Tropea to Riposto
Posted at 10:33 PM, Nov. 16, 2006
Currently (Thursday 16th November) and motoring down the Straits of Messina with a very light head wind having motor sailed the 35 miles from Tropea across to Messina at the north eastern end of Sicily yesterday. Another beautiful fine and clear day probably up to about 25 again.
Tropea was an enjoyable stop over for 2 nights. Well run marina, good facilities and about a 15 minute walk, including a 200 step climb, up onto the old town of Tropea. Pretty quiet at this time of the year with a number of shops and restaurants closed for the winter. The streets are narrow as usual barely the width of a small car and pedestrians seem to win out when it comes to who has the right of way. It is interesting to see a number of buildings being restored (maintained) and the method seems to be, at least as far as the exterior is concerned, to erect one scaffolding tower only and then one guy mixes plaster by hand in a wheel barrow at the base and then pulls it up to the top of the scaffolding with a block and tackle. While the guy on the scaffolding does some plastering the guy at street level mixes up the next barrow load. The buildings are by and large very attractive many with intricate stone carved features or alternatively painted.
View of old town of Tropea from the cockpit of Savarna
There were quite a few people wintering over on their boats at the marina – primarily Germans we understood. We met an English couple on our pier who had left England about 18 months ago, taken the rig out of their ketch and then motored through the canals in France to emerge in the Med near M****ille. They have then made there way along the French and Italian coasts en route to Greece for the 2007 season. We had drinks with Chris and Mo on their boat, Mayero, and then walked up to the town for a very pleasant dinner in a local restaurant.
The beaches around Tropea were the best we have seen south of Rome and as it very close to a local airport that Ryan Air fly into so good connections back to the UK.
After fuelling and watering up at Tropea we headed SE for about 5 miles to leave the Golfo di S.Eufemia at Capo Vaticano and then it was a straight 30 mile run across the Golfo di Gicia to the entrance to Stretto di Messina. It must be mentioned that the Aussie fisherwoman got another strike off Capo Vaticano and tuna #2 is now in the fridge. At the northern end the straits are only 1.5 miles wide separating Messina on Sicily from the mainland. There are designated shipping lanes at the top end so that south bound boats keep to the east side. This part of the Med has a long history primarily because of the effects caused by the different tidal streams as a result of the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas meeting. The Tyrrhenian sea is warmer and less salty than the Ionian and there is also a difference of about 300 mls in the height of high water which occur at different times in each sea. Consequently there are eddies, whirlpools, back eddies, overfalls and differing currents at different times of the tide. Also it changes constantly, so while there is a general south bound current on an outgoing tide, the back eddies and whirlpools create distortions. Consequently without changing engine revs we could be doing a constant 7 knots water speed but anywhere between 8.2 and 6.0 knots ground speed. It is said that Odysseus came through these straits and there is specific reference to this in Book 12 of The Odyssey.
Taking home the nets to Mum - off Tropea
We pulled into the marina at Messina (no anchoring permitted in the straits) which consists of floating walkways at the top end of the harbour. The volume of ferry traffic across the straits is huge and it is pretty usual to see 6 or more ferries crossing at any one time, (and these are ferries of Cook Strait size) plus commercial shipping passing through and also for us 2 cruise ships coming into port. So the marina pricing is exorbitant given that there is no chance of a restful night in a calm anchorage – it was rock and roll all night. We had visited Messina several years ago when we cruised the Aeolian islands on Lionheart and our memories were not favourable however on this occasion we found it to be a vibrant attractive city with plenty going on and we enjoyed looking around last night and again this morning.
One thing we have noticed is that by far the majority of people at the signed “Gelaterie, Bar & Café” drink coffee all day but even in the evenings. The other night we stopped off for a beer and a glass of wine and 6 guys probably in the late 20’s came in and ordered a couple of pots or tea! Imagine seeing that in NZ? The other fashion development here is that warm jackets with fur hooded collars are the “in thing” even for guys and even guys out sailing! Wait till you see mine! Pam is still looking – surprise!
Tonight we are at Riposto (lovely hamlet not overtaken by tourism) about 40 miles south of Messina right under Mt Etna on the SE coast of Siciliy. Very good complex here recommended via Chris and Mo in Tropea. More on Riposto in new episodes of the blog provided Mt Etna doesn't erupt tonight!
Cheers
Keith