May 25th 2017
Mosquito alarm at 5 a.m.!!
I woke up due to the unmistakably buzzing. The unpleasant sound usually wakes me up instantly, even from deep sleep, since I’m highly allergic to these little buggers!
Patrik was still asleep so I tried to get up and out as quiet as possible. Luckily, sunrise had started and I could see without switching on the light. Being awake now, I first nursed my three or four bites. After that I snatched the camera and went outside. The pictures talk for themselves, simply amazing!
So, that was the positive side….
The negative was, it clearly would be impossible for me to return to my bed and go back to sleep in peace. Which meant, beside of spraying mosquito spray everywhere in the boat, hunting was the next thing to do!
Quite easily, I caught two of these flying bastards….both left big bloody marks on the surface – our blood obviously! I reckon, they were so full, they could hardly move anymore….well, themselves to blame!
Yes, yes, I know: I am a vegetarian, hence a huge animal lover! And I swear, I couldn’t kill a fly, a spider or a bug! But when it comes to mosquitoes, it’s a question of survival – them or me! Just one example: Many years ago I couldn’t go to work for two day, because of ONE mosquito bite in my face…. So, there you go!
It must have been almost half seven, when I finally went to bed again (and caught another “vampire”, filled with blood). Patrik was awake, turned around and “WOAH!!”
Poor me him! Not a nice sight….
We tried to stay in bed for a while longer, reading, hunting mosquitoes (smashed two more, hehe), dozing off…..but when it was 8.45 we decided it was time for breakfast. As usual, the sun was shining, and we looked forward to our orange juice and freshly brewed coffee!
Sitting outside we realised some rough gusts and listening to the forecast we had a windy day ahead of us, with a force up to 5. That means winds up to 21 knots and moderate high waves.
After we did the dishes and completed WOBBLES, it was 10 o’clock and we left “Mosquito Bay”. We were, by the way, still the only boat….hmm…. ?
Just before eleven we hoisted the sails, our todays goal was to reach “Cala di Volpe”, which lays in the “Golfo di Congianus”. We would decide after arrival, on which side of the entrance we would drop our anchor. Depending on how many yachts were lying there and where.
Unfortunately, the sea became rough with every minute and even going inside to fill up the water bottle became a challenge. Not to mention, going to the loo! Funnily, in spite of the uncomfortable moving and shaking, the wind started to die down, to 4 – 7 knots and we hardly gained any speed. We just felt like a toy, thrown into the sea and the waves were playing with us!
Patrik said, they must have been “old waves”, coming from Italy mainland.
Finally we decided it made no sense, keeping the sails up, so we took them down. First the jib, already at 11 o’clock and one hour later the mainsail. Grudgingly, we started the engines and headed for “Cala di Volpe”. What a shame it was, the sun was radiating, but we had to sit in the cockpit, trying not to get wet, since the waves sometimes smashed over our brave “Blue Moon”. She was surprisingly stable, inside it felt like being on a giant rocking horse.
Well, it was around 15h when we arrived at the bay. It took us a while to choose a suitable anchor spot, since there were a few other (super-) yachts around. 45 minutes later we were done with everything and ready for our aperitif! The next hours we repeatedly measured with the hand bearing compass, to make sure we were secure! And as usual, Patrik sat additionally the anchor alarm in his iPad.
Later we cooked dinner: Soy schnitzel with a tasty tomato-(vegan-)mozzarella salad – mmhhhh…..perfect to the sunshine and warmth!
Tomorrow was already Friday *deep sigh*, and we had to be back at the marina in Cannigione, latest at 5 p.m. “Blue Moon” had to be filled up with diesel and – after spending the last night in the marina – we would have to leave the boat on Saturday morning, at 08.30 a.m. That was according to our contract with “Sailitalia”.
Only two nights left…..such a pity!
