It’s Saturday, 7th August, 09.00 a.m., and we’re more than ready to switch Portoferraio for Rosignano Solvay! Arrivederci, Elba!

The sun was shining and the waves were finally comfortable enough for a smooth passage. Even the winds were well-disposed to us, so we hoisted the genoa. Around eleven o’clock we were passing the canal between Elba, heading to the mainland, with waves no more than 1.20m high. It was really nice down-wind sailing! ⛵

In the Golfo della Lacona, on the southern side of Elba. We had lovely memories of this bay (and a, say, funny one….), so we looked forward anchoring there for two days and be able to enjoy the water ⚓

The next day (Wednesday, 04th August) was a little cloudy and the weather forecast advised sailors to search shelter. Bad weather was expected!

It was around 9.30 a.m. when we left the Golfo della Lacona and headed for Portoferraio!

Soon we could hoist the sails and switched off the engine. Even the sun had come forward and joined us!

It was 2 p.m., when we were moored and ready to go to the marina office for registering.

Afterwards we swabbed the deck, since Luna Azzurra was incredibly dirty and dried saltwater made the whole surface sticky and yucky!

The Marina di Pisa is quite new, finished in 2013 (I think) and very modern! The restaurant and bar sit in the middle, with yachts – mostly visitors – parked around. Our spot was just beside the bar and restaurant, very handy 🥂

The sea gate – known as Le Bocche – is another well-known and good protected anchor spot (not too well known, we hoped….). Just opposite the village of Porto Venere lies the largest of the three islands in the Gulf of La Spezia and all of Liguria: Isola Palmaria, with its smaller companions Tino and Tinetto. It forms the archipelago called Arcipelago Spezzino.

Since 1997 Palmaria, together with Tino and Tinetto, as well as Porto Venere and the Cinque Terre, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Source: Wikipedia)