LIFE: Part 2

Current Location: Porto Empedocle
Current Position: 37 17.03 N 013 31.64 E Click to view map.
Distance sailed since last post: 57 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track here

After the relatives and the gales departed, we ourselves departed from Marina di Ragusa.

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday, and we left the harbour in light winds in company with Big Sky, Castor en Pollux, and Deja Vu III. Fabuloso, skppered by our friend Roger of Burnout, was a couple of hours ahead of us travelling under motor only.

The destination for all of us was Licata – some to take advantage of their offer of free berthing for the month of May, others just to pass through.

For about an hour we were making 4 kts with the spinnaker up, and managed to take some photos of each other.
Then the wind dissapeared and we had to motor.

And then for the final two hours we had a nice breeze again, allowing us the hoist the kite once more.

Licata is a huge harbour with only two pontoons so far built. Many of the store fronts are still empty, but there is a nice mall right behind the marina.

Potentially a pleasant place to stay, especially since they are making some very attractive price offers for winter berthing, but it has three big downsides:

1. The lazy mooring lines were thick with sea growth, weed and snails – unpleasant to handle, and suggestive of what your boat might look like after a few months stay.
2. There is no security – other than an few unlocked waist-high gates that separate the quays from the public promenade. Which means that, come evening, when the locals come out to ‘promenade’, you have the feeling of being in a zoo – and on the wrong side of the viewing bars. The all come to walk up and down and look at the yachts, and the residents within having their meals. And what is to stop them coming aboard if they see no one at home?
3. The showers were tepid – and that was mid afternoon with the marina practically empty. hmm.

The next day we took our leave and sailed in a brisk force 5 – 6 downwind to Porto Empedocle, where we had previously anchored. It’s entrance does face East, so it was a little bit rolly inside, but a nice place to wait out the forecast gale. And so good to be at anchor away from Marinas again.

We took the bus up to visit Agrigento town, but not the temples this time, and bought a pile of stuff in the chinese store.
The winds now subsiding out to sea, the plan is to depart this evening (Tues May 1st) for an overnight broad reach to the island of Pantelleria, half way to Tunisia. The forecast is for moderate to winds, though a bit variable in direction. We will probably spend a few days there before proceeding to Africa.

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