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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
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.
1 Comment
Gina
24/8/2016 08:30:40 pm
Still jealous of you two. Keep on bobbin'
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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.
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