2010 - Italy Sardinia

What and end to a crossing in darkness rain and increasing wind.  Thankfully from behind the beam.  We were almost run down by a ferry because I turned Malua into the wind to put a reef in then turned down wind again only to find a ferry not half a mile in our wake.  the question was what would have happened if the reef had taken longer.  Would I have seen the ferry.  What if. What if.  The bottem line is we passed at a reasonable distance but I did not see him untill he was on top of me. Scary.

We dropped anchor in the Bay of Porto Rotundo amongst the large racing yachts who must have just left Port Cervo after a regatta.  We stayed two days but did not go ashore it just wasnt nice.

Next day we where off to the flesh pots of Sardinia.  Porto Cervo.  The most expensive marina in the Med.  You can see the yachts steam in to the marina then slink out after a few minute.  Why because of a yacht our size it cost 350 euros a night.  The story goes that Bill Gates while on his super yacht steamed in to stay the night docked and found out the price and said no that it just too expensive and left within the hour.  Well if he thinks it is too expensive why would I disagree so we did not dock at the marina but anchoered in the bay opposite the marina.  Far enough away to watch the boats come and go.

Unfortunatly a large motor yacht Blue Song of London lost control of their vessel while going astern from port to starboard in front of our bow and came down on top of us.  Severly damaging our pull pit, pow roller and may be the roller fuller and fore stay.  The owner on the boat did not stop and just waved his arms when I told him he had damaged my vessel.  He then left port.  I chased after him in the RIB and caught up with him informing him that he had damaged my vessel in a collision within the port area.  He assured me he was not leaving the incident nor the port.  He continued to steamed out of port.  I called on VHF 16 to communicate with him but to no reply.  I reported the incident including a witness statement, pictures to the Harbour Police and Harbour Master and other Italian Authorities about leaving a scene of a collision at sea, damage to a vessel, leaving the scene, not answering on VHF 16 and they assured me action will be taken.  I will take action agains the owner, master plus engineer under the UN regulations regarding colisions at sea and Bitish shipping regulations.  The British authorities have been very helpfull. I say to Blue Song:  Don't laugh at me and don't lie to me.

After that incident which upset me greatly we sailed north for a day or two then crossed to Corsica. 

Here are the photos of the early part of the 2010 season.

You can follow that here...  Corsica