Tunisia

June 23rd Hammamet Tunisia,
Again the time has flown by and somehow we are in Tunisia on the top of Africa. I'm not sure if I can explain how this life we lead goes but one thing is for sure it is full of strange encounters with lot of twists and turns.
After leaving Fiscardo we went to Ayefinia for three days. A great walk across the island about 8k both ways to one of those picture postcard beaches on the west coast of Cephalonia. Will try to attach a photo. Next we went to Ithaca and spent three nights anchored in a pretty little bay where after the first night by ourselves we had some other Vancouverites (Howard and Kellie) arrive on Rapture who have been away for eight years. The next day two other boats arrived from Marmaris one Aussi and the other American. Had a big dinner party on Sunchaser (Ray and Brenda) until the winds picked up and we all had to go and tend our boats. From here Marian and I just spent a week or so wandering around the little islands going out for dinner in the Tavernas and enjoying the warm weather and swimming. We ended up in Lefkada for Marians birthday and had a dinner with Howard and Kellie. Next we worked our way to Corfu (it took us a couple of weeks) and arrived threre on the 5th of June. We enjoyed Corfu as it is so different to anywhere else we have been in Greece. Wide streets with lots of flowers everywhere as well as the old quarter of the city full of ticky tacky tourist stuff.
So after relaxing for over a month going five or ten miles a day it was time to do some travelling. Our good friends Linda and Henning from Vancouver joined us in Corfu on the 8th and seeing as how they were with us in France when the weather was not so good for a crossing to Spain we thought that this time we could show them some sailing. We went up to the north end of Corfu for a night then to Orthoivt island for another night and a walk and met up with Red Herring from NZ (Graham and Karen). The next day we did a 160 mile cossing to Rocella Ionica on the boot of Italy. It was blowing with a bit of a cross chop when we left a 0800 and both our quests felt the effects but managed very well. By the end of the day all was well with the winds light and we had a stuffed chicken dinner with all the trimmings while cruising over the deep blue sea. Everyone managed to sleep ok and by the afternoon we were at Ionica in time for a swim then a walk into town and then out for pizza which was great and sold by the meter. We stayed for the next day and a half then at 1730 departed for Siracusa in Sicily for another over night passage. As we have said before the Med is not good for sailing as the wind is so variable. When we left we had 20knots for a couple of hours which was good sailing then the winds died only to pick up for twenty minutes then die again. So sails are up and down with the engine on and off. At midnight Marian came on watch and I went to bed. By 1230 Marian was calling for some help as the wind was now up to 45knots. This lasted for a couple of hours and we were very impressed how well Henning and linda managed up in the bow getting bounced about. When in this kind of weather sailing can be very noisy especially for our guests who are not accustomed to sailing. One of the sights this night was the red lava flows from Mt Etna streaming down the side of the mountain. Anyway we arrived in to Siracusa the next morning where Sunchasher was anchored and they arrived over with fresh bread and mellons. It was a very welcome treat.
We ended up staying five days in Siracusa and rented a car for two days one with our guests driving west into the hills and old towns that had us folding in the mirrors on the car to fit down some of the little streets. We dropped the P's off in the evening so they could catch a ferry over to Malta. The next day we drove around mount Etna with Graham and Karen and walked up to some of the lava flows that we had seen the night we sailed over to Sicily. We had a fun day and a good lunch before getting back to the boats which were at anchor as there was some concern regarding theft if we tied up to the kay. We spent the next day just relaxing and left the following day for the south west tip of Sicily to anchor and have a swim before heading off the next morning for Malta.
We arrived in Malta in the afternoon and tied up to another EMYR boat Unicorn from Sweden (Anna and Haken) while we cleared with the authorities. It is very impresive sailing into Malta with its huge fortress walls and so many churches. We had wanted to leave the boat here while we came home this summer but were unable to find a place for that length of time. So after spending the weekend we sailed 190 miles over to Hammamet in Tunisia. Lots of fishing boats to work our way around that night! Here there is a very good marina with excellent security so feel confident in leaving Kilkea here for 6-7 weeks. Lots of white sand beaches all along the east coast with many big hotels catering mainly to the French. It is not unatractive with wide bulevards and lots of palm trees. The days are warm around 35 but the evenings cool off to 22 or so. Marian has gone to Ireland today for a week with her Mum and will go to Vancouver on July 3rd. I will stay here for a few more days and do some boat stuff before heading home.