Our dear friend Sarah Ostler was cycling with a number of other women from West Vancouver through Tuscany and were ending up in Firenze (Florence to us English speakers). It seemed like a fairly easy trip to make by train and hookup with Sarah in Tuscany. Marina and I walked to the bus stop where she caught a bus to the train station and then headed down the tracks to Firenze. I did some marketing and went back to the boat, woke up to the kids and we queued for the fuel dock. The dock was full so we patiently waited, a spot opened up and a 40 foot powerboat buzzed by us and sharked our spot. Gotta love Europeans and the way they queue – I should have driven right into him and said ‘sorry didn’t expect you to do that’ but being Canadian we just roll our eyes at what a jerk the guy is.
After shipping the fuel we set off to an island called Isla di Giannitri where we anchored (actually wankered) at the head of the bay. Marina would be happy to know that it took 3 times to get it right, we struggled with the windlass and dragged the anchor twice before it bit into the rock and sand. This is the first time I can remember Tara struggling to anchor. I think we would have been OK with Marina on board because we would have gone closer to shore into shallower water. It is nice to be needed.
After shipping the fuel we set off to an island called Isla di Giannitri where we anchored (actually wankered) at the head of the bay. Marina would be happy to know that it took 3 times to get it right, we struggled with the windlass and dragged the anchor twice before it bit into the rock and sand. This is the first time I can remember Tara struggling to anchor. I think we would have been OK with Marina on board because we would have gone closer to shore into shallower water. It is nice to be needed.
That night was a bit rolly polly .. the bay is open to the east and on the way we passed Civitavecchia there were 7 cruise ships at the dock. I think they all left about 15 minutes apart starting at midnight, because from midnight to 2am the boat rocked violently from side to side every 15 minutes or so. Since we didn’t bite hard on the anchor I was up every hour to ‘prairie dog’ and make sure we’re OK.
We woke up in earnest around 9am and hung out until 1pm, with Ross swimming and testing out his newest invention – a load-release shackle put on the Spinnaker halyard so that when we hoist him up he can release the shackle and drop in the water. It’s pretty funny to watch. He now wants to do it while we’re sailing along from the height of the spreader (10 meters) .... teenagers.
After he was done we hoisted the sails and the anchor and sailed to the marina to pickup Marina. Again Ross went swimming along the way as we rolled up the sail to slow down and trailed a rope behind. He tried out his quick release gear and then jumped in a few times for fun.
As Marina made her way back from Florence and we tried to go to Porto Ercole but they were full so we went to next door to a beautiful marina called Marina Di Cala Galera – another place with impressive yachts. We were parked and after we got in there were probably 20 or so boats that came in after their Mother’s Day cruise ... all of them were 80 feet plus long. A couple of incredible 60-80 foot sailboats came in too. Wow.
At about 5:30pm Marina called saying she was near. Five minutes later Jessie and I got ready and put our shoes on and started down the dock to meet Marina – and guess who we saw walking down the dock? We gave each other a huge hug, went and bought some cocktail-hour nibblies and sat on the back of the boat and enjoyed the rest of the day. All of us were very happy to see each other.
And now Marina's part!
It took about 4 hours each way to get to Florence. It helped to have been there before and I had my street maps so finding the hotel wasn't a problem at all. I made good time so loitered my way through the sights. The silly thing was, I had said I'd be there around 4 or 5 and was early, Sarah wasn't sure when they'd be back from sight seeing so I sat on a lovely park bench and read, hoping they would walk by on the way to the hotel (it was right outside). At one point I did pop up to the hotel lobby (but stupidly didn't ask for their room), I didn't see her so I went back to my bench. At 5 I thought I'd better go up and ask, just in case they came in a back door. Well...they'd been in the room the whole time! UGH! Long story short, Lorraine Kennedy (a friend and neighbour of Sarah's whom I know as well) had some lovely wine, compliments of her hubby for Mother's Day.
We had a lot of fun catching up! That night was a dinner out with a handful of the biking gals in a very nice restaraunt. Lots of wine, lots of chatter and lots of laughing...a walk around on the way home near midnight and of course the streets were packed - and then to bed.
I had my own little cot in the room because if we'd tried to share a bed, one of us would be on the floor in no time ("double" to an Italian hotel means "tiny single" in Canada). Sarah had a planned sight to see in the morning which she and Lorraine went to while I enjoyed some peace and my computer in the hotel, then we went wandering, had lunch and talked some more.
My train was around 2 so we made our way back to the train station and away I went having thoroughly enjoyed the whirlwind visit. A train, a bus and then a short walk and I was back with my crew on Tara - tired but happy and in lovely marina.
And now Marina's part!
It took about 4 hours each way to get to Florence. It helped to have been there before and I had my street maps so finding the hotel wasn't a problem at all. I made good time so loitered my way through the sights. The silly thing was, I had said I'd be there around 4 or 5 and was early, Sarah wasn't sure when they'd be back from sight seeing so I sat on a lovely park bench and read, hoping they would walk by on the way to the hotel (it was right outside). At one point I did pop up to the hotel lobby (but stupidly didn't ask for their room), I didn't see her so I went back to my bench. At 5 I thought I'd better go up and ask, just in case they came in a back door. Well...they'd been in the room the whole time! UGH! Long story short, Lorraine Kennedy (a friend and neighbour of Sarah's whom I know as well) had some lovely wine, compliments of her hubby for Mother's Day.
We had a lot of fun catching up! That night was a dinner out with a handful of the biking gals in a very nice restaraunt. Lots of wine, lots of chatter and lots of laughing...a walk around on the way home near midnight and of course the streets were packed - and then to bed.
I had my own little cot in the room because if we'd tried to share a bed, one of us would be on the floor in no time ("double" to an Italian hotel means "tiny single" in Canada). Sarah had a planned sight to see in the morning which she and Lorraine went to while I enjoyed some peace and my computer in the hotel, then we went wandering, had lunch and talked some more.
My train was around 2 so we made our way back to the train station and away I went having thoroughly enjoyed the whirlwind visit. A train, a bus and then a short walk and I was back with my crew on Tara - tired but happy and in lovely marina.
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