Wanderers between worlds

Ottavio is at the end of his working day. The kitchen is clean, all plates and glasses are washed. Only a pile of fish bones, a sweat-soaked T-shirt and disheveled gray hair testify to the work that Porto Rafael Yacht Club chef did tonight: preparing food for "Gli Tedeschi", Germans, and before that fishing, amber mackerel, which should have been enough to feed 49 hungry sailors.

Ottavio shows the rod he used to catch the mackerel. Magnificent piece: with 2 elbows and a large spool of polished brass that hangs from the ceiling among the many other relics and paintings that fill his study. Actually, Ottavio is the head of the port of Porto Rafael in the Italian town Costa Smeralda on O. Sardinia... Tonight, he treated his guests to what the Mediterranean has to offer: pickled swordfish, seafood salad, marinara penne and an amber mackerel signature dish. And before dinner, in the open air, the guests tasted red, white and rose wines of the Gallura province, the taste of which was emphasized by tender Sardinian cheese, the finest slices of bread, olives, ham, salami ... an exquisite private yacht club, this is one of the highlights of the week-long Culinary Cruise. The event is now in its fifth year under the leadership of Gertmut Holtmann, Commercial Director of the charter KH + P. This year, seven crews took part in the fleet.

The restaurant has become the wake of the drinking society this year L'Aventura, in the town Cala Gavetta on O. La Maddalenawhich offered an incredible variety of menus: cuttlefish ravioli, sea bream fillets served with delicious wines from the region and, of course, pasta in a wide variety of variations. To satisfy their gourmet appetite, the crews stock up on provisions at the La Maddalena covered market. There are products here that may not comply with EU regulations, but are pleasing to the eye and have a unique taste: knobby tomatoes with the picturesque name Cuor di B? Fal (buffalo heart), dry-cured Kopp ham, and, of course, pecorino, a traditional sheep's cheese. which tastes like parmesan.

Sailing between Corsica and Sardinia, you can feast on French sophisticated, albeit more modest, but no less amazing masterpieces of Italian cuisine: meat dishes from the mountainous provinces and a variety of fish dishes. Most importantly, there is no need to worry about the calories that can be deposited on the hips - you will be constantly kept in suspense by the gathering wind in the Bonifaccio Strait, as well as navigational difficulties when crossing the southern tip of Corsica and the flat islands that look like stone spots in the Mediterranean. sea. Here you need to keep in sight the navigational signs and the cliffs rising along the fairway at all times. The passage is recommended only in calm weather conditions.

The participants in the regatta are as different as the meals served throughout the week: from yachting beginners like Norbert (“a friend from the fitness studio told about this sailing trip, and I decided to participate too”), constant avid participants like Peter, nicknamed "Cotton", who has been a skipper for many years, like Ute, an IT expert who takes a few weeks' vacation every year to plunge into the world of yachts, like Irena and Reinhard, yachtsmen from Lake Constance who met several years ago on another charter, and a former member of the Whitbret Race, who introduced his friends from the South Tyrol ski resort to sailing. The principle of participation in the regatta is simple: the desire to take part in the race and enjoy sailing is the second name of the regatta Economed Cup... Holding this event in the off-season has its advantages, such as the ability to stay in Porto Cervo for a relatively low price.

“Here I’m learning about cleaning rather than sailing,” Norbert sneers. No wonder, he's in the crew of the Amazon boat. With a sex ratio of 3 to 6 in favor of women, everything becomes clear. And the women show what they are capable of: they cope with the organization faster, the fenders and ropes are folded, the sheets are selected and secured, the sails are tuned. Because the more speed they have under sail, the faster they can anchor in one of the ideal coves, sheltered by rugged rocky ravines, which are hidden between Sardinia and Corsica. At Cala Lazarina, Cala Rondinara or Cala Tahiti - the reflection of the rocks gently bends in the transparent turquoise of the waters. Such beauty cannot go unnoticed by tourists and yachtsmen: the bay of Cala Lazarina, on the rocky island of Lafezzi, is filled with sailing boats and yachts already in May. Opposite is another bay - Cala Giunco, an even more amazing and mesmerizing place. The anchor here plunges into the sandy bottom covered with scum, and the warm wind brings the scent of rosemary from the shore and the quiet, pacifying buzz of insects.

Another attraction is located along the route of the regatta: the Corsican town of Bonifaccio, on the streets of which the sea breeze walks. Approaching the square, protected from all sides by rocks cut by the wind, we seemed to be transported to the times of the first distant sea voyages. A vivid impression, which soured when it came to one of the berths, which is as slippery and muddy as any other Mediterranean port. We had to moor tightly, as in the places reserved for our flotilla there were maxi-yachts. Quietly, in turn, all seven crews docked. No fuss, drama and big words. Clever and simple.

We walked up the steep stairs leading from the port of Bonifaccio to the Old Town to taste the local pasta, flavored with another glass of light wine. In the evening, all the crews gathered again at tables covered in traditional Corsican checkered tablecloths. This time, taste the traditional dish of this island - wild boar.

Rising high above the rooftops of the city, yachtsmen calmly look at the view: small buildings that huddle together, their gaze slides along the narrow streets of Bonifaccio.

Slowly the sun sets, casting the last rays of the sun, a lighthouse on the promontory Capo Pertusato  sends the first light signals to the sea. A moment of silence over the busy alleys of the Old City. At dusk, we head back down the winding alleys of the old part of the city and descend the stairs back to the boats.

The week dissolves into a pleasant combination of sailing, swimming, sunbathing and food. On the eve of departure, all seven crews of gourmet yachtsmen docked in the bay Cala Portese, where the semi-official culinary competition took place. On the working channel of the radio stations, the crews voiced the menu: tender steaks with homemade butter and spices at the Amazon, followed by prosciutto and melon, were by no means a complete list of culinary delights. In the bay, the sound of glasses echoed, laughter, the rumble of voices and the bangs of stretching mooring lines. The moonlight grew brighter, a growing wind sang in the rigging.

The next morning the sky was gloomy, with a 30-knot wind blowing from the west. The last opportunity to have a sailing sporting event. Indeed, 3 out of 7 crews are quickly preparing to leave. The sea today is not turquoise, but dark blue. For the first time, warm fleece jackets and yacht gloves are taken from the depths of the lockers. The mainsail is set on the first reef, however, the water boils astern. Only two yachts are ready for the start, one more crew chooses the wrong course ... They do not pay attention, the excitement before the sailing race affects. Excitedly, boats sail past the Monachi lighthouse in the direction of Porto Cervo. Constant gusts of wind force the sails to be poisoned and the boom roll away. The genoa sheet on the Amazon is too thick and heavy to handle.

The calorie budget is replenished in the evening. In a cozy place, surrounded by meadows and olive groves, the private estate "La Sacima", 15 minutes from Porto Cervo, where the hostess Carla Conti set the tables for a farewell dinner. Karla and her husband have expanded and converted the former farm into a Green Tourism homestead. Oak tables stand in front of brick walls, serving Sardinian cuisine. Memories of this evening will remain in the memory for a long time.

Gallurese soup for 4 persons 

• 500 g stale bread
• 500 grams of Peretta (Sardinian cheese, can be substituted for provolone)
• 1 l of broth
• 50 grams of fat
• 1 small bunch of parsley
• 5 tbsp mint
• large clove of garlic
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 pepperoni

Cut the bread into slices 1 cm thick, cut the cheese into slices. Mix parsley, mint and chopped garlic with spices. Grease the bottom of the pan with fat, then lay out, alternating, bread, cheese and spices. Fill with broth and put in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

13.03.2012