep.

First view of southern coast of Capri

According to Rod Heikell every Italian navy destroyer has a photo of  itself  running between these very rocks at high speed :0))

A lonely mansion set amongst the limestone crags on Capri

Capri Marina Grande....from a distance ;)

Arrival apperitivo in the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius in the background

Vesuvius shrouded by cloud in the early morning

Motored to Baia in Golfe di Pozzuoli - Aragonese residential remains in the background

Castello at Baia

Anchored in Porto Miseno, beautiful sheltered anchorage "Mussel capital of the world"

Our next anchorage, still in the Bay of Naples, in Golfe di Pozzuoli, was found after motoring to Baia, now a protected marine area, famous for its 1st Century BC underwater archeology, Aragonese Castle and surrounding residential remains.   We would like to return and explore Baia at leisure, but there is no longer an anchorage.  Porto Miseno was hidden behind extensive mussel farms, and the site of an old Roman port, a beautiful sheltered anchorage.  Met up with Bev and Tom on "Half Moon" who are part of the Atlantic Crossing Group 2013, so maybe we'll see them again.

Remains of an old Roman port in Porto Miseno

Evening chat in the square at Porto Miseno

Time for a beer at sundown in Porto Miseno

We left Porto Miseno very early on Tuesday, 21st May and had a beautiful sail in 20 knots NE until the wind dropped and the weather deteriorated, overcast and decidedly chilly with snow on the distant peaks.  We anchored in wind and rain just outside Marina Base Nautica Flavio Gioia.  We'd contacted Jayne Koehler of the S&S Swan 47 "Aorangi" whom we'd met in Marina di Ragusa when she was staying with Ron and Susan on Gemini, but she was in Capri helping with the Rolex Mini Maxi Regatta.  They were experiencing extremely high winds and had cancelled the race to the Aeolian Islands and reschedule a different course.  We saw one or two boats limping back to Gaeta.

Protest march along the front in Gaeta

The weather was so bad that we decided to move into the marina.  We had to spend the first night on the fuel wharf because it was too windy for the marinaros to take us into the berth!  Next morning though we were berthed on the same dock as "Aorangi" and met up with Jayne who was full of Rolex Regatta stories.  We celebrated an her birthday with 2 bottles of prosecco on "Kinabalu" before joining Georg at a local fish restaurant.  We absolutely loved Gaeta with its long narrow market street, and we were in and out of the little shops seeing what we could find.  Courtesy of Jayne we were able to refill our gas bottles cheaply and almost had some zips replaced at a little sewing shop, but had to move on before they were done!  

Embedded in an old wall in Gaeta

Gaeta....full of surprises

Cathedral, Gaeta built 1106 but rebuilt 17/18th C

Torre Orlando, Gaeta Peninsula

Insentura di Serapo, one of the beaches behind Gaeta

A "peek" inside the 1st C mausoleum on Mt Orlando

Looking from Mt Orlando over Gaeta and north towards Rome

We ate mussels with the locals in Porto Santa Maria and spent an afternoon trekking through the old village with its vaulted passageways and narrow streets.  We tried the Gaeta specialties, tiella (pizza filled with squid) and the buffalo mozzarella. 

On top of Mt Orlando, Gaeta

We climbed Monte Orlando under a blue sky and looked out onto calmer seas, deciding that after 6 days in Gaeta we should tear ourselves away and make the overnight passage to Sardinia.