Well, we got out of the boatyard early Friday and motored up to Comino for a long weekend of relaxation . We anchored in a very cute rocky cove for two nights. Several caves all around the edges.

Great at night with only 2 or 3 other boats. Unfortunately, daytime boats of all shapes and sizes were in and out all day. The water ended up like a washing machine. Many of the ferries were full of people who would come in at 10 knots and huge wakes.

This video will give you and idea of the area above the water. https://youtu.be/o5i17iWcPF0

This second video is taken in the water swimming around the caves and rather long.https://youtu.be/5nApyllM2l4

Sunday we moved to a beach on the east coast of Gozo.

A gorgeous bay and lovely afternoon weather. Hew had his first flipper swim of the year and helping me to do some prop and shaft cleaning. https://youtu.be/Xx72dwRg6VQ

We had a nice afternoon but when the wind changed and increased we decided we would try for Dwerja bay. We had loved Dwerja last time we had been there. There were no boats this time but a very mixed chop all night. The swell outside was SW, then sometime during the night it changed to a northerly swell. The wind stayed NW and did not move to the East as the forecast

Anyway, we got going in the morning and motored to a bay on the SE corner of Malta. A quick 20 mile trip from one end the country to the other. Another beautiful bay with sun, swimming and lazing about.

Around 5 pm the wind started to increase and was tending easterly. The forecast was for 20kts so we decided to go hop into Grand Harbour at Rinella Bay.

Fireworks and Jazz

When we got back to Grand Harbour we found Rinella Bay was closed for the day due to a big fireworks display. This was the eve of Independence Day. So after a discussion with the water police, we anchored very near to the southern breakwater light. Any area closer to the bay was full.

The real bonus was that we got a fireworks display. We were also next to a ferry playing jazz with a Sax player on board. A lovely evening full of music. They love fireworks here and the display went on for over an hour and a half.

Many of the boats left about midnight. When the Easterly finally arrived around at 2 am, and the holding where we were was not great. We shifted further into the bay despite the fact that the bay was closed by Mariners Notice until 7 am. We then fell into bed again and woke at 6 to find another yacht had moved into the Bay with us. Shortly after two motorboats arrived, and then a continuous stream of yachts and launches.

Independence Day

The day was nice but overcast. The bay contained the fireworks barges from the night before full of empty containers and a lastng aroma of gunpowder. A boat with two friendly water police turned up about 10 to tell us and another yacht to shift so the tug and barges could get out. They were ready now!!

The water police left, we shifted and the barges hadn’t moved in about an hour. By this time another 7 or 8 yachts had all anchored in the gaps. The tug driver had an argument with one motorboat that would not shift. Then the other catamaran tried to shift but the motorboat had anchored over their lines so they couldn’t. Next, the cops turned up. The the motorboat owner still tried to argue his case. Next the water police told him to move or get fined. This was followed by much arm-waving and yelling then finally he left the bay.

The tug got 2 of 3 barges away. Then the first of two refueling boats arrived for the fuel wharf which was now very close to us. We managed to inch forward until the fuel boats moored then sat back and relaxed. We were assuming the rest of the day should be fairly calm. Not so – another tanker arrived to park nose to tail with the first. This guy wanted three boats including us to move to give him room. Again we pulled forward, two other boats shifted and then we settled back for a rest. Everyone in the bay seemed to be enjoying themselves.

During the time near the wharf, we also had an instructor taking/teaching RIB driving using us for a mark. Nice guy and fairly easy-going on students. Here everyone with an outboard over 30hp has to have a license issued by the coastguard. In Italy it is 40hp.

Around 4 pm we headed back to the boatyard expecting this to be the last week. We were again hoping that the rigging would be there all and all the other gremlins would be fixed. We await tomorrow with fairly low expectations.

Next Blog:https://kiwiflyingfish.com/2021/09/malta-air-show-and-hotel-juliana/

It is not often that you intentionally leave one boatyard for another. This year we had so much work we had planned to do in order to cross the Atlantic that we felt it was better to do it all at the beginning. Leaving work until after cruising might not leave enough time to never get it done. Hence the cruising has been sacrificed for work on the boat.

Therefore, after getting several quotes for rigging we decided to go and visit the company we had talked to in Malta before confirming the rigging work. We could get the work done on the power monitoring system from Victron in the same boatyard.

Leaving MdR at 0515 in the morning and arrived outside the breakwater at 1215. The yard wanted us in by as early as possible in case there were any issues with entry formalities so we motor sailed all the way as. There was a company summer party on Friday and a holiday for many the next week.

When we arrived outside the breakwater into Grand Harbour we were denied entry. The issue was that the NZ Vaccination certificate is not recognised by Malta. The boatyard acted as our agent and obtained the approval since they were carrying out work on the yacht. Also, we had applied two weeks previously when we had our first PCR test but it had expired and the Port Medic wanted a copy of the new one.

Two hours later after several phone calls with the boatyard, MMH, exchanges of emails and more documents, and then another two calls to the port radio operator, we finally made it into MMH at the very far end of the harbour.

Once inside the breakwater, Malta felt and looked just the same as we had found previously. The boat yard was far further down the harbour and amongst all the commercial boats, oil rig supply ships, cable laying ships, tankers of various types, fishing boats, and cruise liners. Previously we had stayed in the northern harbour. The historic feeling from all the forts and towns around the harbour is overwhelming.

The MMH Boatyard

Once we arrived everyone came down to the boat – very speedy. Very different feel from MdR.

Matt the project manager and Matt the rigger were both here immediately and Chris, the fridge guy, followed shortly after. Amazing. Decided that we would get the rigging done here due to their fast and clear responses and professional approach to the work. Since the big decision had been made we then proceeded to discuss all the other issues on the boat that had not been resolved during our previous four weeks at MdR.

The next morning, Thursday, we woke up to the disgusting smell of sewerage and burning offal. Repulsive!! We really wondered what was going on. Further inquiries revealed that there is an abattoir right in the MMH area and a biowaste disposal plant run by the government. There is also a court case going on about the effluent and air quality.

The local paper made interesting reading and as you will see from the attached links the issue has not been resolved.

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/unbearable-paola-stench-driving-customers-away.772439

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/paola-stench-returns.797913

https://environment.gov.mt/en/Documents/ministerialConsultations/longTermWasteManagementPlan2021-2030.pdf

What is very amusing is the sign outside that Hew found later during the week. Also note the street name!!!

After that rather nasty wakeup, Hew and I removed the code zero and the genoa. In the afternoon the riggers Matt, Alan, Brian, and Santo turned up and took off the main and all the wires and checked the rigging for any problems.

Next, the stainless person and sailmaker turned up to make a cover over the steering hatch. Chris was back again because the air conditioning didn’t work and in 40deg C with the smells, we really felt a need for it. All the other times we have not bothered and when anchored out we always face the light breezes and do not need it. Here in Malta we really do!!

This was not the end of the procession of workers! Next, the alternator arrived but needed some modifications to fit. Followed swiftly by a window specialist to discover why they were leaking(actually very old sealant) and what was the best option for repair. This was an interesting discussion as he was an aircraft technician and did not like the product the yard was suggesting as it was not guaranteed for use on acrylics. Much research followed with us finding another product which was guaranteed and available in Malta (despite being told it wasn’t)and people wonder what you do on the yacht!!!.

Lastly, the online groceries were delivered. The riggers working on the yacht helped unload the van and I frantically tried to get it all in the fridge before the heat hit all the perishables. The freezer at the end of it showed plus 8C and the fridge plus 16C in an outside temp of 38C and inside the boat must have been 5 C higher. I was reduced to a dribbling mess as were the others. I passed out the newly arrived watermelon and cold water to our rigger mates.

Friday was all about taking out the mast and checking various items on it for wear and replacement. The riggers kindly bought us lunch after from the local store. In the process, we discovered that the rig was 1300kg and taller than we thought – from the waterline 29m to the top of the aerials!! When we went under the Sibenik bridge we were supposed to have a maximum rig height of 27m!! The following video is a fast version of a process that took 4 hours.

The yard was on a holiday cruise and so no one else was around. Normally during the week, they are pulling out about one boat a day commercial and private. They have four lifting slots and one very big crane as you can see from the ferry in the photo below. It is hard to get an impression of size here but the two small boats in from of us are both around 30m. That crane has 6 pulley blocks and 12 straps. Our yacht usually gets hauled out on 4 pulley blocks and 4 straps. The crane in the distance is old and out of use and needs to be dismantled. The quoted cost for the dismantle and removal is €2m, so nothing has happened.

The whole dock area we are in can also be drained and used as a dry dock. You can hear the pumps running – recirculation water at night. The dry area gates are behind the oil rig boat behind us – so a huge area.

A Weekend and Days Off

The weekend luckily was much slower. Saturday we got out of bed late and launched the dingy and went down the harbour to Fort Ricasoli close to the eastern breakwater for a swim. A lovely little nook under the fort. Stopped at a harbourside cafe for a cold drink after a week of hard work!

Cruising around the harbour and we were very impressed by numerous very large flags flying for the celebration of 1221-2021 and the feast of St Lawrence.

On arriving back at the yard we meet some other boaties who had come in early. They could not find a spot in the bay they wanted due to the number of boats out over the weekend. We thought they were mad really! They were lifting out for some maintenance but had done a lot of cruising. It is amazing how many boats are running blogs. https://zingala.online/ https://salanasailing.com/zingala/

I asked if they had any issues coming into the harbour and they said that the last time they called up and it was a waste of time and a hassle so this time they did not bother and no one even questioned them. Seems Malta is a bit like Italy – far too many rules to be patrolled!!

Sunday was a repeat of Saturday with a couple of small jobs thrown in at the end – late start, swim and cafe visit.

You are probably wondering why we haven’t taken the yacht out??? Our status is slightly indeterminate at the moment as we have no official notification to quarantine, self isolate or not to do either!!. The yard thinks we are supposed to stay on the yacht and they cannot get an answer one way or the other. Seems our double vaccinated status is accepted as was the PCR test on entry. But the paperwork with the approval said no isolation/quarantine on the first clearance document then normal isolation/quarantine on the next ???

Back to Work

Monday workweek was upon us again and although a holiday week many people were around in the yard. Petar, from Medcomms, landed at the airport, disembarked, the plane and came directly to the catamaran. Then ensued a 2 hour incredibly worthwhile discussion on the design for the Victron power management system on the boat. It is amazing when you get the right technically competent person to assist. No wasted time. We did discover that some parts that we had already purchased would not be up to the job. Better now than later. Since the parts are brand new, hopefully, we can swap them out.

Monday afternoon Hew helped derig the mast so it could be measured. Hew then cycled off to get a sim card and I had another grocery delivery. Hew found that the roads are not great for cyclists and although the map looked flat it wasn’t!!

Clare and Vic turned up from MdR late in the day and came over for a drink. They had the same problem trying to come into the harbour as us but seems their agony was prolonged further than ours for little gain. Their boat was pulled out early Tuesday. They were thinking 10, we said it would be early and the guys and lift were there at 7. They got a bit of a shock(especially after the slow pace of Sicily).

Tuesday was stifling, by 2 pm it was 40C and no wind. You can hardly think in this sort of temperature and we left for a swim again. The harbour had few boats on it and then suddenly Hew got pulled up by the harbour police for speeding!! Didn’t see them coming!! The maximum speed in the harbour is 10kts and in the marina areas 3kt. Though I am not sure all the boats abide by this, and we don’t own a speedo for the dingy. Anyway off we toddled a little more sedately and cooled down in the same little cove we used in the weekend.

Tuesday was big fireworks night on the harbour for the feast of St Lawrence which we could even see it from our position and it was a nice way to end the evening and our first full week in Malta. We really should have gone out on the dingy. The Maltese love fireworks.

Next Blog:

https://kiwiflyingfish.com/2021/08/shifting-into-an-apartment-and-a-mastless-cruise-for-the-weekend/