Under Volcano's Brow

Isola Vulcano, Islands

We made Palermo at the break of dawn two days later and took a slow dawdle along the coast looking for a suitable anchorage.  Let me tell you, they are few and far between.  Palermo Harbour, another huge concrete jungle, simmered in a heat haze on a breathless morning.  Sitting in a marina (if we could find space) didn’t seem quite what we had hoped for, so we kept WJ3’s nose pointing east.  At last Cefalu!   With room in a tiny anchorage – even better!  Doesn’t anyone anchor in Sicily? 

Cefalu - city side

Whilst Cefalu’s medieval town beckoned us (it was a bit of a walk from the harbour) we noted it for “sometime later” and, after a decent sleep to get over our last “leg’, we hot-footed it off to the Aeolian Islands for cleaner water, sulphurous air and beneficial hot mud pools.  Good for the health, particularly arthritis.  Sure… 

WJ3 alone in Maestro Minico anchorage, Isola Vulcano

WJ3 is parked right under the brow of Gran Cratere, a smokin’, ash covered, still active volcano.  The island of Vulcano is home to four craters in all, and was described by Homer* as the workshop of Greek God, Hephaestus.  Hephaestus, God of fire, made his home in nearby Mount Etna. This island however, is named after the Roman God of fire and metal forging, Vulcan.  Are you keeping up with me? 

Meeting Mr Vulcan at the sulphur pools
"Where did you get those shorts?"asked my Mum...oh-oh! 

Meanwhile the anchorage is so nice, we’ve settled down to a few days of rest rather than try for a round the islands “race”.  Stromboli will have to wait too.  It’s been added to the later list.  The Cap’n is now happily paddling about, snorkelling here and there in deep water so clear it’s hard to believe.  There isn’t much life in Med waters but at least what there is has been left alone to someday “stock the pond”. 

People pay to coat themselves in this... We made a quick decision not to take a steep in this healing muddy slush.

*Now lads, I am not talking Simpson here. Homer was a Greek poet and wrote at least two well- known works; the Odyssey (Ulysses’ voyages) and the Iliad (Trojan War).  These works are credited with being the oldest examples of Western literature. 

From:  Cefalu, Sicily Lat/Long: 38:02.239N 14:02.125E Date/Time: 18/07/13: 1015
To: Vulcano, Aeolian Islands Lat/Long: 38:24.897N 14:56.739E  Date/Time: 18/07/13: 1900
Time Taken: 49nm (8.5hrs) Distance (this year): 1420nm (227.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 12245nm   Weather: NW to E best 10-12kts; fine & hot
Fastest Speed: 6.9kts; more dolphins and a sulphurous odour as the mountains fume…