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
Just over a week ago we were sailing in glorious sunshine and frolicking in the sea like excited little school kids. Not so this past week, oh no…frequent spells of thunder, lightening and showers made sure of that, although in-between the rain it has still been quite hot.
I mention this because the extremes of weather we're experiencing, almost on an hourly basis, is causing havoc with everyone's wardrobe selection. Take our trip into Sliema this morning as an example. It rained a bit, then the sun shone. One minute the air was fresh and cool, then it was warm again. Some people were wearing jeans, big thick jumpers and scarves. Others had on hefty overcoats. Trendy high heeled boots seemed to be the order of the day for the females. Everyone with an eye for fashion, both men and women, were clearly using the current unpredictable weather conditions to launch their new autumn collections. Needless to say, all the people dressed up like this were Maltese. To them summer is long gone and they relish the opportunity to wear something different. Then you had the sports shorts and sandals brigade - some with white socks on. Tight t-shirts stretched to bursting point over enormous beer bellies completed the ensemble - and that was just the women - only kidding. You will have guessed by now that these were the Brits abroad. I'm afraid "style" isn't a word that sprung to mind. OK, maybe that's a bit harsh, but beach wear on a day like today did look a little bit out of place in downtown Sliema. As for me, I'd say I was somewhere in the middle; long sleeved shirt, proper shorts and flip flops…..it's always flip flops for me as a matter of principle. Putting on shoes again is a signal that the sailing season is over and the time has arrived to plan our return to the UK. Actually, that time has arrived. In truth, our flights are booked. This morning, I confirmed Comino's winter berth at Msida Marina. My jeans are hanging in the wardrobe together with a winter jacket ready for our departure. Some e-mail exchanges have even taken place to plan Christmas. And so being somewhere in the middle describes our current situation in more ways than one. We will sail again this year, hopefully to the Island of Comino, but one eye is also on our journey home. There's more fun to be had here and there's lots to look forward to in Blighty. I'll leave you with a shot I took from our roof top terrace this week. I never tire of watching the dawn of a new day.
0 Comments
And here we are at the back-end of October. I guess under normal circumstances, in days gone by in the UK, we might be wrapped up in warm clothing dodging a downpour on a dreary autumnal day. Or, at the very least, seeking out a cosy country pub with a roaring fire and a slap up Sunday roast on the menu. Not so; yesterday we sailed for three hours in the sunshine to get to Paradise Bay, a rather nice beach on the North West coast of Malta. With us were Jane and her sister Becky, a picnic and an assortment of cold beverages in the fridge. On arrival we did something a bit bonkers…we jumped into the sea…in late October…and it was warm…very warm. We met up with friends, Alfred and Carol, for a day that would have been typical at the height of summer. I must say I find it all rather strange…in a splendid sort of way of course. And it wasn't just us enjoying the sunshine…the beach was pretty busy too. The sun was straight in-front of me when I took the shot below - hence the rather rather bleached outcome. I'm sure there's a button or a knob on my camera that would help in such circumstances, if only I would read the manual. Luckily, the wind behaved itself whilst we were there. In a blow, the anchor might drag and right behind us was a rather perilous group of rocks to end up on. Paradise Bay is well known for its beautiful turquoise water and it certainly didn't disappoint yesterday. We've been to this beach many, many times over the years, but this was our first visit on the boat. It won't be the last for sure. The day was such a treat that we didn't want to leave and as a result we ended up having to do the last couple of hours sailing back in the dark. Mind you we were surrounded by boats who had obviously thought the same, which meant there was a sprinkling of red, green and white navigational lights all around us… it was rather pretty really. By eight o'clock Comino was safely tied up at her berth and we settled down for a night on-board. Actually, it's been a bit scorchio all week so the boat has been our home since last Monday.
There we were this morning, perched high up on the ancient bastions of Valletta, waiting patiently for the 35th Rolex Middle Sea Race to begin. As noon approached 123 boats categorised into five classes got underway on the 600 mile course at ten minute intervals. The roar of a single cannon shot across Grand Harbour signalled the start of each group. Every ten minutes it was boom... and they're off.
The wind was very light. Bunching occurred almost straight away and collisions were a real danger as very big boats in close quarters hardly moved in a relatively small space. I think the word to describe the scene was…majestic, but fraught. Some boats are the nautical equivalent of F1 cars, owned by extremely rich people who can afford to pay a professional crew to compete in races all over the world on their behalf. Then there are boats owned by ordinary people (not short of a bob or two, clearly), who enter because they can. The race is open to all-comers and some of the crews are nothing more than recreational sailors having a go. The one thing they all have in common is the spirit to endure several days of seriously hard graft in an effort to get on the podium. The word to use for them is…respect. It was still daylight as we crossed Grand Harbour on the ferry heading for the ancient city of Birgu, just a short trip across the water from Valletta. Right in-front of us was the magnificent Maltese Falcon, the largest sailing yacht in the world. What a boat!!!
This was Saturday and we were heading for an event we'd been eagerly anticipating for some time….Birgufest. For one night of the year this truly spectacular tiny city of medieval magnificence turns all its lights off and the whole place is then lit up by candles. Not just a few, but by hundreds of thousands of candles, creating a unique atmosphere never to be experienced elsewhere…or so we were told. After disembarking the ferry, we decided to visit the Maritime Museum first and soak up a bit of ancient history from a nautical perspective. It was another tick in the box for our grand plan to visit all the key attractions in Malta before we depart in December. Birgu has been a key strategic harbour dating back to the Phoenicians, followed by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Angevines, Aroganese and, of course, The Knights Order of Saint John. This latter group became the Knights of Malta who occupied the magnificent Fort Saint Angelo in Burgu, and still do for that matter. It was at Fort Saint Angelo in 1565 that 500 Knights and several thousand Maltese citizens finally defeated over thirty thousand Ottoman invaders at what is known as the Great Siege of Malta….see Wikipedia for more details….well worth the read. By the time we left the museum it was dark and the crowds had begun to arrive for the party. Into the thick of it we went…eager with anticipation. What an experience…the city celebrates this festival in a true carnival spirit. We wandered along bustling narrow streets surrounded by ancient stone buildings that have stood for hundreds of years. It was like travelling back in time. Candles, candles and more candles were hanging above our heads everywhere, they were lined up along the walls and spectacularly arranged in the opened-up hallways of residential houses. The lighting effect was a wonderful subtle soporific glow in the pitch darkness all around. It was a visual and atmospheric feast…quite magic in fact. No need to be thirsty either; numerous bars on tressle tables had been set up by residents outside their homes. This entrepreneurial spirit also extended to offerings of mouth watering food of every kind, which wafted tantalising smells through the air at every turn. Arts and crafts exhibitions added some culture to the event and music played too, ranging from solo violinists to stomping marching bands. The main square in Birgu was the centre of attraction with a host of quaint traditional bars and restaurants doing a roaring trade, plus even more food and drink stalls every few feet. There were literally thousands of people milling around soaking up the atmosphere, and the alcoholic beverages I might add. We purchased a bottle of the local white Chardonnay and to be honest, it was rather good, even if we did drink it out of plastic cups on the hoof. After a while things were hotting up for full on rock concert on a massive stage that would not have looked out of place at Glastonbury, but after a few hours of wandering, eating and drinking we decided that it was bed time and we bid a fond farewell to what had been an amazing night. As the ferry glided through the now black water back to Valletta, we both agreed that hopefully this wouldn't be our last Birgufest. I've got a point, click and hope for the best type camera that really doesn't like the dark, let alone candlelight. So, this is the best I could do to put some of our experience into images. Being rooftop dwellers now we get a panoramic view of Malta and the sky above. As the moon rose up from the horizon last night it was bright red, turning slowly to a golden yellow. Just awesome.
Today the sun is shining again, but it was a different story two days ago. The long anticipated first storm for 9 months hit Malta with such ferocity the result was extremely dramatic. Continuous sheet and fork lightening illuminated the sky in all directions with dazzling intensity…... it was almost blinding. Deafeningly loud thunder claps followed immediately after each flash, rattling windows and, on occasions, your teeth. And then the rain came. I say rain…it was a torrential downpour of biblical proportions. The storm lasted for several hours due to a low pressure system hovering menacingly right over Malta, refusing to drift out to sea and give respite to the battered island. Pictures in the paper the following day showed what could only be described as carnage. People died, streets turned to rivers, cars washed away like they were toys. Luckily we weren't on the boat. We watched the whole thing from behind the panoramic window of our rooftop apartment. It was frightening. Last night the storm clouds were gathering again in the distance for another onslaught, but thankfully they passed by and we awoke to a clear blue sky.
|
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
|