Aeolian Islands: sea and fire-breathing mountains

The archipelago is named after its patron god of the wind Eola... It is he - as he tells us Homer - gave Odysseus goodbye "a bag made of the skin of a nine-year-old bull." And in this bag were connected the strongest and sharpest winds, which brought the ship Odysseus back to the island of Aeola, when he was practically already off the coast of his home. We would also be able to take advantage of the strength of these winds, for example, the "breath of the west wind", and on a course full backstay enter the port Sant'Agata Militello islands Volcano... But a northeasterly wind blew into our sails, and we were forced to seek protection in the bay of Porto di Ponente. But I was stopped by one circumstance - in the yacht guide, the ground holding the anchor was designated as "rough", which in reality should have been even worse. Odyssey would not have made it through the strait Boche di Vulcanobut it should be noted that he had at his disposal a team that had suffered from the Cyclops; but we can now afford such a passage against the wind and the current, having at our disposal a powerful motor. Once in port Levante the anchor was dropped, the northeasterly wind was replaced by a light easterly breeze. The yacht is out of danger!

So, we can finally fully indulge in the pleasure of climbing an active volcano Gran Crater one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the archipelago. If earlier such a journey would have been a real adventure, today the ascent path is truly equipped with numerous signs that lead along clearly marked roads, and then lead to the ticket office, where you also need to pay for a ticket that allows you to continue climbing the volcano up to 100 m. But the view of the Riviera of the Homeric Cyclops is well worth the effort: with a gaze you can cover the area from the island Lipari to the volcanic cone O. Stromboli.

Marina in the Italian way

“What happened to the weather?”, The crew wonders. And I, too, cannot find an answer to why the clouds are so thickening. So, let's try to explain this phenomenon with the weather. The weather forecast is broadcast around the clock, but it is so hard to hear that even the Italian Enzo could only make out the information about the wind strength of 58 points. With such meager weather data, we did not want to moor at O. Stromboli and headed for O. Lipariwhere they dropped anchor in the yacht marina Lunga... This place has nothing to do with the marina you are used to: there are berths there, but they are not protected by breakwaters. How this marina arose in the Italian way, he explained to us Filippo Sagrimbeni.

First, he and his wife rented this section of the bay, open to the east, from the municipal authorities. Then a berth was built, to which electricity and water supply were subsequently supplied, and was equipped with mooring devices. There was no longer enough money to install toilets and shower facilities, however, funds were found for the pumping station. The pumping station was something of a luxury service, since in Italy on yachts the valve of the holding tank of the collecting tank is not closed even in the port. All this cost a lot of money. Therefore, we were not surprised that you have to pay 65 euros for one night of parking. And this is in the offseason!

The question of the price in the season was ahead of Filippo, who only emphasized: “During the season we have so much work that my wife and I manage to do everything only thanks to the help from my mother-in-law.”

Now in the alleys of the old town O. Lipari dreamy calm reigns. The island is named after the king of the Aeolian island Lipar, and therefore many call Aeolian archipelago Liparsky. The old city is surrounded by a fortress, built by order of King Charles V after the sack of the city by the pirate of the Sultan Barbarossa.

Stromboli

Climbing the Stromboli volcano is unforgettable. Climbing up to 900 m above sea level will require good physical shape, quality footwear, warm clothing and - despite the presence of a volcano guide - an appropriate climbing experience. Important: it is necessary to ensure the safety of the anchorage during your absence in a completely open place!

On the nose is a fiery mountain

Yesterday we refused to visit O. Stromboliand today we were very good at going to Gulfwind with wind speeds up to 20 knots. However, the navigation was not easy: "Lighthouse of Antiquity" - the volcano of the island - it was difficult to notice. If in the evening a fiery crater indicates the way for sailors, then only a smoke cap is visible during the day. Carefully skirting the strand that runs from city of San Vincenzo, we moored to the buoy. The reckoning was not long in coming: we had to pay 35 euros for the night, but this was not enough for the caretaker on the inflatable boat. He wanted to take us closer to the smoldering crater of the volcano so that we could see his fiery performance at night. All my objections to his wishes were not accepted, and the guide said that it was his task to warn people against the danger of being roasted on lava fragments. However, the desire to survive such dangerous adventures failed to ignite the spirit of adventurism, so we refused the offer to climb the fiery volcano, where, according to legend, a romance between the Hollywood star began Ingrid Bergman and an Italian director Roberto Rossellini during filming "Stromboli Island" in 1949.

The reason for our refusal was also a strong tailwind, which led us persistently to the parking lot. Only in the evening he died down. And thanks to the calm weather on the motor, we were able to once again round the beautiful active volcano, admiring the "fiery current" Schiara Del Fuoco - a huge depression from which all the lava ejected from the crater is sent to the sea.

Volcano

You definitely need to climb Volcano Gran Crater... Good physical shape, comfortable footwear - and the 400m ascent to the "entrance to the underworld" is not so difficult to overcome. The reward will be a magnificent, wide-spread view of the Riviera.

La vita e bella! Life is Beautiful!

It seems in the port San Pietro on O. Panarea we were not very happy. As soon as we looked at the berth and turned aft to the dock, the ship was literally several feet ahead of us, brazenly showing its bow gallery. And since there were no more alternatives for mooring our yacht, turning aft to the island, we headed for the island Salina.

We were also warned in advance that to the bay Skolio Faraglionewhich is located south of the cape Punta di Perciato, you need to maneuver from south to north. As soon as we took the right course, we understood why: everywhere, a pearl thread stretched deep into the bay, barely covered with water, glistening reefs. Bypassing the sandbank and reaching the bay, we were able to drop anchor. The anchor chain gave us some unpleasant moments, because when the yacht turns, she constantly clung to the reefs. However, these are trifles!

Skolio Faraglione on about. Salina

We wanted to see a small settlement called Pollara... And not only because it was there that the film was filmed "Postman", and because of the restaurant "Al Capperol"famous for its famous Aeolian cuisine and incredible prices. The restaurant was closed, but we were not at all upset, but on the contrary, we were glad that our wallets, anchor chain and nerves would remain intact. So, this evening we successfully entered the marina Salina... Parking here is more expensive than food in a restaurant. "Al Capperol", but I didn’t have to stand watch all night. And the next day we were able to walk past a snow-covered volcano Etnawhile saying: "Life is Beautiful!"

Travel:

Flights:

Kiev - Palermo - Kiev (via Rome) - about 560 euros

Moscow - Palermo - Moscow (via Rome) - about 530 euros

Regular flight: about 250 euros

Travel documents: international passport

Currency: euro

Ambulance: 112

Time: Central European (UTC + 1)

Charter company: Kiriacoulis Mediterranean, tel. +30 (0) 210/988618791, www.kiriacoulis.com.

Other companies (optional): Moorings (www.moorings.de), Barone (www.barone.de), Chartertransparenz (www.chartertransparenz.de), Sailpoint (www.sailpoint.org)

Yachts and prices: monohull yachts from 36 to 54 feet in length are offered, as well as catamarans 38 and 42 feet at prices ranging from 2500 to 6000 euros per week, depending on the season. Riviera: Family friendly in summer, but too many holidaymakers, especially in August. A wonderful and calm time is the off-season. But during this period, marinas poorly protected from the wind are a little worrying.

Navigation maps: official Italian nautical charts 14 and 15.

Wind and weather: in summer, a northeastern wind of 2-5 points prevails here during the day, which gradually dies down in the evening. Squalls are dangerous during summer thunderstorms. In the off-season, fronts can contribute to stormy westerly and northwesterly winds. An even more unpleasant circumstance may be the appearance of the sirocco wind from the southeast.

Weather forecasts: Channel 68 broadcasts the weather forecast in Italian and English around the clock. The islands are located in the southern waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea "Tirreno Meridionale", somewhere between "West" and "Ost".

Lighthouse and navigation signs: the Riviera has lighthouses and nautical signs. But some areas, such as around about. Panarea and off the west coast of. Lipari, it's better to go around at night. Ebb and flow and currents: negligible.

Navigation: by coastal landmarks.

The best time: June and September.

How to get there: flight to Palermo. From there, change to the train from Stazione Centrale to St. Agatha.

Language: Italian. The locals understand English well.

Climate: Mediterranean. It can get very hot in summer.

Clothing: light clothing in summer; pullover and waterproof outerwear in the off-season.

Security: reviews about the safety of the islands are better than about Sicily. As we were warned at the base, there was no theft on the yachts.

Guide: Bedeker "Sicily".

Ports

Food and drinks: 25-50 euros

Parking price: 50-100 euros

Tide rise max .: 0.3 m

Security port: ★★

Atmosphere: ★★★★★

Yachting

Wind presence: ★★★★

Charter yacht

Charter company: Kiriacoulis Mediterranean / period: 2 - 9 July 2012 / Yacht: Bavaria 46 / Price: 3300 euros /

Additionally: outboard motor € 90, spinnaker: € 155, service package (cleaning, gas, bedding, etc.) € 165 / personal expenses: € 3000.

Arrival

Reach: ★★★★★

Transfer: ★★★★

Base

Hospitality: ★★★★★

Comfort: ★★★

Bathrooms: no data

Security: ★★★★

Environment

Restaurants: ★★★★

Service: ★★★★

Price level: ★★★★★

Ship transfer

Competence: ★★★★★

Interior: ★★★★★

Cleanliness: ★★★★★

Technical condition

Motor: ★★★★★

Technique: ★★★★

Rig and rigging: ★★★★★

Sail: ★★★★★

Deck armament: ★★★★★

Navigation: ★★★★

Electronics: ★★★★

Deuce boat: ★★★★★

Outboard motor: ★★★★★

Anchor device: ★★★★★

Comfort

Galley: ★★★★★

Bathroom: ★★★★★

Linen: ★★★★★

Towels: ★★★★

Output: a well-equipped vessel that could meet the needs of an even larger crew.

Text and photos: Karl Victor

22.06.2014