Sardinia

Ciao Italia.

The first days of our stay in Italy were spent in Sardinia and the nearby island before heading towards the mainland. Despite regular working hours, this time was characterized by a lot of rest and swimming to recover from the strenuous journey. Our goal is still to reach Greece soon. Additionally, there were forecasts of stormy winds reaching up to 50 knots, coming down from France and then moving eastward through the Mediterranean. We definitely wanted to avoid that. Therefore, we set sail every day to move further east.

Aug 20nd 23: Mahón > Carloforte

Our first destination in Italy was Isola di San Pietro, an island of about 54 km² off the southwest tip of Sardinia, where we spent the first night. Isola di San Pietro impressed us with its picturesque coastal landscapes, clear waters and a charming town, leaving us with an unforgettable first impression. We used the harbor infrastructure to replenish our supplies and tanks before continuing towards Sardinia the next day.

Aug 21st 23: Carloforte > Porto Pino

On the next day, we reached our first destination in Sardinia after 23.5 nm. Porto Pino, in the Gulf of Palmas, captivates with white sand dunes and crystal-clear water – an excellent foundation for anchoring. This is only allowed in the summer months of July & August due to a military area restriction. Unfortunately, we saw some jellyfish there, so we refrained from swimming. In the evening, however, we took a short trip ashore with the dinghy and could truly savor the scent of Italy for the first time. We believe that each country, and often each region, has its own unique smell – we particularly love Southern Europe in this regard.

Aug 22nd 23: Porto Pino > Villasimius

To make progress quickly, we skipped some anchor bays that we would have liked to visit. Therefore, we sailed along the southern coast of Sardinia at night to head towards the mainland soon. After a regular working day, we lifted the anchor at 6 p.m. and soon set sail. Sailing into the sunset is always something magically special for us & night sailing is especially pleasant in the summer season. Since Lukas had the day off and I had to work the next day, I took the first two sleep shifts and Lukas sailed alone along the coast of Sardinia for most of the night. The night was calm, mostly 12-15 knots of wind. Only after midnight Lukas woke me up for reefing, which means reducing the sail area; a task that we never do alone, especially at night, because we have to go to the middle of the boat. Safety always comes first. As it started to get light, we reached Villasimius before sunrise.