The difficulties in life never stop but we can learn to be resilient and successful in our journey.

Alison Gieschen

 

When we conceived of the plan to sail around the world, we knew there would be setbacks, we just didn’t know how many we would encounter. There have been many trials and tribulations along the way.

I would have to say that the setbacks have outweighed the successes by a margin of 3 to 1. What do you do with those odds? You celebrate them when they fall in your favor. Sometimes, before we fall asleep at night, I think back to the day. If it was a day that nothing bad happened, nothing broke, I have to pop up and tell Dan, “Hey, today was a great day! Nothing bad happened!” I fall asleep with a smile on my face.

We live each day on a timer. The clock is ticking down to the next hardship, something will fail, something will break, and the weather will not always cooperate. We have come to accept that inevitability. What we have learned is to enjoy the good days.

On those rare occasions when the wind is just right, the waves are kind, the sun is shining, and we are making 6 knots; that is when we shine. We have huge smiles on our faces as we look around in amazement and pinch ourselves. We have earned every second of that joy. The ocean is never more beautiful to us than on one of those days. Usually, it occurs during a passage when we have only the vast horizon of the sea as our view. Although there is nothing to see but the ocean,  for us, there is no more beautiful sight to behold.

What We’ve Seen in a Month

 

The Mediterranean is vast. There are so many islands, countries, and incredible places to visit, it’s like being a kid in a gigantic candy shop. Where when and how we get to the places we would like to visit is a nebulous process. We only have a certain amount of time before it will be time to move on to the next section of the world.

Even when we think we know our course, weather or other events will drive us somewhere else. We have learned there is no concrete planning, more of a “taking us where the wind blows” path. Here is where we have made landings thus far on our Mediterranean voyage.

The Balearics

 

We visited the four islands in the Balearic chain, starting with Formentera, then up to Ibiza, Mallorca, and finally Minorca. They were each unique in appearance and culture.

Formentera was very flat, a bastion from the Bronze Age that hasn’t succumbed to population and growth. It has a quiet beauty. The only scar on this visit was the pain felt from knowing this was the island where one of our sailing compatriots lost his ship. He was anchored and went to shore. When he returned, he found his boats washed up on shore, broken beyond repair.

This is where his journey ended. It’s a constant reminder of the importance of safety and anchoring. In this case, the large ferries zooming in and out of the port caused waves that tore him from his anchorage. Just an unfortunate event and a reminder that we are all vulnerable to the whims of fate.

Next, after a short hop, we found Ibiza to not be to our taste. The city is designed for partying and the playboys of the world. We didn’t spend much time there as it just wasn’t our cup of tea. There were too many cruise ships coming and going and the jet skis were an annoying swarm of buzzing flies zooming recklessly around the harbor. We left quickly and headed to the next island, Mallorca.

We instantly warmed up to Mallorca as the harbors and cities were gorgeous. The mountainous island was welcoming and fun to explore. We met up with our boat buddies on s/v Whatever She Wants, and had a great time being reunited after two years of being separated due to Covid.

We rented a car and explored this mountainous, hidden wonder. Sadly, after a few weeks together, we parted ways again temporarily. They were off to France, we to the last island in the chain, Minorca. We found this to be the most beautiful of the four islands. The coast was breathtaking to sail along. The cliffs were immense, the harbors secluded. We sometimes had them all to ourselves. It was a peaceful and pleasant voyage along Minorca. This is an island to visit if you love long walks, beautiful beaches, and a non-tourist atmosphere.

Celebrating our 36th Wedding Anniversary

 

Our anniversary arrived on the second day of our 3-day passage to our next destination, Sardinia. There would be no fancy dinner out at sea. The winds were strong as we first started out even though that was not the weather prediction. We have yet to find any weather forecasts to be reliable in this part of the world. You can pretty much expect the opposite of whatever the predictors are predicting.

Case in point, there was supposed to be 10 knots starting out from the north. We began in 20 knots from the opposite direction. When this happens on a crossing, I immediately get paranoid due to the storm that overtook us on our first attempt to cross the Atlantic.

Dan did a great job of calming me down and alleviating my fears, but I still cried. My goal on every rough crossing is not to cry. I’m the bravest coward I know…

Day 2 was the dawn that welcomed our 36th wedding anniversary. We made some “Dark and Stormies” mid-morning as we didn’t have the ingredients for Mimosas. Dark and stormies seemed much more fitting anyway.

Then, we set out our fishing pole. Our son Derek taught us that we must pay homage to Poseidon if we want to be successful in catching a fish. It had been 3 years since we caught a fish, so we decided to put Derek’s theory to the test. We toasted our anniversary, then Dan made his speech and tilted his cup to the sea. He offered Poseidon a sip of our beverage and sent the lure to troll behind our boat. Derek was spot on.

Several hours later, we were motoring as the wind had totally died, when we heard the buzz of the line being reeled out with extreme vigor. The tension had been set tight so we knew whatever we caught was huge.

Dan battled the beast for about an hour. We had to slow the boat to a crawl while he fought to get the fish closer to the boat. When I first caught sight of the tremendous fish, I thought it was a shark. All I saw was a big fish with lots of fins. Alas, it was no shark but a 40-pound Tuna.

What an anniversary present! I had been decimated by our lack of fish catching as fish had been such a huge supplement to our diet. This fish, however, was much more than I knew what to do with. I had a challenge fileting the beast, but I managed to get the meat all portioned and put into Ziplock bags.

I was able to freeze some. I left fresh steaks as we would be reuniting with our boat buddies in a few days and I could share some tuna with them. Then, I took the majority of the fish and simmered it in a fragrant oil bath with garlic, herbs, and spices. Packed in oil, the treasured fish could now be safely refrigerated for weeks. It could be used as you would canned tuna, but 10x better.

I have to say this will be one of the most memorable anniversaries of our last 36 years! We did have the ultimate anniversary dinner, fresh tuna steaks marinated in lemon and garlic, sauteed with butter and rosemary. Yes, it was perfect.

Sardinia and Corsica

 

The passage from the Balearics to our next destination was to the Italian-owned island of Sardinia, which sits a stone’s throw to the south of Corsica that is owned by France. Corsica was bought by the French when the Italians needed funding for WWI.

After arriving and anchoring one night just inside the Fornelli Passage on the Northwest tip of Sardinia, we headed off to the small island of Asinara and the town of Cala d’Oliva. Asinara has been made into a national park. This island was taken over by the government and was used for decades as the Italian Alcatraz. It housed prisons for various wars and rival populations. Sections were built just for famous Italian mob bosses with extreme levels of security.

Currently, it’s been taken over by the donkeys who once helped the prison workers tend the vines and crops. Now they roam the island and wander into the sparse streets and tiny pockets of civilization. Ferries bring visitors over to walk the trails, see the remnants of its history, and sun on the white sand beaches.

Not tarrying, we traveled only 45 miles to find ourselves on the opposite side of Sardinia. It was here we reunited with our boat buddies who had been waiting in Corsica for boat parts (another constant struggle for us live-aboard cruisers). They sailed south as we sailed east and met in a small harbor near the Maddalena Islands. The Maddalena Islands are another Sardinia National Park known for its beautiful beaches. After obtaining the necessary permit, we spent a beautiful week hopping from harbor to harbor to hike, snorkel and enjoy the beautiful water. We even popped outside the park for an evening to the town of Cannigione to dine on World Champion Pizza. It did not disappoint!

The boat parts finally arrived and Whatever She Wants headed back to the marina in Bonifacio to complete repairs. We tagged along just so we could get a brief taste of Corsica and visit the “must-see” town of Bonifacio. This historic port was delightful and ticked off every item needed to be a great port. It was safe, gorgeous, and had incredible opportunities for adventure.

With our friends, we explored the walled fortress perched high above the harbor. Even though it was quite the hike to get to, we had an amazing evening wandering the city within a city. We had expansive views of the incredible coast as well as the harbor below. It was one of our favorite destinations thus far on our journey.

In general, we loved Corsica. The coast is just fascinating with its cliffs and protected natural harbors. I loved that the language was French. I could finally understand some of the language being spoken – as in the Spanish and Italian islands I had no chance of communicating with anyone who didn’t speak English.

And Then There Was Italy

 

Our next leg was to head out toward mainland Italy. We had to make a stop at the Aeolian Islands just off the coast of Sicily, the most famous being Stromboli, the island with an active volcano. And yes, the name Stromboli turnover was born in Philly but it was named after the dish taken from the 1950 film Stromboli.

The Aeolian Islands are a true gem and the least-known islands in this area. They make great getaways for the rich and famous as there are so few people that they can retain anonymity. They are steep volcanic islands with stunning foliage, brilliant flora and fauna, and amazing views from their heights.

We ran into Stromboli first on our visit. The winds were brutal and from the north. We couldn’t anchor on Stromboli so we had to admire it from our coastal vantage point. It was spectacular as it belched hot gasses, forming its own fluffy white cloud above its peak on an otherwise cloudless day.

At one point, I was startled by a deep rumble. I panicked and yelled at Dan and looked up at the peak. A huge puff of brown smoke belched up from the cone. It quickly dissipated and I retracted my warning to Dan of the need to “SAIL AWAY ASAP!” Yes, I am the bravest chicken in the world.

I don’t know how an entire city can live at the base of this active volcano. They seem to exist in harmony with it even as it often spews lava down its face. Unfortunately, the weather forecast called for high winds that evening and there was no safe harbor on the island.

We found a safe harbor on the next island, just 13 miles away, Panarea. This island captures the soul with its beauty. It’s also filled with a fascinating history dating back to prehistoric man. One village from the stone age, perched on a small peninsula high above the ocean, still has the stone rings that were used as the base of the village huts. This area has been made into a national park. It does a great job of providing information and placards. You can stand there and visualize what life must have been like so many centuries ago. 

 

Cruising the Coast of Italy

 

Needing to keep moving we continued sailing towards the Messina Strait that separated mainland Italy and Sicily. Harbor hopping with our boat buddies, we don’t get to see much other than the towns and cities lining each harbor, but the view is pretty spectacular. The coastline is green and vibrant, lined with interesting geographical features as well as cities tucked along the coast.

We did have a night passage with a beautiful full moon from the toe of the boot of Italy to get to the heel. It saved miles of sailing to cut across instead of hugging the concave coastline. Upon arriving at the heel, Whatever She Wants continued to head north. Their destination will be Montenegro to see a friend. We decided to cut directly across to Albania to make better time to Greece.

In our last port, Castro, Italy, we had the luxury of taking a day to explore the alluring castle perched high on the hill above the harbor. We are always fascinated with the history of the places we visit. Unfortunately, when you are trying to see the whole world, you can’t act like a tourist at every stop. You have to keep moving and pick and choose where you will be able to linger. 

As our friends headed north, we spent a day and hiked a few miles (uphill) to the history taunting our view. We were not disappointed. We discovered this was the port fled to by the survivors of Troy. They brought with them the bust of Athena, carved 400 years before the birth of Christ. A temple was built to honor Athena.  Hannibal’s troops destroyed the temple in 214 B.C. However, many relics were recovered including the “Colossal Bust of Athena” (as advertised on the placards). Dan had a good chuckle with that and we verified it was, in fact, true. The relics are housed in a museum in the Aragonese Castle that was built here during the time of Christ. The museum tells the story of the evolution of this city and the history of its people. 

I’m writing from our last port in Italy. We are waiting until 6 PM when we take off from Italy and make the 75-mile jump across the Adriatic Sea to Albania. We will sail all night when the wind is supposed to be good (chances are slim to none of that being accurate) and hopefully arrive sometime tomorrow morning.

We have an Albanian shipping agent all lined up who will help us check into the country which takes us out of the EU which has restrictions called “Schengen”. We are only allowed to be in Schengen countries for 90 days before we become illegal. Checking into Albania, we will be out of the EU.

Is The Worst Behind Us?

 

We have fixed so many problems and yet we know that there is the potential for so many more. We are extremely happy at the moment to be traveling again, taking the path of least resistance to see as much of the world as possible.

This is one of the first blog posts in a long time that does not have any adversity attached. For that, we are extremely grateful.

I know that I’m allowed to scream, allowed to cry, but never allowed to give up. Difficult tasks always seem to be impossible until you complete them. This has been a journey fraught with difficulties, but the delightful and fulfilling moments make it all worthwhile. I firmly believe that we were given this life because we are strong enough to persevere. And persevere we will.

Fair winds, may you find your amazing adventure, and thank you for your support in following this blog.

 

S/V Equus
Captain Dan and his Brave Cowardly First Mate