Sardinia
Had prepared to leave Port di Roma Marina about 0300 on July 14, but a big blow came in and we delayed 24 hours, leaving that same time Monday, July 15. On board were Clark and Joan Scarboro. Arrived at Cala Coda Cavallo on the Esmeralda Coast of northeast Sardinia about 8:30 p.m. in a light shower. S/V Sirius already there and greeted us warmly. We stayed around the next day to share our knowledge of Rome and surroundings while they gave us scoop on Croatia and Sardinia so far on their trip. We had last anchored with them on June 2 at Santa Margerita Ligure, northern Italy coast.
From there we began our meandering up the Esmeralda Coast, stopping to get out of the winds on day one at Isle Porri, a neat tuck in near Olbia. Three other boats joined us and that’s all the anchorage could hold. Next day we lunched at Isl Mortorio, along with mucho barcos, enjoying the beautiful rock formations and crystal clear water, before heading to Cala Spalmatore on Isla Maddalena. Another crowded place, but very lovely.
Wanted to put the hook in near Isla Budelli’s shoreline and have lunch the next day. We were immediately approached by a boat (park warden we think) wanting 24 Euros to anchor, whether just for lunch or for 24 hours. We left, proceeding on to Porto Liscia Bay--very large with many windsurfers zipping all over providing colorful and artful entertainment.
The next day we nearly got run down by a ferry carrying cars and passengers back and forth from Bonafacio and Santa Teresa Gallura. Our cruising guidebook reported the place we anchored in as an o.k. spot; however the ferry didn’t agree. That exact spot turned out to be his turnaround area as he had to back up out of the tight quarters inside the harbor. Denis and Clark had taken the dinghy ashore to hunt up some groceries, leaving Joan and me on board. We got the boat ready to roll and when the boys returned, we hurried off to find a more respectable place to park, and a lovely spot it turned out to be at Capo Testa.
While anchored there a man slowly swam by, lifting his masked face up to say Hello, and proceeded to clue us in on Stintino, the town by the northwest corner of Sardinia. As we approached the breakwater of the marina there, who should come in from the sea but S/V Free Union, a Canadian, and S/V Blitz, Aussies--some of our friends from Barcelona. Drinks on board TEKA III to catch up on everything since May 11 departure, then dinner in town.
We looked forward to exploring the Porto Conte Bay about 1/3 way down the western coast. In the guidebook it looked like a safe shelter, choosing your anchorage according to the wind. But when we heard over the Cruisers’ Net that a mistral was brewing, we decided to move into the marina at Algero. There we tied up right in front of the old town wall, where many people strolled by day and night, lots of them stopping to chat. One young lady with several friends leaned in and asked if we were really from Friday Harbor, telling her friends it was close to where she went to college. Our dialogue with her left us all excited. She, it turns out, had been one of Denis’ students at UPS. Small world again.
Did rent an Avis Fiat (6 passengers) for 150 Euros a day. Marvin and Nancy from S/V Good Company joined the four of us for a trip along the coast road to Bosa and inland return. Very interesting scenery. Wild country indeed. Along with the long drive, we took time to investigate a Nughre village, from 1500 BC. Round house foundations, footpaths, round observation towers; along with drawings of how the archeologists saw the village in its heyday made it almost come alive. There are many Nughre ruins throughout Sardinia, but we saw only this one near Algero.
Just around the corner of Capo San Marco lies Tharros, the ruins presenting a near complete picture of the village which began about 2000 B.C. Abandoned before 1000 A.D., it had been covered by drifting sand, and excavated in the last 100 years. From the boat the picture looked even more complete than when walking through it. Something got lost in the closeness of walking around the rubble.
Windy all along the western coastline. At Carloforte on Isla SanPietro, we anchored inside the breakwater out of the ferry turnaround area. Even tucked in we still had wind. The next day we turned east and the wind became a tailwind all the way, about 15 knots, to Porto Malfatano. Another beautiful place, quiet, secluded, and mostly out of the wind. Sure a desolate coastline. Passed a military restricted area, but no activity going on, so we were left to carry on.
Before arriving in Cagliari, we stopped at Capo Pula where another ruin (Nora) collected tourists. We just had lunch and a swim before continuing on. Trying to find a marina spot in Cagliari found us going back and forth until we noticed a Brit boat at a short pier who invited us in and notified the guy in charge he had a new customer. Enrico’s father owned the short dock (Marina Santelmo-a place for about 20 boats) and he ran it. That meant we saw Enrico several times a day. We tried to convince him to put up a sign at the end of the pier advertising space available. Who knows, he still may do it. The two Brit boats there were on the last leg of a 4 year circumnavigation. Interesting people. Several transients--British, Spanish, French-- shared the dock for a short time. Other American boats, S/V Good Company and S/V North Star, also took a berth. For 20 Euro a night you got all the water you could use, but no electricity. Enrico lost many customers due to that and the aggressiveness of the marina next door.
Three large dolphins chased large schools of bait fish on several occasions right near the boat. And a baby tern took up position on the bow a few days in a row while his parents fished, then brought him some baitfish. Once he dropped a morsel--it slipped out while he tried to turn it in his beak. He looked so funny, hanging over the side, studying the situation. But he didn’t move. How he knew which adult bird was Mama I don’t know. They all flew back and forth, ducking and diving to catch their own meals, but he knew exactly when to open his beak for a tasty morsel.
The day after we arrived in Cagliari the Scarboros left, flying back to Roma and then on to Washington. We cleared away laundry and started the superstructure paint job, which lasted 16 days before everything went back into place. All paint purchased in Barcelona and worker lined up, but he let us down by accepting another job and we left town with our paint in the hold.
Without leaving a note for our baby bird, we, the last boat on the dock, headed south about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug 17. Bound for Porto Malfatano to catch up with mates waiting for Tunisia crossing, we found S/V Blue Highway, becalmed with need of a tow. Easy enough to do. Russell organized a couple of lines. We pulled close by, grabbed his toss, secured it on the bollard, slowly stretched the boats apart, and we had us a convoy (Russell is a truck driver in the real world). Got into the anchorage just as the sun set and had enough light to locate a sand patch in which to drop the anchor.
One more day there to rest up and have a beach party. Then Blue Highway limped west, S/V Jovian went east and north; SeaScape, GoodCompany and TEKA III went south to Tunisia.