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"There's always a plan, but unexpected things happen and we just go with the flow. Though I do believe that fate and destiny often play their part"
sailing blog
Nicki has returned from her trip back to the UK, so life is now getting back to normal here on Comino. Unfortunately, she missed the entertainment associated with the Rolex Middle Sea Race, but I have to admit, I partied quite hard on her behalf. A couple of days before the start, the Royal Malta Yacht Club hosted a crew party. Think about it - several hundred testosterone fuelled ocean racing yachtsmen (plus the women competitors) all congregated in a marquee on the waterside with free food, free bar and a band. There's only one word to describe it - CARNAGE. The event attracted many of Malta's lovely ladies who came to ogle at the boys before they set off on their seven hundred mile challenge against all the ocean could throw at them.
Last Saturday was race day and we had VIP invites to watch the start from Barrakka Gardens, high up on the bastions of Valletta. The view across Grand Harbour was nothing short of spectacular. Courtesy of Rolex, the sponsors, we had wine and nibbles to make sure nobody felt undernourished. It was an event to behold. Ninety nine boats, divided into six classes, screamed off at ten minute intervals in a hot breeze to the thunderous bangs of the starter cannons below us. It made the hairs on your neck tingle with excitement. As the last boats left the harbour the enormous Malta Siege Bell boomed its farewell and we all wished the crews safe passage and safe return. In the early hours of Tuesday morning the first boats crossed the line back in the harbour and the last of them came home yesterday.
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Nicki has popped back to the UK to help Em choose a wedding dress. I suggested they try Oxfam, but I think my rather practical advice fell on deaf ears. Apparently, and this came as no surprise at all, I was surplus to requirements on such matters. So, what do you do all on your tod in Malta on a hot sunny Saturday. No I didn't go to a bar for an all day beer fest, although I was sorely tempted. Instead, I opted for a dose of culture in the capital, to wallow in the fascinating history of the mysterious Malta based Order of St John - the Knights of old who were appointed by the Pope to protect Jerusalem against the marauding Muslims in order to maintain Roman Catholicism in the Holy Land. He gave them Malta as a pressie for all their sterling work. They were also known as the Crusaders but far be it from me to embark on a long and laborious history lesson - if you're really interested just do a search on Wikapedia and the significance of Malta will be revealed. First thing, off to Valletta I trekked. Actually, I took a water ferry from Sleima - much easier and considerably quicker. The pics below hopefully speak for themselves, summing up a brilliant day wandering through the streets of one of my favourite cities in all the world. One picture above is worthy of a little additional explanation. Strait Street was well known (nudge nudge, wink wink) to tens of thousands of servicemen throughout the ages as a place to let your hair down (and your pants) whilst on short term leave. Let me elaborate. Malta was a British Colony until 1964, the year full independence was declared. Before then, the majority of UK sailors, troops, and later on, airmen, who came to Malta for tours of duty headed for this particular street for some of life's simple pleasures - say no more. Now all you see are dilapidated old neon signs advertising bars and clubs that would have once been full to the rafters with young revellers feeling lonely far from home.
And finally, the pub where the great English actor Oliver Reed drank himself into a heart attack and dropped dead at the bar. Not a great pic I know, but I somehow felt a bit self conscious hanging around outside with a camera - a bit mawkish - it didn't seem to bother the other twenty people around me though. Back home in the past, it's fair to say we did the odd bit of socialising now and then, but life always seemed so hectic on the work front, which meant seeing people and going out was more of an occasional indulgence. Here in Malta, it feels like its non stop. We're not complaining....oh no....but my word you need a bit of stamina to keep up with these Maltese party animals. They tell us it gets even better during the winter - they say what else can you do when the sun isn't shining!!! Here's just a flavour of life on a small island in the middle of nowhere. We had a magnificent sail in glorious sunshine courtesy of Roland and his big 52 foot yacht. The relaxing day was spent with with good friends, good food and wine-a-plenty. We even managed to catch a small tuna (well Dave the skipper did actually) which was gutted, filleted and prepped up as sushi within minutes of landing on deck. It don't come fresher than that. There was the wedding anniversary that nearly wasn't. On 27th Sept, we were sat on the boat sipping an early morning coffee when Jane turned up to join us holding a large bunch of flowers, a card and a bottle of fizzy stuff. "Happy anniversary" she said. It was a jaw dropping moment - Nicki and I looked at each other in horror. For the first time in 33 years we'd both completely forgotten. Just to add insult to injury, ten minutes later up turned Neville (Jane's ex partner) with a bottle of vintage Maltese red wine wishing us all the best too. Jane cooked us, her sister and her partner Dave, a fabulous dinner that night and we stayed over at the house making it an even bigger treat. Then we attended the much anticipated "Curry Party" on the roof terrace. An all day food extravaganza whereby friends and family all brought an Indian dish to die for. It was a feast fit for Kings, or Sultans I guess. Anyway, few Indian take aways I know could have matched the culinary delights on offer that day. As ever, the wine flowed freely late into the night and, even better, I was able to indulge in my rather disgusting habit of eating cold curry for breakfast. Congealed Lamb Rogan is a particular favourite! I must have been enjoying myself so much because the camera never came out of its case - hence no pics. Looking ahead to the next few weeks, things will get even busier I think. On 19th October its the Rolex Middle Sea Race, one of the great nautical events in the yachting calendar. Think of it as being like an F1 race invloving some of the most famous boats and well known sailors from around the globe. Like the Fastnet race in the UK, amateurs also compete alongside fully sponsored professionals in what is a seven hundred mile dash around the Mediterranean whereby the fastest boats return to Malta in under three days. As a fully paid up member of the Royal Malta Yacht Club we get automatic invites to the pre-race crew party, the race start reception and the prize giving ceremony. Plus, I've volunteered to be a boat scrutiniser meaning I'll be in the yachting equivalent of the pit lane before the start to check boats over for regulatory safety equipment. My formal training should start in the next few days - excited - just a bit!
You'll see there's been no mention so far of us sailing on Comino, particularly the pilgrimage back to the Island of Comino for that date with destiny. It's for a very good reason I hasten to add. When the boat came from Ibiza to Malta the crew encountered some pretty strong winds which put the sails under considerable pressure. The stitched seams on large areas of the Genoa sail (the big one at the front) came undone due to the corroding effect the suns UV rays have on the thread. This damage is a gradual process occurring over several years, not helped by the fact that Comino has been abroad in the sunshine for three years now. Anyway, before being used again, the sail needed some serious maintenance work and a local firm have been doing the repair plus fitting a new UV strip to provide better protection in the future. It only came back a few days ago so when we get a good spell of weather again we'll slip our lines and head for the ocean. The weather here is quite changeable now. Some hot sticky days, interspersed with cloudy spells and even heavy rain. To be honest, after six months of sunshine, you really get to appreciate the cooler times, particularly at night. We're spending this week house sitting for Jane whilst she works in London and that means we get some of life's little luxuries like posh loos, private showers and a big bed. Happy days. |
A FEW PICS OF COMINO Click a photo to enlarge and use side arrows to scroll through. COMINO IS CURRENTLY HEREDID SOMEONE SAY SEAFOODOn our journey from Portugal to Greece we enjoyed amazing seafood almost everywhere we stopped. Finding the local fish market was always a priority because seafood was so plentiful and so reasonably priced. And, the displays were a feast for your eyes.
Locating a market sometimes meant pounding the pavements in searing heat, but if you kept your eyes peeled, you often came across a little clue. The pic below was a rather less than subtle advert for a fish market - it was eight feet tall.
Freshly cooked onboard, a plateful of giant prawns, baked in wine and garlic, washed down with a few glasses of local vino, was like heaven. Watching the sunset on the boat eating a meal like that was the epitome of "living the dream".
Now we're in Greece we've another favourite to savour. I'm talking about fried Calamari. It's usually good, but every now and then it's off-the-scale fantastic. At Natalie's Taverna on Kontokali Beach in Corfu, it was nothing short of epic.
We're based in Lefkas now and It's been a bit of a mission to find somewhere just as good. And we have. Rakias is a mere ten minute walk from the marina and this little fish market, with its very own taverna attached, is quite sensational.
Oh...and it's also worth mentioning that, on occasions, a bit of barbequed Octopus is on the menu at some of the tavernas we frequent. Can I resist....no. SUNSETS AND DRAMATIC SKIESNo filters, or any other monkey business, have been used to enhance these images.
OUR ADVENTURES FROM THE BEGINNING CATEGORIES
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