10/7/2025-Rio Marina Anchorage, Isla di Elba, Italy
Up with the sun. A load of laundry and some trip planning
before continuing up the cost. The wind never came up so it was an uneventful motorboat
ride to Cala de Medici. This is a very nice marina that we have stayed in
before. After settling the boat and checking in we enjoyed a good walk into
town. The vegetable stand was still in business so we stocked up on some fresh
food. Across the street is a Coop, the biggest I have ever seen. Most of our
grocery stores are small by American standards so it is shocking when you find
a store the size of a Vons. Just a couple items and we were on our way.
This part of the Ligurian coast is just one long beach with occasional low cliffs. Finding a protected anchorage or having no swell on an open sea is nearly impossible. So going into a marina is a bit of a necessity rather than a luxury.
10/8/2025-Cala de Medici, Italy
A lazy start to the day hoping that the wind would come up.
We set up the Code 0 for the first time on this trip hoping for a broad reach
or a downwind run. Suzette got her soup broth started, an all-day affair of
boiling and simmering. She collects remnants of aromatics in a bag in the
freezer; onion skins, celery bottoms, vegetables that are getting old in the
fridge, etc. When the bag gets full it all gets boiled and simmered for hours
with some additional aromatics and seasoning. When done the broth gets strained
off and she makes vegetable soup. The boat smells delicious all day long. The
soup was chocked full of vegetables, potatoes, a type of lintel and white
beans; delicious!
We got underway about 1030 but the wind did not arrive. We
motored into the huge shipping port of Livorno and navigated our way deep
inside to the free public dock. Lots of cruise ships and cargo ships here. The
free dock was empty, and we tied up but, once translated, the signs read “no mooring”.
They were doing a rework of the paving next to the public dock, and it was
cordoned off. We stayed long enough to see the construction workers return and
start removing stone pavers that they were carefully putting a pallet for
reuse. We finished our lunch and threw off the lines. Pisa was just 6 miles
further north, we motored to the north side of the Pisa Harbor entrance and
anchored just north of the outlet for the Arno River. It was amazingly calm,
and we were tucked in, sort of, behind the jetty that defines the river outlet.
Lots of little fishing boats running back and forth but generally calm.
We received an email notification identifying the ship and shipping date for our boat to the Caribbean. They confirmed 10/20-10/25, the original commitment. Now we had something to work with for our planning purposes.
It is rare that we are out in the open sea at sunset, it was
a treat to see the sun find its way into the sea for a beautiful sunset. We
enjoyed dinner, homemade soup, in the cockpit. The anchorage was very calm and
quiet despite being anchored about 500m off the beach in a very open sea.
10/9/2025-Pisa, Italy
It is a little disconcerting being anchored so far offshore in the open sea. It was calm all night, but I was not comfortable. The sun rose and I was happy to get up and get underway. We headed northwest toward Viareggio, this is where they build the biggest Italian sailing yachts. We ghosted along with the main and code 0 out. Approaching Viareggio the entrance looked to shallow for us and the wind had died so we continued NW under motor to a great little anchorage just outside Lerici. I am not sure how they get those big yachts out of that harbor.
Lerici is famous as the writer Shelly’s last departure
point, he was never heard from again. We anchored beneath the protection of the
castle high on the cliff. It was a quiet night on the hook until the fireworks
show at about 2330. Across the bay the fireworks went on and on like one
continuous grand finally. Perhaps it was unintentional?
10/10/2025-Lerici Anchorage, Italy
Up and out by 0800 to take advantage of the morning breeze,
10-12 knots from the north. We enjoyed a brisk sail across the Golfo di La
Spezia and on through the narrow pass to the sea. It was a bit of a bold move
to sail through such a narrow and shallow pass but we had navigated it in the
other direction during one of earlier trips, so I had a track to follow. Once
out into the sea we lost our wind and ghosted along for a while in hopes of
picking up wind further out to sea.
No wind was to be had so we furled the sails and motored NW
to Cinque Terre. We had a great view of each of the 5 towns from the sea. We
landed at the northernmost town of Monteraso, and dropped a hook about 200m off
of the beach in 8m of clear water.
We deployed the dinghy and found a spot to park it inside a small jetty near the sailing center. The center was closed, and we found ourselves locked inside a private area, part of which was a private beach. After trying several escape routes and failing we approached the guard posted near the gate. He was happy to let us out, I was just hoping he would let us back in again.
We walked the waterfront and up into the very quaint little
seaside town. From the water it did not look very big, but we discovered areas
hidden from the sea view. It was not to crowded as we negotiated the narrow old
streets and explored the small shops. It was plenty warm, so a swim sounded
good. The sunsets at about 1900 so we wanted to get our swim in before we lost
our warm afternoon sunshine.
The water was refreshing and reasonably clear. Some swimmers came out from the beach, and we chatted with them for a bit. On the beach there was quite a ruckus as the music was being cranked up and a large group of guys in red t shirts were clearly celebrating something. We had seen soccer on the TV in a few bars earlier, we thought perhaps the boys were celebrating a win. They lit off a red smoke flare on the beach as the AC/DC raged over the loudspeakers. The group moved on, and we watched as they removed a banner that hung from a railing that said, in Italian, I am getting married. So now we are guessing this is a big bachelor party. They hit several bars along the beach, sang and chanted. There must have been 25 or 30 of them. They disappeared in the tunnel that took you to the old part of town and we did not see them again.
Homemade pizza for dinner and a very quiet night at anchor.
10/11/2025-Monteraso, Italy
A lazy morning with sunshine and no wind or sea in the forecast. We pulled anchor about 1000 and continued NW toward Sestri Lavante for fuel and an anchorage. For boarding the ship, they want our tanks as empty as possible, but I was not comfortable with our current fuel level. With no wind or sea, we motored about 12 miles to Sestri Lavante, the first available fuel stop, or so we thought. We tied up to the fuel dock, but no one was there. We called the phone number at the station, but there was no answer. We walked up to the Costeria Guardia (Italian Coast Guard) and inquired. They said there was no fuel here but we could get it in Lavagna. Off we went hoping the station would still be open, it was Saturday afternoon in Italy after all.
Arriving in Lavagna, 3 miles north of Sestra Lavante, the
fuel station was closed for lunch but the sign said they would reopen at 1430.
We tied up the dock and had some lunch. Next we put away the code 0 and then
the attendant arrived. We put in a mere 50 liters and hoped it would be the
last. When we went to start the motor it would not start! It seemed like a
battery issue; after checking a few connections and voltage levels we tried
again and received a low voltage warning. We fired up the generator and turned
on the battery charger for a little kick start. It worked and allowed us to
start the engine and get off the fuel dock. All I could figure is that I had
left the engine panel and blower on while we waited for the attendant and it
impacted my starting battery, but we will monitor. The other factor was that we
had been running on solar power for days now and perhaps it was not enough
input.
We motored a few miles further north and anchored outside of
the marina at Chiavari with several other boats. Another warm and sunny
afternoon had enticed us into a refreshing swim. The water is down to about 68
degrees F, not bad by California standards. There was an incredible amount of
boat traffic and a couple small sailboat fleets returning to the marina; maybe
a big race and lots of spectators.
Overnight the wind sounded like a freight train going by, as
it turned out it was a freight train passing close by and not a fierce wind.
10/12/2025-Chiavari Anchorage, Italy
Up in the middle of the night thinking about batteries.
After doing a little homework I now have a few tests to run and some parameters
to meet. Back to bed to sleep on it. Up with the sun, 10 knots breeze and a
calm sea. The battery seemed to test ok but goes below the recommended 9.4v
when the engine is cranking. However, the engine started right up…hhhmm?
We motored NW to Portofino to case the harbor for a possible
dinghy landing. A dinghy came in as we were watching, we saw where he parked it
and they walked away. Looks good to me. Rather than pay Portofino 200 euros for
a mooring ball we went east to Santa Margheritta and anchored with several
other boats in a well-protected little bay in front of the town.
It was no problem here finding a place to park the dinghy on the town quay. We walked the waterfront and then up through the beautiful gardens to Villa Durazzo perched high on the hill. Next this beautiful villa is the Church of San Giacomo di Corte e Santuario di Nostra Signor. The sanctuary was one of the most beautiful I have seen, and it was made even more beautiful with the huge flower arrangements that were being placed. Huge arrangements of all white flowers for a wedding that was going to occur.
Back on the waterfront we enjoyed lunch on a floating barge, Margaritta pizza and a seafood salad. Turns out the pizza was not named after this place but after the queen but we knew that already from our pizza making class in Naples. It was Sunday so lots of people were strolling on the waterfront. At the far end of the quay, we stopped for a gelato but ended up with gelato Sundays, so good! This made for a light dinner of small bites back on the boat.
It was an amazingly quiet night considering we were at anchor, no wind or waves, not even a slap.
10/13/2025-Santa Margherita, Italy
Another glorious morning as the sun quickly warms us up and
the sea and wind are calm. We took the dinghy for the 2-mile ride to Portofino.
This may be the longest dinghy trip with our little electric motor, it worked
great. We located the parking spot that we had identified yesterday and tied up
with no trouble.
We walk to Farro Light House along a path that must be the
road for the beautiful houses that dot the hillside. From the wharf near the Portofino
Yacht Club, you ascend a steep set of stairs that continue through a narrow
tunnel to deliver you to the stone path. The path is less than 2 meters wide so
whatever vehicle might come through here it would have to be small. With
natural rock forming one side of the path and a fence laced with greenery on
the other we walked about 1 km to the light house. Occasionally there would be
a door, an address and a mailbox in the rock or in the fence that would take
you into a gorgeous private property balanced on the hill overlooking the sea. Next
to the lighthouse is a little bar restaurant but it seemed a bit early to start
cocktailing. We made our way back to the wharf happy that we did this narrow
path early before the crowds arrived. Our timing was good as the ferries were
just starting to dump the masses of tourists on the quay.
This was another town that looked very small from the sea but on foot it was much more expansive as we walked inland and along the high road above the town. You can see why people love this little hamlet, beautiful buildings and views at every turn.
We stopped for lunch on the wharf and enjoyed watching the people pass by. There seemed to be several photo shoots taking place with models showing off the latest fashions. The trip back to Santa Margherita was uneventful and we were very happy with our dinghy and electric motor.
It was time for the work to begin. We were due into Genoa
the next day to start preparing the boat to be put on a ship. Presently the
ship loading was scheduled for 10/20 but that would likely change. The weather
was turning with high winds expected for several days. It will be a good time
to be in a marina. In an effort to spread out the work we started with stowing
the dinghy today while the wind was light and it was dry.
A light dinner and movie night, The Diplomat Series on
Netflix.
10/14/2025-Santa Margarita, Italy
We awoke to our last sunrise over the Mediterranean sea on
the boat. Another beautiful morning anchored in the Med. The engine started
right up but the alternator output was low…hhmmm? We were motoring W to Genoa
when Suzette came up from below and said there was a funny smell in the VIP cabin,
and I should check it out. It was that smell you really do not want to smell,
overheating electrical. All of the battery switches and batteries are located
under the berth. It did not take long to determine that the cable from the
alternator to the Cristec box and the box itself were hot, a loose connection.
I tightened the connection and the system quickly cooled and the alternator
output came up to spec! Hopefully we did not cause any irreparable damage, and
we have fixed our battery issue, time will tell.
Genoa is a huge port but we have been here before, so we navigated in with confidence. Marina Porto Antico is deep in port and right in the center of the old city of Genoa. This was once the true hub of trade in the Mediterranean and an important city in ancient times. We docked with no trouble between a small center console boat and a small sailboat. Being so deep in the harbor we knew we would be less affected by the high winds that were coming. Just the same we wanted to get the sails down and stowed while there was no wind. We pulled the main down and it folded quite nicely. The jib was a little trickier to fold but we succeeded. Both sails went into the sail locker at the bow along with the 135 Genoa and the code 0 with room to spare.
I stowed the lines below; they were clean and dry. Next, I
collected the various blocks, clean them and lubricated them. With that big job
behind us we walked into town to check out the multiple chandleries because I
always need something. There were several stores and they all resembled a cross
between Minny’s and The Captains Locker at home. At the last stop they were
able to order a replacement for the bumper that had gone missing over the
summer. I wanted it to match the ones I had. Of course, we had to stop at the
market for a couple items we needed for dinner and to size up the availability
of things. The market was one of our favorites, Conad. I feel like a local here
because I have a Conads card for discounts and the like.
It was a noisy night on the boat with the wind picking up.
It did not help that I neglected to secure the car for the self-tacking jib
sheet and the rolling furler in the mast was clanking with no main sail on it.
It will all wait until tomorrow.
10/15/2025
The wind was blowing up high but not affecting us much. The
sun was out, and the day was warming up. I spent the morning checking all the
connections on the electrical system, all seemed to be tight. Next on the list
was the stowing of the flexible solar panels and the disconnect of that system.
In the afternoon we deployed the wagon for a more
significant shopping trip. There are a few items that we love here in Italy and
wanted to stock up on for our travels in the Caribbean, Amaro and Compari have
become staples for the bar. Conads had excellent prices for both, probably half
the cost of what we pay in the US for the fine Italian product. The other
product is Hazelnut cocoa spread, also available at Conad. On the way back we
picked up our new bumper from the chandlery. Another productive day though I
will say the days are getting shorter and cooler, must be fall.
10/16/2025
Up early, 0400, over thinking everything. The sun finally
rose and with it came the high winds. I striped off the last of the lines, main
sheets, and removed all the sheet blocks. With this German rig for the main
sheet there is no traveler but 9 blocks. I cleaned and lubed them before
putting them below. Next chore was to clean and polish the stainless steal
grill, not my favorite job but it looks like a jewel when I am done.
Suzette was working on cleaning the stainless steel and the
cockpit cushions. With that done I dried and covered the hatches, 8 of them.
Last chore for the day was to cover the remaining exposed lines and clutches.
My custom-made covers are holding up nicely; you have to love Sunbrella.
I was relieved to get a note from the shipping agent here in
Genoa. My paperwork was all squared away, and loading is expected to occur
between 10/21 and 10/23. At least I can sleep tonight.
We walked into town to drop off our good galley knives for
sharpening. On the way we stopped at this great little hardware store. It was
great because they had the tiny zip ties I needed, in fact she had every size
of zip tie, indispensable! As we walked the old city, we came across an outdoor
market in the piazza that was promoting French products and tourism, seems a
bit ironic. We ran across a small wine cellar with what looked like some great
wines. I had read recently that Chianti Classico had come a long way and was
worth putting in our wine storage, so we picked up a bottle to try. Last stop
for the day was a beautiful cheese shop. We wanted to bring a big piece of parmesan
with us, we bought 5kg, about 11 lbs. That should tie us over for a while.
10/17/2025-Genoa, Italy
With most of my current concerns laid to rest I was able to
enjoy a full night’s sleep. The boat was quiet and so was the marina. Another
sunny windy day with temperatures hitting 70 degrees F.
I spent the morning trip planning. We had some time before
our next appointments in Barcelona. We plan to go to Lake Como and Milan before
seeing our friend Stephnia at Beltrami to pick up our new linens for home and
the boat. Then Bergamo for some shopping. Next stop would be Seville and
finally Back to Barcelona for an eye appointment at IMO, all good so far. We
plan to fly to the DC area to visit my family in the week of 11/11 then home to
HB by 11/17, if all goes well.
In the afternoon we walked the town again to pick up our
knives and the last couple of European necessities. Suzette loves this honey
scented liquid soap, Nuxe, but it is hard to find. It is a French product, but
we found the superstore of pharmacies, and they had the soap. We bought 5 bottles.
The last thing on the list was Italian wine, we have not found the favorite
from our last trip, so we are sampling for a new favorite. We found a very nice
wine shop and the gentleman there was very helpful. We were looking for a Primitivo,
and he helped us select a bottle. It turns out that he had been based in San
Pedro California for many years working on various cargo and cruise ships,
small world.
It was frittata night on the boat which means I am cooking
as I am the frittata chef. Eggs, shallots, garlic, cheese and lots of potatoes.
It turned out very well if I do say so myself.
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