Departed at 1815L motored most of the way to Syracusa with little to see. Best was sunset passing the Straits of Messina with Etna in the background.

Sunset over Messina Straits and Mt Etna

Arrived Syracuse about 35 hours later at 0615L and anchored then fell asleep for several hours.

Di and Pete went into town to explore while Hew and I went off to get the Costitutio. For a change the office was tidy and organised and only took an hour during which I had to handwrite a crew arrival list which I had already typed out with identical information but not an identical form …..

Then we went back to the boat to sort out a few jobs. All met up and went for a la passeggiata (the evening stroll around town) and then dinner. Lovely evening and a great change from the day we were here last year which was cold and windy. But weather is definitely getting cooler.

Hew feeling cold and colourful

Lovely old buildings that we walked past and we also wandered up the canal in the dingy to look around.

The Paintings on the roof in every room tell a story

Next morning Di and Pete were dropped off to get a rental car and view Sicily before heading to Spain. The steps on the canal were filthy and close by the best hotel in Syracuse – so sad for a tourist town.

We departed for the last leg back to Marina Di Ragusa motor sailing into the wind 15-20kts for the first half then gradually declining wind for the last part.

Capo Murro di Porco

Arrived at 1730 feeling tired and salty. Entry seems even more silted up and now has buoys marking the main channel at the entrance. Cheerful welcome on the radio and parked next to an Australian yacht Katherine owners Lee and Andrew, friends of Rob and Virginia’s.

Quick tidy, early dinner and early night all jobs left for the next day.