Exploring the Tyrrhenian Sea and the hidden islands of Italy

A shirtless sailor in a roughed up inflatable dinghy approached as we sat within the cockpit at anchor. Together with two associates, my spouse Roxy and I had simply arrived in Marsala, a working fishing port recognized for its fortified wine, on the western level of Sicily. “I simply got here to warn you to be additional cautious! Some individuals tried to steal my dinghy outboard twice as we speak,” the person stated as he held onto our teak toerail. “I used to be onshore for some groceries and fishermen informed me they’d scared them off the primary time, however after I returned they have been within the dinghy once more making an attempt to chop the chain off my outboard!”

It was previous 5pm and we have been able to spend the night enjoyable. However information of decided thieves within the anchorage had thrown a wrench in these plans. We’ve had our trusty RIB and its 15hp outboard since we first purchased Sonder, our 1986 Cheoy Lee Pedrick 47, in 2018.

The considered a sleepless evening worrying about shedding it was purpose sufficient to hoist anchor and head west within the waning daylight for the closest of the 5 Egadi islands, Favignana, some 10 miles away.

Roxy and I’ve spent the final 4 seasons cruising the Med. Ever since crusing throughout the North Atlantic we’ve been venturing east, so far as the Greek Islands within the Aegean Sea. Now, we’re retracing our wake and, having left the huge archipelagos of the japanese Med behind, returned to the western Med and its predominantly bigger islands equivalent to Sardinia and Corsica.

Nevertheless, with the addition of the Mistral winds, discovering shelter right here throughout extreme climate may be way more difficult due to the space typically required to get into the lee on a big island. As we have been cruising throughout late summer time, a interval notorious for sudden climate modifications, we determined to hunt out a number of the small, lesser-known archipelagos of the Tyrrhenian Sea, between Sardinia and mainland Italy.

Egadi Islands

The northerly wind, which had topped out at 18 knots in the course of the afternoon, was weakening to a relaxed 10-12 knots. We hoisted Sonder’s fully-battened mainsail and unfurled our 130% genoa. Along with her full go well with of sails in mild airs Sonder can tack upwind at her finest angles, gracefully gathering inertia together with her 22-ton displacement.

Even so, the celebrities had lengthy been seen by the point we threaded our method into the anchorage previous two rocky shoals on the south facet of Favignana. Our new environment have been comparatively secluded, a welcome aid after the warning we’d acquired in Marsala. The 4 of us regrouped within the cockpit to toast our first sail collectively – we’d made it to the Egadi islands, albeit a day before deliberate.

Protruding off the western tip of Sicily, the place the Mediterranean is squeezed by means of a slim hole with Tunisia, the Egadi islands maintain a strategic place –the well-known naval battle between Rome and Carthage that ended the primary Punic battle occurred right here. There’s dependable thermal wind, blowing most afternoons from both the south or north. With a forecast shift to the south, we left Favignana crusing for Marettimo, the westernmost island.

Sonder’s gunwale kissed passing waves on a good starboard tack, making an attempt to succeed in Marettimo’s japanese headland. Roxy and I are so accustomed to double-handing Sonder it was a uncommon luxurious to have our associates, each skilled sailors, hoisting, trimming and helming with out hesitation.

Cala Marino on the island of Marettimo. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

As we made the southern level of Marettimo the island’s mountainous backbone broke the thermal wind with its wind shadow so we reluctantly motored the ultimate stretch as much as Cala Manione. This small, nubbin-like rocky peninsula juts out with a dozen or so moorings on a white, sandy backside.

The moorings, taken on a first-come-first-served foundation, are maintained by the island’s marine park for a nightly price. Roxy stood on the bow directing me with hand indicators as I slowly drove Sonder as much as an open mooring. In over 50ft of depth Roxy might see clearly down by means of the cobalt water to the underside.

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It had simply ticked over to August, and we badly wanted a swim after being on deck below the noon solar. We snorkelled a protracted circuitous route alongside the steep rocky partitions of the shoreline. The ocean temperature registered a sweltering 31°C, 5°C hotter than it had been in Marsala, the place the a lot colder Ionian sea comes dashing round Sicily. Later we rode SUPs ashore to discover the ruins of a picturesque Ottoman-era watchtower perched above the anchorage. The route was steep and with out shade, however well worth the effort for the vantage to benefit from the final glimmer of solar to the touch all of Sicily that day.

Marettimo is a group of whitewashed homes clinging to the underside of the island’s steep slope. With its small quay that hardly protects the fishing village, or the rambling streets lit by a handful of canary-yellow lamps, you possibly can’t escape the sensation that you simply’re out on the sting of one thing – on this case, the farthest tip of the boot of Italy.

The 4 us meandered round till the quiet was damaged by the sound of stay music. Following it we discovered a vigorous outside cafe on the harbour entrance. A guitarist and trumpet duo have been enjoying jazz below a big olive tree, a number of the viewers already on their toes dancing. We leant on the stone wall lining the promenade and shortly wine and a few cichetti got here out from the kitchen for us to sink into.

Sonder is a Cheoy Lee Pedrick 47 from 1986. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

The following day we returned to Favignana, this time anchoring in its historic fishing port on the north coast. Constructed round a half-moon harbour, with crystal blue water, the limestone homes are an appendage to the large tuna cannery, which has now develop into a trendy museum. For hundreds of years, bluefin tuna seasonally migrated previous the Egadi islands to spawn. The invention of commercial canned-tuna was began right here within the nineteenth century, and up till the Nineteen Seventies Favignana fishermen would row out in open boats to spear the large tuna trapped in a labyrinth of hand-tied sunken nets.

After provisioning some Sicilian staples, we determined to make the most of a climate window for a passage throughout the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Pontine archipelago west of Naples early the following morning.

The solar was nonetheless behind the mountains as we lifted anchor. All was nonetheless, apart from the faint hum of a fishing boat selecting up pots within the distance. Reluctantly I broke the peace by turning over Sonder’s Yanmar engine, and as we motored away a large bluefin tuna leapt filter out of the water, earlier than making an incredible splash, a becoming ship off from the Egadi islands.

Throughout the Tyrrhenian Sea 175 miles lay earlier than us. The final time Roxy and I had sailed throughout it on our eastward journey it had been mid-October and we’d had swift broad reaching north-westerlies. This time round, within the peak of summer time, the wind was fickle. The thermal south-easterlies shortly dissipated, although had been forecast to blow all day.

All of us had our guards up for a possible squall however, as an alternative, for the following 12 hours discovered ourselves chasing puffs of wind – a cat and mouse recreation that repeated itself till we have been counting sail modifications within the double-digits. Utilizing Starlink web, we might view Italian climate radar for the entire Tyrrhenian.

It was clear that extreme thunderstorms passing to the north of us saved pulling the power out of the south-easterlies. By late afternoon we’d lastly had sufficient and motor-sailed to Ponza, our first landfall within the Pontine Islands.

Pontine Islands

The island of Ponza appeared as a skinny rectangular mirage 20 miles offshore, white and gray volcanic cliffs spanning its size. From the din of energy boats alone we might inform we have been nearer to metropolitan Italy. We anchored in one in every of a sequence of partial bays that run the southern shoreline of Ponza. There have been a whole bunch of different yachts on this facet of the island, however with a number of sq. miles of white sandy backside with good holding at 20-50ft, there was loads of room.

Close by Ponza city was a hive of exercise. Ferries from Naples have been docking and undocking, whereas get together boats jockeyed for area. The city centre was packed.

The next morning we stated a heartfelt goodbye to our associates who boarded a quick ferry to Naples and a flight to return to their very own boat. As we continued to discover Ponza city, we seen we solely heard Italian all over the place.

Departing the anchorage below the white cliffs of Ponza’s Chiaia di Luna seashore (Pontine islands). Photograph: Roxy Johnson

Ponza is a spot Italians from Rome and Naples escape to as their very own cities are flooded with worldwide vacationers every summer time. Roxy and I have been additionally able to discover a quieter place to compensate for work and boat jobs. To the north of Ponza is the small, uninhabited sister island of Palmarola, which appeared like the proper spot to flee the crowds so we set off on a lazy genoa-only sail across the northern tip.

The day was cloudless, round 35°C, even hotter than it had been within the Egadi islands, and humid on prime. We couldn’t even make the brief distance to Palmarola with out stopping for a swim. The water felt like a heat tub, and did little to chill you. I attempted to answer to emails, stringing up our hammock below our bimini to lie within the shade with my laptop computer. Simply as the warmth began to really feel insupportable, we heard a whistle from a small boat motoring across the nook like a mirage. An indication on its laborious prime marketed a miracle: gelato!

Tuscan Archipelago

Later within the afternoon, we arrived in Palmarola. On its southern finish an enormous cliff of chalk creates a big, sandy-bottomed anchorage with little safety besides from the north. With the forecast calm persevering with, it was good for an in a single day away from the crowds.

We spent the late afternoon paddle boarding on SUPs out and in of a maze of limestone cave formations on the west facet. A skinny pebble seashore supplied slight safety from the open sea and, with the solar setting, Roxy and I took wine and cheese to observe the sundown from the seashore. In comparison with the throbbing crowds of Ponza, it was heaven to have only some different boats within the anchorage.

Alone beneath the picturesque village of Vernazza. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

Ponza is simply 60 miles from the mouth of the Tiber river and the port of Rome, a handy place to berth your yacht should you want a global airport shut by – as we did after we left Sonder whereas we flew to the US to go to household. The Marina Di Porto Di Roma is a 15-minute taxi trip to the airport and a 45-minute prepare into Rome’s centre.

The marina can be adjoining to the usually ignored archeological website of Ostia Antica, Rome’s historic port metropolis. The location is very large, with historic Roman baths, an amphitheatre, and plenty of service provider storefronts with mosaic indicators nonetheless intact promoting wares equivalent to tuna, wine, and olive oil.

After we returned to Sonder to proceed cruising north it was the beginning of September. We have been relieved the summer time warmth and August crowds had principally handed, however nervous about unsettled climate within the forecast. It had solely been every week since a violent squall sank the 184ft superyacht Bayesian off Sicily.

North of Rome is about 75 miles of straight, uncovered shoreline earlier than you attain the spectacular Monte Argentario, a former island now joined to the mainland by spits of sand that make up a lagoon. Right here, there are a number of bays that provide safety from swell and potential climate.

The colourful fishing port in Ponza. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

Our first anchorage, Cala Grande, was a ravishing sandy bay with a mixture of rock and sand dotting the uninhabited shore. The anchorage was utterly empty apart from an eerie 40ft yacht up on the rocks. It appeared to have been wrecked lately because the boat was nonetheless transferring in small waves, the sails nonetheless fastidiously flaked and furled – a reminder of how shortly issues can change.

Porto Stefano is a traditional Italian fort city and presents the most effective safety from the south-westerly swell that incessantly happens throughout Mistral winds. The whole shoreline of the anchorage, nevertheless, is a rock jetty which prompted us some trepidation in case wind course modified quickly in a single day.

The Italian marine forecast issued a yellow warning for average thunderstorms for the approaching night, however a pair fashions on PredictWind confirmed south-westerly winds, constructing within the night, adopted by a powerful chilly entrance blowing by means of bringing a speedy wind shift to the north.

Exploring the limestone caves of the Palmarola coast by stand-up paddleboard. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

Porto Stefano could be a superb anchorage to trip out the south-westerlies, however in northerlies we’d be trapped with the unforgiving rock jetty as a lee shore. After weighing the professionals and cons, we determined to make our option to the Tuscan village of Talamone within the final mild of the day. Solely seven miles north, it’s fairly uncovered to the south, however we determined we’d relatively tolerate uncomfortable swell circumstances early within the night in favour of being protected after a attainable wind shift.

Talamone is an archetypal Tuscan walled village, constructed onto a rocky finger that juts out simply sufficient to supply a little bit safety for a small, shallow harbour. Extra lately the village constructed a jetty additional out to supply shelter to a bigger a part of the bay in south-westerly winds. Sadly for us, a mooring discipline for native boats prevented us from anchoring totally within the lee of the jetty, however after a couple of makes an attempt we dropped anchor in a sandy patch in 15ft which supplied some extent of safety.

Because the clouds thickened, Sonder bucked up and down on her anchor bridle. There have been flashes of lightning to the distant west.

Curious carved grottos close to Ponza have been as soon as a Roman emperor’s eel farm. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

Altering circumstances

At round 2300 the wind, which had steadily risen to 18 knots, immediately dropped to a whisper. A couple of minutes later a gust accompanied by a rumbling sound like a freight prepare hit the rigging. We leapt out into the cockpit, I went to the helm and began our engine. The devices learn 25 knots of wind, then 30.

I gave the throttle some ahead thrust to counter the windage and relieve the stress on our anchor. From 30, the wind rose to 40, nonetheless strengthening. Sonder groaned and heeled deeply to starboard. Sideways rain pelted our faces. Roxy crept her method as much as the bow to observe for any boats that might have damaged free and are available bearing down on us.

Rowing into Riomaggiore (no engines allowed). Photograph: Roxy Johnson

The roar of the wind was now deafening. We have been nonetheless pinned over within the squall and I floored the throttle making an attempt to push the bow again into the wind, hoping our outsized 45kg anchor would proceed to carry. After what appeared like perpetually, the squall subsided, and Sonder righted herself.

Roxy and I, shaken by the sudden, excessive violence of the climate, caught our breaths. A number of boats had had jibs ripped out or biminis torn that have been now flogging uncontrollably. I later checked our navigation devices within the cabin to see it had logged no less than a 58-knot gust.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre. Photograph: Roxy Johnson

Cinque Terre

Crusing north once more, and sitting at a restaurant ashore at Portoferraio on the island of Elba, the bougainvillea flowers had light to a pale pink and the September scene was serene. We knew there are a lot of extra locations to discover like this in lovely Elba, however have been now on a good timeline. We’d already dedicated to hauling Sonder out west of Marseille in France, so with over 300 miles of shoreline nonetheless to cowl, and difficult climate possible, it was time to maneuver on.

Close to the highest of our Italian cruising bucket listing was Cinque Terre, a string of 5 villages perched in small, steep indents on the coastal mountains on the japanese fringe of the Italian Riviera. The villages are simple to entry by yacht, every having a well-maintained set of official moorings however they’re utterly uncovered to the Tyrrhenian Sea, although there may be good safety in close by Porto Venere. We have been fortunate with three gloriously calm days that allowed us to moor off the villages – the one boat doing so this late within the season.

One evening, we picked up a mooring off Vernazza, arguably the preferred with the Instagram influencer crowds that frequent Cinque Terre. In September, although, we hardly noticed them, and round sundown we went ashore. Meandering up a terraced hillside path we discovered a preferred fish restaurant with only a few balcony tables.

We dined overlooking Vernazza’s hidden harbour with the huge expanse of sea past and, proper in the course of the body, was Sonder, bobbing all on her personal simply outdoors the breakwater. There’s nothing fairly like seeing your floating house take centre stage at some of the iconic websites in Italy.

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