We have again had the pleasure of sharing our Quintessa adventures with fellow sailors. Joe and Heather have crewed regularly with us on Iris, racing on the Columbia River on Sunday afternoons. They joined us in Malta and we journeyed together to Cagliari, in southern Sardinia. Finding each other to be quite compatible as travel companions, liveaboard roomies, and sailors, we had a lot of fun experiences.
Heather and Joe made a great first impression when they appeared at our boat with true sailor luggage: soft pieces they could carry themselves, with not a wheel or hardside bag in sight. There just aren’t many places to put luggage on board!
Our first short day’s sail took us to a bay on Gozo, with dramatic cliffs and a big island called Fungus Rock guarding the entrance. It was a beautiful, protected anchorage, and we took advantage of the afternoon to explore the bay by kayak. Kate and Heather turned out to be quite compatible in the galley, so we cooked up some fresh and local pasta and veggies before watching the sun set.
Of course, when we were docked in towns, we had to eat out together as well so Heather could enjoy her “Italian indulgence,” the Aperol Spritz.
Our travels then took us to and along the south side of Sicily, all the way to Favignana, an island great for jumping off to Sardinia. But first we had to hike up, up, up to a castle to see the area in panorama view.
The passage to Cagliari, Sardinia was about 24 hours, dawn to dawn. It was Heather’s first overnight passage, and she earned five stars, even taking a few hours’ solo night watch. The seas were gentle so we had a lot of time to do passage things like talk. And talk some more. Joe is a semi-retired ER doctor, so he and John were able to provide therapy to each other’s trauma regarding how health care works (or doesn’t work) in Oregon. We all took turns at the helm but there was also time for Kate and Heather to pull out our knitting. Heather learned to purl on a sea voyage! She was also our wildlife spotter, tasked with finding dophins, which Quintessa had not encountered for over a year. To our great delight, Heather succeeded in spotting some, although they were camera shy.
We arrived in Cagliari oblivious to the fact that it was a very important holiday: the feast day of Sant’Efisio.
On this day there is a grand parade that celebrates Sardinia being saved from the plague centuries ago.
This procession has taken place every year since 1656.
People traveled from all over to watch this event, but we “happened upon it” and were able to look at the people of many villages walking in their traditional costumes, often singing or playing instruments.
The celebration lasts four days!
Curious about southern Sardinia’s interior, we rented a car and headed for the mountains.
We were directed to place where we could learn about the mysterious nuraghi that dot the entire island.
These are pre-Roman round stone structures, built by people about whom little is known.
Our tour guide, an archeologist, explained the structure of each nuragha and what little is know about the civilization that built it.
We also traveled to a natural area where small horses roam free, and sure enough, after we had hiked for an hour, Heather spotted some of the horses.
Our days together were winding down, but I would be remiss if I did not mention that Joe is very handy with all kinds of boat skills, and he was generous with tips on everything from rehanging tight doors to removing old varnish. Also, Heather and Joe have come through to help with my canvas sewing needs this summer. They have a heavy duty sewing machine I can use in Portland, and as a bonus, having sewn canvas covers for their boat, they were able to help me design some of the things I need to make.
We dropped our friends at the airport so they could continue exploring Italy for a few days before returning to the Pacific Northwest.
Ciao!
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