We left Reggio at 7 am in calm sea and sun - we took a slight detour to see Mount Etna closer. There was a puff of smoke coming from it. Back on course we made good progress and saw a few sailing boats for the first time but no motor boats. The autohelm was not having a good day and refused to keep us on course something we couldn't understand as it had been behaving perfectly up to now so it was hand steering. We passed the Gulf of Squillance and it lived up to its name by giving us about an hour of choppy water. Then cloud cover came and with it reduced visibility. In order to reach our next port of Crotone we had to negotiate a passage between gas platforms which suddenly appeared in the mist - although we had already seen them on the chart plotter. We refuelled on arriving in Crotone at 2.30 pm after 130 miles and again excellent service and advice about berthing. Crotone is half way along the foot of Italy.
Coffee while going along
Alongside at Crotone
We took a walk later and there were many restaurants along the front. The Italians were all out walking for the evening and many pizzerias were busy. We found a restaurant called Maida Mar and had an excellent fish meal followed by lemon icecream washed down by a local red wine. We returned to the boat and took a call from Helen who told us that they had berthed in Crotone in Yacht Dolphins so we were able to share the experience. Scrabble Michael won and we looked forward to our rest day tomorrow.
June 9
We woke to a fresh breeze and slapping water on the boat. If it is like this in harbour then it is a good sign that it is worse out at sea and we looked over the harbour wall to see white horses and knew we were right to make this a rest day. Ann walked to the town for shopping and Michael did boat maintenance. We had tapas for lunch and then took a walk in the town this time finding the museum. Pythagoras lived here in the 5th century AD. Michael cooked paella which was delicious with the fresh fish, then strawberrries, scrabble Ann won. The forecast is uncertain for tomorrow so we agreed that M would look over the harbour wall and if he thinks we can go he will make A a cup of tea, if not it's a lie in for A and back to bed for M. Looking over the harbour wall is as good a forecast as any and we only have 60 miles to the next port.
The apartments all have balconies and Saturday must be washday because all the washing was hanging out everywhere. In the distance are the walls of the old castle
Returned from shopping
Tapas for lunch
We have found very little English spoken anywhere we have been but today in the tapas shop the man who served Ann spoke good English and said he had lived in Egham at one time. We agreed that we had both been the Queen's neighbours.
Neither of us speak Italian at all but we are managing very well and picking up a few words.