I am  doing this part of the blog while crossing to Riva Di Triano on the Italian mainland , a trip of about 7.5 hours taking us past Isola Di Giannutri. We had planned to spend the night on anchor in the SE facing cala there,but the wind direction and sea state would make it very uncomfortable.

It may also contribute to more than the usual number of typos, as I am bouncing around down in the cabin at the moment! 

Giglio Castello is a small village up above the Port of Giglio. You can walk up or like us get the local bus. It is an ancient medieval borough. The castle was built in the early Middle Ages and later restructured by the Pisans when they invaded in the 13th century.

 

View of Porto Giglio from the bus climbing up and arrival at Castello Giglio

  

It is a rabbit’s warren of alley ways

In the 1800 a cistern was built to collect and store rainwater so that in the event of a siege the inhabitants would have plenty water (looks like wine was added later,lol)

   

You really do get a sense of age walking around the place

 

The Pisan wall built around 1200 and       TV ariels later installed

Louise looks like she’s not enjoying this but she was – her historical tollerance runs out after about an hour, though.

 

About 600 or so people live here. You can see the house numbers in the above pictures. It is quite dark though I imagine in the hot Tuscan sun that would be an advantage.

We really enjoyed the trip

At dinner the previous night we met Mal & Liam a Danish and Kiwi repectively.
They were headed to Corsica and Sardinia and were keen to know of any places we would recommend so we went back to their boat for a night cap. Liam had been a professional organ musucian and wine grower. Mel was an engineer . They had had a lovely brand new Benneteau 38 called “Bail”.This was apparently so they could say they were “Out on Bail”

We had agreed to head for an anchorage round the NE corner of Elba and meet up, but both of us thought better of it when we saw it.

Heading on towards Porto Azzuro we  had anchored in a bay just East and Liam phoned to advise they were one bay over! C’ est la vie. I managed to send them details of our trip from Cagliari and our favourite bits by e-mail and we will keep in touch no doubt on messenger as they too will eventually head for Greece.

Leaving Condotta Bay anchorage in the morning heading for Isola Giglio
 
Bimini for light winds only !

Isola Giglio is where the Costa Cocordia went aground on an unauthorised close by pass of Porto Giglio. She hit the rocks and tore a gash in her port side and eventually had to abandon ship with the loss of 32 lives. If you read the story it’s appalling .

 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-16563562

  
The approach                                                       Could only be my bar !

The town is very nice and totally geared to tourism that the disaster mst have affected.

Salvage cranes and the busy wee harbour and a friend who dropped in for a snack
 
Kids rowing a boat in the harbour under the watchful eye of their big brother , not an iPad or mobile in sight !
 
Camira smallest as usual !

Monday saw us having a massive passage of 1.7 miles across to Portoferraio.

It was founded by Cosimo de Medici, Grand duke of Tuscany in 1548 and the name of the harbour we berthed in, under colourful high sided buildings with washing hanging out as per Italia, bears his name.

  
The harbour side

 
This tower is now a museum, but was a prison in the past, annarchist Giovanni Passannante was imprisoned and tortured for attempting to kill King Umberto 1.

  
There are three forts and a massive line of walls all still visible today.
In the 19th century  it expanded to exploit the export produce of the new iron mills in Rio Marina and hence earned the name “Iron Port “ in Italian.

Napoleon had a house here for a period but was furnished sparsely as if he had no intention of staying long.

 
After a walk to the local beach we booked a recommended seafood reataurant for that evening.
We had a lovely meal that night and met Liam & Mal

Dressed to kill and eat

Sunday saw us having a leisurely day sail around the cape to Portoferraio bay for a look for another suitable anchorage for the night.

  

There are prohibited areas within the bay due presumeably to the large amount of ferry traffic.

We originally looked at an anchorage suggested by the pilot book – but didn’t fancy it.

   

We again took the chance of anchoring in weed , which is not as good holding as sand, near a lovely little hotel on the other side of the bay.

Well we did decide on the longer passage direct to Elba after rounding Cap Corse instead of heading South to Maccinagio.

 
Franc & Annie getting their boat prepared for leaving the next day, they are headed back the way we came to Calvi.

The patient fisherman who sat all day at the back of us, with no luck as far as we could see.  He eventually had to move when two more Italian boats arrived.

  
We were teated to a fantastic sunset in St Florent the previous evening.

 
It’s not often you get pictures of your own boat on the move these are courtesy of Franc as we left St Florent.

We headed alnost due North up Cap Corse in very light wind ,after the onslaught of the previous few days, although it did mean motoring a bit. The Cap is very Scottish Island like but with the sun of “Corse”.

 
Capo Grosso opening up and Ile de la Giraglia beginning to show to the North . We will pass between it and the mainland.

 
A very Scottish scene , no ?                              Ile de la Giraglia passage

 
Bye Bye Corsica, new courteousy flag up , and hello Elba.Now at least motor sailing with main.
Elba 5 hours away across the Corsican channel under cloud in the distance.

Pretty boat for a stink boat going the other way. These are the boats the marinas are waiting for coming from the South coast of France and Northern Italy.

We managed a limited amount of sailing that day and eventually closed with Marciana marina, our original destination if the weather wasn’t too good.
However we decided to push on a wee bit to a promising bay in the hope of anchoring for the night.

 
Closing with Elba                                             Marciana marina in distance

Marciana Marina closer

 
Baie di Procchio our anchorage for the night .

Anchored at the 2nd attempt and went in swimming to discover Rocna anchor not fully dug in ! Sacre Bleu !
We let more chain out & reversed, but still only partially dug in, light wind forecast so should be ok with weight of chain.

Fajitas for tea. That’s us back in Italy though longish day.