OUR BLOG
"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
There we were sat in the cockpit yesterday chatting away when all of a sudden the heavens opened and a torrential downpour sent us scuttling into the saloon like a couple of ferrets diving down a rabbit hole. Obviously all the hatches were open so it wasn't much dryer in there until we rapidly closed everything up. Then last night we had a proper full on storm with more really heavy rain, thunder and spectacular lightening, plus strong gusty winds that caused the boat to rock and roll a bit. It was the first storm of the summer and it's a good job we were safely tucked up in the marina and not sat in an exposed bay somewhere around the island. That would have been very uncomfortable, if not a tad frightening.
Today the air is clear and a little fresher than usual. The forecast is for more stormy weather but everything should clear up nicely by the weekend when we'll contemplate doing a bit more sailing. For now though we'll stay put, settle down with a good book, listen to some music and think about a bit of swordfish for supper. Let's call it chill out Friday.
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We've been out and about aboard Comino lately anchoring in beautiful bays and generally chilling in the sunshine. Nothing wrong with that. No reason to feel guilty. After all that's why we came. Then our daughter and her hubby arrived for a weeks holiday on the boat and apart from a bit of beach life they were keen to spend a couple of days around the tiny island of Comino which is, of course, our boats natural home. We stocked up with enough food to keep us going for a month and then set sail last Friday to beat the weekend rush. That's a laugh and a half as I'll explain in a minute. Our destination was the infamous Blue Lagoon. This is a place where the water is beyond clear - it's like mineral water that's been triple distilled to become even more pure. If you google it the bay can be seen from outer space it's so bright. Yep....as beauty spots go it doesn't come much better. But, and it's a very big but, there is a downside that has to be taken into consideration when you visit. Be warned...you will not be alone! Unsurprisingly, The Blue Lagoon is the biggest tourist attraction in Malta and pretty well everybody puts a boat trip there at the top of their "must see" agenda when they come here. And, needless to say, there's no shortage of entrepreneurial tripper boat skippers eager to transport the masses to this little piece of paradise at a price. They come from every direction, every hour, every day and in all shapes and sizes (the boats that is). What makes it even more crazy are the hundreds of Maltese boats that come and anchor in the lagoon as well. On top of this there are speed boat rides, ringo rides, paragliding rides, extreme boat rides and jet ski rides. All in all there's only one word to describe an average day in The Blue Lagoon......MAYHEM! But, it is what it is and quite frankly if you're looking for peace and tranquility don't go there. That's my philosophy. Actually, there is a time when it becomes the calmest, most beautiful place you can ever imagine, but you have to wait. It's not when the sun goes down and the hoards of tripper boats scoop up their hundreds of passengers and depart. Nor is it when the maltese boats head for home leaving just a small handful of yachts intending to anchor for the night. It's certainly not when darkness falls as this is when several disco boats arrive full of alcohol fuelled youngsters determined to party hard and loud, blasting out music at around a thousand decibels until midnight. The time when the lagoon becomes completely calm and utterly amazing is at dawn. Watching the sun rise above the jagged cliffs and illuminating the water just like a powerful light has been switched on under the sea is truly mesmerising. There's nobody else in the lagoon to spoil the atmosphere and you feel totally alone as you watch this stunning phenomenon of nature. This is the brief moment that makes it all worth while. This is an experience to be savoured. I love it and it warms my soul. Sadly, the moment is very brief and before long the first tripper boat arrives with yet another cargo of tourists ready to disturb the peace and quiet. Hey ho.....like I said......it is what it is. We bobbed up and down in the lagoon all day Saturday watching with amusement as the chaos unfolded all around us until late afternoon when we unfurled the genoa and motor sailed back to our base at Msida Marina - a gorgeous three hour journey across an inky blue Mediterranean sea. As ever, we got back feeling very privileged to be living the dream in just the way we imagined twenty years ago when we first visited The Blue Lagoon. The only difference is we have to share the experience with several thousand other people these days, apart from the dawn moment, but it still makes me smile to be on Comino....in Comino. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. And what better way to chill and relax than to spend the day at Sue and Ian's place. They are the most generous hosts you could ever wish for and their gorgeous pad up in the hills is the perfect place to unwind. Mind you, as the sun went down and the music volume increased, what had been a lazy afternoon turned into a bit of a party. Now there's a surprise....when the Tabone sisters get together you know it's going to get lively.
And so....this little sailing adventure of ours has begun again. Nicki and I departed from the UK last Thursday in the pouring rain and arrived in a very hot and sunny Malta feeling excited to be back after ten months away. What took us so long to return you ask. It was my temporary work at the Royal International Air Tattoo that kept us at home and it all ended in a spectacular finale - the airshow itself (the biggest in the world no less) in mid July. If you like the sound of a supercar revving up, that's nothing compared to an F35 takeoff and vertical climb pulling 5G's in the process. And then an F22. And then a few Typhoons. And then the Reds. A couple of Migs. A Spitfire etc. etc. etc. Rattles your bones!!! The whole three day event was absolutely awesome and I loved every minute of my five month involvement leading up to it. Thanks again Harriett for making it such a blast. Anyway, that's enough about planes - let's get back to boats. It's five days since we got here and today is a biggy. We're moving back onto Comino as livaboards, having spent the time since our arrival cleaning and scrubbing what was essentially a giant sand pit. It was like half the Sahara Desert had been dumped onto the boat courtesy of the winter rain that carries the sand over from North Africa. A bedouin tent and a few camels on the foredeck wouldn't have looked out of place. Needless to say Comino looks like new again and we're itching to set sail to find a secluded bay where we can anchor and loose ourselves for a few days whilst we get back into the sea gypsy lifestyle. Our base here since we arrived has been at Jane's house and as usual her and her family, plus a few friends, have used our presence as an excuse to kick off a non stop party. Hectic barely comes close to describing the proceedings. Probably the best way to catalogue the days just gone by would be to jot down a small diary of events. Thursday 4th August - Got up at silly o'clock. Went to the airport in winter like conditions. Travelled on a flying cattle truck (Ryanair). Arrived in Malta and whisked away by Jane to her house with a pool on the roof. Dived in. Had lunch. People arrived early evening. Had BBQ (giant prawns and fresh swordfish). Much laughter. Wine flowed. End of day 1. Friday 5th August - Got picked up and taken to see Comino. Oh lord. Better get cleaning then. Diver arrived to scrub the coral reef off the hull. Worked my socks off in searing heat. Went home to shower. We all went to another rooftop BBQ in Attard. Partied with 20 or so lovely people. Watched the fiesta fireworks. Very spectacular. Late night again. End of day 2. Saturday 6th August - Worked my socks off once more. Got spruced up. Took Jane and Nicki to dinner. Amazing place - veranda over the beach. Fresh fish and some wine. Night cap at home. End of day 3. Sunday 7th August - Walked to Msida Marina - 3 miles. Very hot. Worked my socks off. Got even hotter. Got a lift home. Got in the pool. Vegetated in front of the telly for the rest of the evening. Just a little bit of wine. End of day 4. Monday 8th August - Got the bus to Msida Marina. Ray (the engine man) came and poured lots of loving TLC over the "donkey". Worked my socks off. Nicki and Jane arrived via Lidl. Boat fully stocked with food. Fridge full. Went home to glam up. BBQ at friends house in San Gwan. So many people to catch-up with. Very late night. End of day 5. It's now Tuesday morning and we'll be packing up soon to head down to the boat. There's plenty more to do to get fully ship shape but being there full time will make it much easier. Doing work in the cool early mornings is less arduous for sure. I mentioned our intention to slip our lines and quietly head out into the Med but in truth the party here is destined to continue for a few more days. There's another BBQ to attend tomorrow at Becky and Pierre's and then on Friday night we have a government permit to hold a beach party at Golden Sands to celebrate Jane's birthday. That'll be a sedate gathering of the clan....NOT. And finally, Sunday will be a day of absolute luxury at Ian and Sue's amazing house and pool up in Madelena. It's sort of the Maltese equivalent of Beverly Hills I guess. Monday is a bank holiday here which means the entire population will take to their boats and occupy every inch of every anchorage around the islands, so not a good day to head out. Therefore, it looks like another week before we hoist the sails and take to the high sea. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not complaining. We're having a ball and as busy as it sounds being on the boat from now on will make all the difference. That's because we'll be in our own home - in our own space - in shorts and flip flops - in the sunshine - surrounded by wonderful people - enjoying healthy food and a few glasses of vino. Oh no......I'm certainly not complaining.....neither is Nicki for that matter. |
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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