We woke to wind, rain and cold. We are fairly well south in the Mediterranean. Michael put up our bimini over the back of the boat which is normally used to keep us in the shade but today it was to keep the rain off. It’s the 1st of June. Unbelievable. A second depression over the French/Italian border has moved south quicker than anticipated giving more gale warnings. So it looks as though it is Bonifacio for us at least until Monday. This is now eating into our time for the remainder of the trip and if we should be lucky enough to run into better weather we shall have to make our days 150 miles instead of the 100 we have been doing.
So it was full English breakfast at 11.30 am and then we set off first of all visiting the pharmacy to show the pharmacist the two grazes on Michael’s leg which he incurred whilst dealing with the ropes in Ajaccio. We came away with some antiseptic liquid and antiobiotic cream to be applied three times a day. Ann’s toe has now healed up nicely. The day had brightened by now and the sun had come out so we climbed up to the Citadel and wandered around among the tiny lanes admiring the views on one side down to the harbour and to the other out to sea. It was very windy up there and looking at all the white horses at sea we were glad we were not out there.
Michael and his wounds
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Inside the citadel
It is perched on the cliffs
The lighthouse at the entrance to the harbour and the trip boats making heavy weather of it - we were surprised they were out at all and judging by the faces of the passengers when they returned so were they.
Some of the spectacular scenery here
Michael's paella
Back to the boat for bread and cheese snack and snooze. Michael cooked paella in the evening and scrabble - Michael won 342 to Ann’s 341 – close game.
JUNE 2
Michael took an early walk to the Capitainerie to look at their weather forecast. It bore out what ours was saying that by Monday the wind would be down to F1 and F2 so we shall leave then for the Italian coast. Yesterday and today it has been F8 for Bonifacio so we have been well off tucked inside here.
We spent the day in the boat as it rained on and off all day. We had cold paella for lunch, followed by the snooze, a bit of shopping and chicken in red wine sauce with veg and nectarines. Scrabble. Michael won 265 to 264 - another close game.
In the Corsican daily newspaper we read that 4 people lost their lives in Corsica during the storm last Monday – 3 in the mountains and 1 at sea. Also the daily ferry service to Nice was postponed for 8 hours. Apparently, passengers complained because they had therefore to sleep on board and they were charged for cabins. Also the food service was poor. So poms are not the only whingers! We think they were lucky to get away with their lives crossing in those conditions!! Also just 5 miles to the north of where we were 8 fishing boats were overturned on their pontoon.
The Corsican flag
Early in Corsican history some barbarians were roaming the Mediterranean pillaging and murdering wherever they went. Maur, the leader of the Corsicans decapitated the leader of the barbarians and his head was displayed on a white sheet – this is the origin of the Corsican flag. We are currently flying this flag as well as the Union Jack. It is customary to fly the flag of the country the boat is in as a courtesy. So we have already flown the Spanish and French flags and soon we shall get the Italian one out. Stricly speaking we should have flown the Catalanian flag when we were in Roses in Catalania near the French border as the Catalanians consider themselves to be a separate nation with the own language but we forgot to order their flag.
The view of the illuminated citadel from the boat
Total miles covered so far 674
Hours at sea 44.6
Average speed 15 nm/hr
We have worked out the total miles from Majorca to Corfu is approx 1200 not the 1000 we originally thought so we are about half way in distance and also half way in time as our flight leaves from Corfu two weeks tomorrow and we have been going two weeks today.