Punta Ala

9 July, I set off shortly after 06h00 as I wanted to cover as much distance as possible. The winds were a Light Breeze, 5kts, the swell however was about 1m.. Getting out of the harbour was a bit choppy, I put the sails up. I sailed for a while and then put the sails down, the wind wasn't strong enough to hold the sails, the chop was rocking the boat too much(even with a preventer), the sails were flogging with the swell. 

I put my genoa away and reefed my main to 1st reef, which made the sail flog less. the wind then died down a bit, so I turned on the motor. About an hour later the wind picked up to 8 kts, put out my genoa and was, doing an easy 5kts, on a broad reach/run. There were weather alerts almost every hour, of gales of 6-7 beaufort, in the Adriatic, central Tyrrhenian Sea. This is where I was heading to...  I kept the reef in the main, as I approached Elba (the start of the Tyrrhenian Sea), the winds started to pick up from 8 up to 16, in the space of 10 nautical miles. The winds continued to climb up to 20.  There is a ferry route between Elba and the mainland, crossing this was an experience, they hold their course, you had to adjust your speed and course to make sure you stay out of their way.. After passing the shipping channel, I adjusted course to the east.  As I gybed, the winds were gusting up to 25kts, I put in another reef and sailed for a while. As the situation did not get better, I decided to call it quits and pulled into Punta Ala marina - which is by far the *MOST EXPENSIVE* one to date.. I docked stern to with the wind blowing me onto the dock, the marina crew came out with a duck to help hold the bow as the wind was just off to port. 

Farewell Marina Cale de Medici

Elba ahead..

Old ship steaming by

Don't play chikin with them

Done for the day

Nice wind to be at dock!

After snugging up for the night, I had dinner looked at the forecast and had an early night, idea being, set off early and make it to Ciitavecchia. The forecast was for 20kts at 06h00, and dying down by noon and at Cittavecchia, 15 dying down to 5 later. I woke up this am, with more wind than was forecast, I rechecked the report and they confirmed what I was hearing.. The winds were forecast 20 gusting 30, I had breakfast, watched the wind instrument and the the winds barely dropped off 18.. They did however get up to 30kts)forecast was rtight). I was contemplating departing in a lull, but decided against it, the winds are forecast to drop to 15 by 11, so I am updating my blog and posting pictures...