[Rhodes22-list] Med Sailing, Leaving Barcelona

[Chris Geankoplis]

It has been a while so here is an update.  Having jumped through (or
around) all the hoops involved is simply sailing a small boat in the Med we
are ready to go.  Just have to provision and top off the tanks and we head
north and east to the French border 90 miles up the coast.  From the border
to Marseille is 150 miles and then to the border with Italy another 125
miles.  We are planning on about 3 weeks for this portion of the trip.
Lots to see and do.

 The prevailing winds are Southerlies up the Spanish coast then switching
to mostly Northwesterlies in the Gulf of Lyon.  There is a strong NW wind
with katabatic effects called the Mistral.  This can come up very suddenly
and go from nothing to gale force in 20 minutes, gotta watch out for that
one.  Fortunately we will be in close to the coast so the seas should not
be too big and there are a number of marinas to duck into.

>From the Italian coast to the island of Elba is about 200 miles and then
down the coast of Italy stopping at the offshore islands along the way to
Naples, about 270 miles and then on down to the southern coast of Sicily at
Ragussa for another 350 miles.   For the Italian coast portion we are
planning to spend about 6 weeks or so.  Having sailed the Italian portion
50 years ago, I expect things have changed.  Should be a great sail.

The winds once past Elba or a bit south are generally light NW winds in the
summer but with a modifying influence of land/sea breezes.  The southern
coast south of Naples does not have a lot of natural harbors, mostly open
coast.  There have been a number of marinas that have been build over the
last couple of decades so if necessary we can find shelter if something
comes up since we can't beach the boat and pull it above the high water
mark like my first trip.


Looks like we have the insurance problem taken care of, the trailer has
been processed and "destroyed".  My "competency" certificate is now in my
possession and the boat is equipped with the required safety
equipment.....including a "mirror" and a rope "five times the length of the
vessel"; good to know (grin).

We have really enjoyed our time here north of Barcelona in Matero, and the
enforced leisurely pace while we waited for the bureaucracy to grind (us?)
slowly to completion.  Well worth the wait.  Now we shall see what is next
instore for us.  Meltemi, no problem, bureaucracy not so much.

Chris & Alice