Trip to Genoa

As I needed to have some watches serviced I took the train to Genoa and at the same time made a date with my ex Chief Engineer Daniel for a meet up as well as checked that Pier had his watch shop open. 

Train station Genoa Brignole

Realdo

Had the chance to walk around in another quaint small village pretty high up in the Ligurian mountains. The village was pretty well maintained albeit the restaurant was closed for the day. Water was running everywhere and the way of old was still left to be seen with a rubbish chute down the mountain where it ended maybe 50m or more down below on the slope. Only met 2 residents and I assume another 2 tourists so it was very quiet. The two residents were avid mountain bikers and said the worldchampion had been about recently.

Triora

Whilst venturing up the valley we stopped in the witch museum. The village rides hard on the witch heritage (that apparently is based on 3 girls from neigbouring Glori), and they celebrate all the pagan highlights like samhain etc. The shops sport all kind of sorcery trinkets and would well fit into a Harry Potter backdrop.

Pieve di Teco

This day I went for a Sunday outing to Pieve di Teco in the hopes of seeing the antique market.  We drove there at first via the coast through Imperia and up the valley. 

Local bridge

Glori

Went for a walk in the village of Glori, this time the weather was a bit uncertain so didn't walk over the mountain. 

Local orchid

Fanny revisited

21.03.2022 - 07.07.2022

Captain

s/y Fanny

Fanny in Marina degli Aregai

Trident

21.07.2022 - 31.10.2022
Captain
m/y Trident

Trident (courtesy of Boat international magazine)

Short summer in Italy

Montalto

Having gotten a few days in Montalto I had to go to La Spezia to seatrial a 37' Axopar crosscabin, wonderful boat. Then I rushed off to do the sojourn to Spain and as I arrived back I was called by Burgess to join a yacht in Singapore. After a bit of thinking I accepted as I needed the income so I only had a few days to enjoy, pack my bag and off to Nice again. No rest for the wicked. 

Walking Montalto to Carpasio

Went walking up in the mountains and started early morning as one does not want to get stuck up there after dark, at least if you are not carrying the right gear.

Packed up a water bladder, pocket knife and some extra clothes, such as socks and long armed T-shirt and a warmer skullcap. Was wearing windproof jogging pants, flannel shirt and on top a wind proof jacket. On my feet Meindl hiking boots and woolie socks. Chucked in a few granola bars too.

Ligurian valleys

Doing a Riva

About 2 weeks ago I spotted on Facebook an ad that needed a temp Captain for 1week on a 28m Riva. I messaged the Captain who had posted the ad, he explained me he would need a relief to tide over the interim for the new Captain to join as he needed to leave asap for another job. Typical planning in yachting.

Nice mascot

Ventum Maris

14.06.2019 - 02.09.2019

Captain
m/y Ventum Maris

Ventum Maris anchored at Maddalena archipelago

Rome

Pictures from my trip to Rome, pretty amazing city...

Voyage Italy - Montenegro

On the 24th morning we leave behind the shores of Macaronia. It was a short and hectic visit, not much to write home about but whats done is done.

Stromboli (Copyright John Seach)

Climbing Mount Vesuvius

Art at the roadside

Pompeii

Last time I did not have enough time to discover Pompeii so I decided to join the other crew on their excursion to the ruins.

Climbing Mount Faito

As I had some time on my hands I went ashore for a walk, in flip-flops. I ended up to the cable car and bought a ticket to go up to the top of Mount Faito. While waiting for the scheduled ascent I had an Italian Peroni beer at the station bar. Finally the car came and we inserted ourselves into the "bubble". People could only stand and I was clever enough to go stand in the aft so I could get a good photo shooting view.

Castellammare di Stabia

Back to Italy

We arrived Porto Cervo on the 14th and I had the luck to meet Chelly, an old colleague from m/y Silver. Later in the afternoon we move inside the marina and during the mooring our keel touched a rock on the bottom of the marina. Luckily no damages were discovered when I dived to have a look on the bottom. It was just a matter of shallow water due to weather circumstances.

Mark in Elba

Sailing the Italian riviera

So 30th July we departed Valletta for Monaco and arrived there on the 1st August early morning and were kept busy by provisions and last minute setups. We moored in the corner next to the cruise line jetty next to Niarchos m/y Atlantis II.

M/y Christina O

Castellammare di Stabia - Valletta

On the 7th early morning we hoisted anchor and set course for Valletta, Malta for a little downtime. More maintenance and jobs to be done as usual. My old Bosun once said: "the work is never completed on a ship" and he was right to his words, once you get to one end you can start anew from the other.

Last view of Capri 

Cruising Italian riviera

On the 30th we depart Castellammare di Stabia for Naples. It don't take us many hours before reaching there and we anchor off "Molo Luise" (Mergellina Sannazzaro), the local yachting mafia's marina. They claim we could come alongside but all publications we have suggests a maximum length of 70m and I'm also agreeing seeing the small rathole and how packed it is with yachts. 

"Molo Luise" (Google satellite)