Tuscan Islands – Family Time
Capraia Isola
22 August: We wanted to anchor at the Southern end but both bays either side of Punta dello Zenobito were full. Punt Rossa was spectacular. Next looked at La Saline but already three boats in there and Hew not comfortable with the deep water. Third attempt was against the cliffs just north but very deep and in the process of trying to tie back on we managed to get one of the ropes in the port prop – great!! 2 hours getting off prop for James and I then some time for Hew to splice the rope. James and I were frozen at the end of this and due to serious amounts of shouting etc ….. no one was very happy. Discord on the boat!!!
Ended up anchored in Cala Del Ceppo, a beautifully clear relatively shallow anchorage with lots of boats around. James and I were exhasuted and went to bed early but later in the evening one boat sent their kids over to ask if they could buy some wine – obviously they had run out. Hew said no but if we had all been up we might have gone and socialized. On another boat some young ones were having a party to very late in the evening but some pretty good music. In the morning several people appeared out of the bush on the beach – obviously having tramped over the hills. There are lots of tracks on the island. Beautifully clear water but again not many fish.
23 August : Departed for Porto the main town on Capraia. Great harbor and moorings outside but you can also anchor close in.
James and I walked up to the Torre del porto which was closed and apparently now owned privately. with a not very nice renovation. There was also the lighthouse and the Chiesa di Saint Antonio now used for exhibitions. Also another church on the way back into the town. It has become a challenge to see so many churches and all of them decorated very differently so that if you miss one then you may miss something very special. We will probably get over churches and Torres at some stage but not yet!! All this walking was very hot. There is a bus you can get around town if you don’t want to walk which takes you up to all the sites in the old town. By the time we got back to the harbour all the shops were shut for lunch(back in Italy!!!) – no bread for Hew. After lunch set sail for Elba.
Also just north of the town is a large fish farm. These farms are quite common but are hard to photograph form the boat. At the Torre we had a good angle down on them so the opportunity for a photograph.Also they often only have four corner markers and are hard to see at night.
Elba
A long slow sail which became a motor after the wind died. Stopped outside Porto Marciana for the night. It is a very pretty town and we went in for dinner.
Anchored just outside the marina but an awful night as the wind turned SW 5kts and the swell was from the north.
Rocked and rolled from midnight on and no one got much sleep. Boat slaps badly if swell is from the aft end so not pleasant. The sailing guide mentioned bad cross swell in the harbour but we did not think there was enough of a swell to worry about – we were wro
Despite this it is a very pretty place with a nice marina and beautifully clear water. You often hear about the colours but you get so used to seeing the colours but never manage to capture them so I thought I better take a couple of photos.
Thursday 24th August: In the morning we checked in with the Guardia Costiera to get the Costituto signed – but of course they couldn’t do it and said get it done in Porto Ferraio. Also asked about berths for the next two nights as the weather was due to blow up to a gale. They had space and very nice facilities and staff – but decided to go on to Porto Ferraio and have a look round then decide.
Departed Marciana and stopped at Capo d’Enfolda, a national park, for lunch and a swim. Beautifully clear water and the beach was obviously very popular with boats and campers as there is a big camp ground on the hill above the beach. We anchored just behind a rock/islet called Schiapping, and several other boats followed us in. One was so focused on getting there almost T-boned another boat – luckily, they had a very loud horn and they used it – resulted in a sudden right angle turn by the boat about to cross their bows!! Back in Italy!!
After lunch and a nap we went on to Portoferrario. As we passed the harbor it looked fairly empty so we decided to go in and ask if they had room. We could treat ourselves for a night while we decided where to go for the next two. The boat boy who came out agreed they had room and in we went. They were very good and efficient and when I went up to the office the staff were great and said if we wanted we could stay for three nights. So we decided to. We had quite a few jobs to do on the boat, trying to fix the internet which had stopped working plus the paperwork for the Costituto and it is such an interesting town.
Missed the Costa Guarderia as it was Friday afternoon and they are only open for one hour then. during the process of locating the office I walked along the pier which houses the boats for all the government departments. Amazing! Harbour Pilot, Ormeggiatori, Guardia Costiera, Guardia di Finanza, Carabinieri etc – who has the biggest or most boats !! This is a small town.
Got the internet fixed by walking two miles to the sim card shop again – almost died of heat exhaustion and then hopped back on board and had three large glasses of water. During this interlude two couples came up to the boat and asked the length of the yacht as they had seen us in Saint Florent on Corsica and somewhere else. They were English and travelling in separate boats but like us had read all the forecasts and were undecided whether to weather the storm in Portoferraio or go further east. It is interesting that most of the people we have met have been in the marinas – maybe because we are easier to contact – usually at anchor we tend to anchor out to give ourselves room and mostly those at anchor are French or Italian.
The Marina was a great spot as we could hear the jazz from the boat and get take away pizzas
Saturday 25th was a day of odd jobs. I tidied my gear and all the stuff lying around the boat and the boys started to put the speaker system in. It had come from Auckland so had been on the boat for some time – but Hew needed this time to decide where or how to put it and using what wires!!!
Sunday 26th it was really blowing from the NW – glad we were in the marina though anchorage in the bay was also well sheltered. We decided to cover all the tourist attractions. We started with Torre del Martello, and the harbour fortifications which included a the roman ruin.
Next was the Palazzina Napoleonica. Napoleon is really important to the town even though he was there for only a short 9 months in exile. The villa gives a good look at a summer house of that period.
Followed by Fort Falcone built in 1548 is one of the three “backbones” of the defence system of the town of Cosmopoli (the name given to Portoferraio by Cosimo l).
Lastly, the Vigilanti Theatre . A gorgeous little theatre with a few seats and 65 boxes.
In 1814, after having spoken to the mayor at the time, Napoleon had it a church turned into a theatre to be used for exhibitions and special events. In order to get the money for the work he put the 65 boxes in the Theatre up for sale, and this caused the “important” families of the Elba society to argue because they all wanted the best boxes so their family name could become more important. In the boxes there are two chairs for the ladies and two stools for the men.
Monday 27th: Departed Portoferraio stopped at Cavo for lunch – nice town for shopping – James bought some T shirts and Hew some shorts. Later we continued to Porto Azzurro, Parked under Fort Longone and old prison – town was much nicer than we thought. The town had been renovated after the prison was closed to make it a much nicer place to live and for tourists.
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Tuesday 28th:
Golfo Stella we watched the neighbouring boat hunt for something underwater then after they left James went or a look and found a parrot drone!! Unfortunately the electrics had expired. We had a relaxed afternoon James felt the need to try exercises on the paddle board
Wednesday 29thMarina di Campo,
Wreck of the Elvistra
Thursday 30th Golfo di Vitticio PTA Penisola
Friday 31st saw us in Portoferraio for parts and then for a swim opposite but the water was dirty and murky and beach covered in plastic, so anchored in SW corner Cala Del Conchia for the night.
We spent much more time here than we intended at Elba partly due to the nice feel of the place and partially due to the fact that we were tired of travelling against the wind and were waiting for a wind change that kept avoiding us. Also, every time we looked at the nearest part of Italian coast and could see the chimney stacks for the power stations. I we would rather be on an island!! Elba is a small but interesting island and Italian but in some ways more like Corsica than Sardinia.
Saturday 1st September: Elba to Isole di Giglio – stopped in Norwest bay called Cargese. Had a nice swim. Found a paddle board oar at 8m – now have two!! Added to our collection – one parrot by James and one fishing net ( have seen two) sorry we didn’t collect the anchor we saw a well!!)
Went ashore for a look and a cocktail. Great tower on the shore build in the 17 century and being used privately – has two houses attached and its own little geonese bridge – great!!
Couldn’t convince the boys to go up to the fortified village on on the hill top – others we ran into said it was great and a great restaurant.
The had cocktails at the hotel Campese – best for a long time and reasonable with nibbles. Had to have a second and then off to Tony’s Pizza Restaurant – best pizzas in a long time and very friendly. Out chatting on the street but when I asked if the oven was on went inside immediately. Also had his staff sweeping the street between the restaurant kitchen and the tables on the foreshore – great. Got takeaway pizzas and back to boat. Crashed then woke up at midnight to another wind shift very light – not forecast – to the NE and the swell was running from the west – sat across the swell for the next four hours – yuk
Sunday 2nd September : Left early for Isole di Giannutri for lunch. Saw some mates on another yacht they are going the same way and were just leaving for Argentario. Walked up to top of island – water cistern, then down to Roman ruins – Nero’s mother’s villa – but couldn’t go in as only guided tours we were told and they are now off as end of summer. Island is private and national park – so not open!!!! Walked around anyway – huge area where the ruins are and villa seems in fairly good condition and being reconstructed. Also remains of harbour, gardens, terracing and other bits. Very interesting.
Monday 3rd – Back to the mainland Italy:
We departed for Argentario and in a good breeze 15kt NW just for a change. Here we had drinks with our english friends and found they were also going to Marina di Ragusa for the winter but probably arriving after us but they were also going to Rome a couple of days later. Later we found they managed to get a very cheap berth on the river – pays to be small sometimes!
Argentario was great and we could easily have spent 3 or 4 days there with the history in the area but we we had to be in rome in two days. We walked up the hill to the fortress. They have two large marinas Porto Ercole – the older one is in the centre of town, and the newer one – Cala Galera in an industrial area out of town but you can get to town by RIB. ALso the anchorage was great and there was another anchorage that we passed on the way in (further to the west)which looked very good as well.
Tuesday 4th Marina di Roma at Ostia: Not a very nice marina – very large and on the south side of the river from the airport. Unfortunately the bridge is now one way after the collapse of a similar bridge in Genoa. The 20 min trip is now up to 2 hours. So most yachts are staying at the Fiumicino marina near the airport. The big advantage of Marina di Roma at Ostia is the archeological site just up the road that can be reached by train. The town of Ostia itself is nothing flash.
