10/18/23 Cala di Medici, Italy
We slept in and woke to rain, but calm. A good morning to
hide below and listen to the pitter patter of rain on the deck. I spent a long
time checking weather forecasts and planning an itinerary. With wind and rain today,
I planned to stay the night here then on to Elba tomorrow. It is predicted to
be rainy, but the high winds are subsiding.
The gang went to the store about noon when there was a break
in the rain, but did not get to far as the rain started again. In the afternoon
the rain cleared and Suzette and I made the long trek to the supermarket with
the wagon. It was about 1.5 miles through town and up the hill, but worth it as
we found a big supermarket, Conad, our Italian favorite. It looked like a
middle class town, but not old. There was a lot of industrial smoke stacks and
cranes just south of town, probably the big employee.
We made it back to the boat without getting any more rain.
The Marina was relatively new and very nicely appointed. That said, Don did
find the showers fell short on hot water. The skies were clearing and homemade
soup was on the menu, along with fresh bread from the bakery.
10/19/23 Cala di Medici, Italy
Up early under clear skies and calm winds for a 0900
departure. First stop was the fuel dock to fill up. I know…you thought this was
a sail boat! 350 liters later and we were off. The wind built quickly to 20 knots
and the sea formed a nasty wind wave with a slight swell from the north as we
headed south to Elba. The clouds filled in and the wind and sea persisted
making for a slow ride. We were happy to arrive in the Marina in Elba by about
1530, but with 20 knots of wind on our beam as we med moored, we were relieved
to be tied up to the quay. The Capitainerie was very helpful using his rib to
keep my bow in place as the bow thruster could not overcome the wind.
The forecast was for high winds all night out of the south and it delivered. The wind waves were blowing over the low quay and the boats rocked pretty violently. We had smaller lighter sailboats on either side and they were really rocking. I could see a significant difference with my larger heavier boat. The wind was shrieking through the rigging, but oddly not so much at deck level. About 0200 I got up and checked the lines and bumpers. Suzette got up as well as it was warm below. Satisfied with the lines and bumpers we curled up in the cockpit until it started to rain forcing us back below decks.
10/20/23 Portaferria, Elba, Italy
Awoke to calm seas and a thick gray sky. The crew was a bit
sleepless, but we rallied and rented a car for the day. We found a place to
replace our butane tanks. We ran out of the first tank yesterday and swapped in
the tank from the grill. Nice to do this chore with a car.
Next stop was to find a hotel, Bonnie and Don were feeling
the need for a good night’s sleep and luxurious showers. It was clear that we
were post season and much of Elba was closed. We did find a beautiful hotel
high on the hill with a balcony view to the sea. Next stop, winery! We drove a circuitous
route and some pretty rough back roads to find the winery, but it was pretty
much an old shed with a sign and it looked closed. In the process of turning
around the front door had opened and a gentleman farmer came out to see what we
wanted, I think he was inviting us in for a taste. Bonnie said “no!” and we
were on our way.
We found what turned out to be a great little restaurant on
the south side of the island and had lunch. Lots of great seafood, a pizza and
a bottle of wine had us satiated. The restaurant was situated on a small bay
and we could see the turbulent wind and sea lashing the shore. As we were leaving
a woman was setting out on her foiling board with a blow up kite sail, pretty
gutsy and impressive. Next stop we did find a winery for some wine tasting. As
it turned out it was the same vintner of the bottle we had with lunch. It was a
quaint tasting area with everything made from wine barrels. We particularly
liked the De mi Sec Toscana Rosso and bought a couple bottles. The winery was
La Faccenda Isola d’Elba.
A visit to Elba would not be complete without seeing Napoleon’s country home where he spent his 9 months in Exile. It was a grand entry and fabulous reception area, but a fairly simple and austere residence. Lots of trompe l’oeil on the walls rather than real drapes and columns. The view was spectacular looking out to the harbor over beautiful pine forests.
Don and Bonnie dropped Suzette and I at the boat and they headed off to their hotel for the night. We were so full from lunch that we simply enjoyed a sundowner and the calm sea for a great night of sleep.
10/21/23 Portoferraio, Elba, Italy
Up for a beautiful morning, the temperatures are above 65 F
in the mornings and above 70 in the afternoons. Suzette and I walked the three
forts that overlook the sea and the bay. Admiral Nelson called this the safest
harbor he ever saw, not for protection from weather, but protection from the
enemy. On the top of the hill was Napoleon’s city house overlooking the sea,
the living quarters were similar to the country house. Back on the boat we
readied the boat to leave when Bonnie and Don Returned.
We departed about noon; our neighbors had left before us making plenty of room for an easy departure. The wind was calm and the seas seemed calm as well as we headed to the west end of the island. This would be a jumping off point for Corsica. We dropped anchor near Marina Marciana in about 10m of water. The forecast was wind and swell from the south so we would be protected. In the distance we could see lightning and water spouts forming. We watched with apprehension, but all were abated. After lunch we could see that there was a swell coming in from the NW that was rolling the boat so we motored around the point trying to find better protection. We anchored close to shore in 9m of water, but the relief was short lived. The boat rolled all night, I slept, but my crew did not.
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| Water spout forming |
10/22/23 Sprizze Anchorage, Italy
Up before first light and the crew was ready to move on. The
Admiral had informed me that Corsica was out and we needed to find a
comfortable marina on the mainland. I had sent a number of requests by email,
but it was Sunday and I did not expect a response. We headed east along the
north shore of Elba. Turning SE at the east end of Elba put the seas behind us
and the crew were all napping. I did get a response from Marina Talamone, so
Talamone it is. The skies ahead looked rainy while the skies behind were clear,
was I going to the wrong place? However, we did not get rain and it turned into
a beautiful day as we pulled into the Marina.
With the boat tied up we headed out on foot to explore the very small town tucked just inside Golfo di Talamone. The usual castle and small church on the hill made for a great view of the sea and the Tuscan Islands. During dinner on board, we decided to rent a car and spend the next couple days wine tasting and touring in Montepulciano and Siene. The weather was calling for high winds, big swells and some rain so sailing was out. The wind did pick up overnight making for some pretty good shrieking in the rigging all night, but the boat was calm in this well protected bay.
10/23/23 Talamone, Italy
It seemed like a nice day, but not for sailing. The car was
delivered about 1000 as we enjoyed espresso drinks in the water front café. We
packed a few things in a duffle bag and off we went in our little Fiat.
First stop was wine tasting, but the first winery was
closed. Next stop was at Col d’Orcia, a large producer of wines and an
excellent host for tasting wine. We tasted whites and reds and enjoyed them.
They had an extensive library of old wines, which surprised me as Italian
wines, in my mind, were intended to drink not hold. I asked about making a
choice of one of his old wines to share with my wine group at home. He
suggested that they would be most impressed with a current, 2015 vintage, over
one of the old bottles so I bought a couple to share and a few to drink.
It was lunch time so we made our way to the hill top town of Monciano and had another great Italian meal at a little restaurant along the main walking street. Having been revitalized we walked the old castle and church, again affording a spectacular view of the valley. This is farm country with rolling hills, fields, vineyards and orchards. From here it was on to Montepulciano, a very large hill top town full of ancient buildings, lots of wine bars and lots of tourists. We walked the city, but never found the top, it just kept going up. We stopped in a café with a fabulous view of the valley and enjoyed a glass of wine, they are famous for their Brunello and it did not disappoint.
We left the city and headed to our hotel just outside of town. The hotel was beautifully appointed and the rooms were huge even by American standards. From here it was a short drive to the restaurant where we enjoyed another great Italian dinner and a delicious Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano. After a long day of great food, wine and sights sleep came easy in our big comfortable bed.
10/24/23 Montepulciano, Italy
A lazy morning and a continental breakfast had us on our
way. A bit gray and cooler, there was a chance of rain. From Montepulciano we
had seen a huge lake to the east so that was our first stop. Largo Transimeno
appeared to be very green, perhaps due to the sky. There were several islands
that a small ferry will take you to in the summer. Overlooking the lake is the
walled city of Castiglione del Largo. We parked just outside of the walls and
walked to the top of the town, but could not get inside the castle. Along the
way Suzette found an excellent linen shop and bought new dish towels for the
boat, beautiful linen. We wondered into an interesting wine shop where the
proprietor was welcoming and encouraged us to explore the wine cave under the
shop…”don’t go in the basement!”. The cave was very cool, literally and
figuratively. Below the cave was a cistern where rain water was collected. We
bought what turned out to be a very interesting wine that the proprietor
recommended, a 2014 Montefalco Sagrantino. She explained that it was a
Sagrantino which meant that is a single varietal where rosso meant that it was
a blend. I find that understanding Italian wine has always been easier than
French wine, but then I always learn something new when we talk about wine.
From here we headed to Siena, about a 2 hour drive. Along the way we stopped at another vineyard, but it was closed. Undeterred we did find another winery with a very knowledgeable wine master, not only about the wine, but the history of the area. I hope there will not be a quiz, I never did well in history class. However, I find it festinating now. At the winery there was a well with a few vines growing out of the wall. When they had the vines DNA tested, they were found to be a unique grape and over 150 years old. This mean that they survived the disease that occurred 100 years ago. They grafted this vine to existing root stock and now use the grapes in some of their wines. During our tasting Suzette brought out jamone and cheese from the picnic basket and we shared with the wine master.
As we arrived in Siena, we made our way through the sprawling suburbs to the wall. Like Montepulciano driving inside the wall is limited so we parked the car as close as possible and walked to our B and B in the city center. This required negotiating narrow steep alleys (streets?) down then up to the Duomo of Siene. It had started to rain so out comes the umbrella. The B and B was in a building that dated back to 1300 and started as a residence. It was turned into a hospital in the 1800s where a doctor who specialized in bone setting had his practice. This was a very specialized operation and, if I understand correctly, he had xray equipment that no one else had. Later the building was subdivided into the apartments that are there today. My view out the window was looking at the Duomo and the square 3 floors below.
We wasted no time settling in and heading out to dinner. It was 1830 so our choices were limited, most restaurants do not open until after 1900. We found a great little neighborhood place with tables inside as it was still raining. More delicious food, a couple bottles of wine and great service. Somehow dinners here seem to be multi hour experiences and there is never a rush to turn over a table. Back at the B and B we got comfortable and played some cards in the dining room.
10/25/23 Siena, Italy
A lazy start and off to a café for espresso and a nibble. We
purchased tickets for the Duomo and toured the various associated buildings.
The Duomo dates back to 1200 and is full of art and beautiful statues in the
main sanctuary. The crowds were light making it very pleasant to take it all
in. From here went to the OPA where artifacts from the duomo are displayed.
Over the course of 800 years, you can imagine there had been some redecorating
and updating. Next stop was a walk to the top of the tower Facciatone, a façade
for an unfinished church, 400 some steps to the top. The last 100 or so are in
a stone spire with a spiral staircase that is only about 6 feet in diameter,
not a good place if you are claustrophobic.
Back on the ground we wondered the streets and shops for a
bit. We sat on a bench in the square and checked the weather for sailing the
next day and it was not looking good to head south, but north was looking
great. Bonnie and Don needed to be in Civitavecchia by the 30th to
get on a cruise ship that would take them back across the Atlantic. The plan
was to sail down there and deliver them to the port, but the plan was not
looking very good for fair weather sailors. Some planning would need to occur
in order to get them to the ship on time.
We left Siena in the late afternoon and headed back to
Talamone where Raffaellesco was moored. But one more stop for wine tasting. We
were no longer in the DOC of Montepulciano so we would find some different
wines here. We pulled up to the gate at San Michele, but it was locked. Google said
they were open so we called. The proprietor answered and was happy to host us,
but she was out running errands, “could we wait”…not really. She said she would
call her sister and see if she could help us. The sister was on site and let us
in the gate. She gave us a great tour of the facility and shared their story.
Evidently their parents bought this property as a horse farm some 40 years ago,
they raised and trained horses for competing in jumping. The sisters were not
interested in horses so they went on their way. 20 years ago the parents
decided to get out of the horse business and do wine as the area was developing
its wine identity. This interested the sisters so they returned to work at the
wine business. As she was finishing our tour the first sister arrived and she
ushered us into the wine tasting room where we tasted their reds. These were
very different from the Brunello we had been drinking. They were blends of cab,
syrah and merlot. We purchased a few bottles and got on our way having enjoyed
another great conversation with our wine master.
On the way home we stopped in Groseto to try and find a resteraunt. On the third attempt we walked into a bar restaurant and Suzette commented that it was like being back in Alabama. It was full of locals and when we entered, they all stared. They were not serving dinner yet so we moved on. By the time we returned to Talamone we were starving and stopped for carry out pizza to be enjoyed on the boat, everyone ordered their own custom made pie.
We now were in planning mode and decided that Bonnie and Don
would find a car and driver to take them south and Suzette and I would head
north. Since it was late we would need to work on this in the morning.
10/26/23 Talamone, Italy
Up early to find a car and driver and to arrange for a hotel
near the cruise ship port. The weather forecast was for high wind, 30 to 35
knots and big seas, 5 to 9 feet, for the next few days. Bonnie was working hard
to find a ride, but no luck so they walked into town to see if there was anyone
there that could help. I called a car company near the marina of our next
planned stop and they could do what we needed. Suzette spoke to the dock master
and he was able to arrange a car for today at noon for a very reasonable price.
With that settled we enjoyed an espresso with Bonnie and Don at the café. Back
on the boat they packed and we hauled the luggage to shore. The car arrived on
time and we said our good byes. It was unfortunate that they did not get to enjoy
great weather, but they were good sports and great crew.
Suzette and I talked to the Marineros on the way back to the
boat. She shared with him that our friends were heading to Civitavecchia, but
he thought we were going by boat and said “oh no!”. We explained that the boat
was going north and he smiled and gave us a thumbs up confirming that we made
the right decision. We got under way with a light wind pushing us out of the
mooring and a sunny day.
We discovered that the reservation I thought I made in Punta Ala was not confirmed and did not exist. Fortunately, the next marina north, Marina di Scarlina did have a place for us and they were very reasonably priced. The seas were running about 1 m on our beam and light wind so we motored north and arrived at the Marina at about 1630. The marina was very nice with lots of amenities, but not so much in the off season. We cleaned up and checked in with a very well spoken women. She explained all about the marina and the electronic keys that she gave us. She puts money on the key and you use it at your mooring for electricity and water, also for the showers…very high tech. Since we would be off the boat, have solar and have a full tank of water I did not connect.
A quiet night settling the boat back too just the two of us
and planning a trip inland to Florence.
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