Sardinia (early 2007)
Click here to return to the HOME PAGE
Photo left: the marine growth on Chinook's bottom on haulout

Time flies when you are having fun. And the "winter" has certainly flown for us too. "Winter" in Sardinia has, for the most part, been sunny and "warmish" - days averaging 15 degrees C and nights of 8 degrees. True there have been a few cloudy rainy days lately, and the recent snow on the mountains (photo) was but just a "blip" in the spring. Everything is green - blossoms and wildflowers have been blooming for the past month.



Photo: Luisella and Deborah
And Debby's Italiano is improving by leaps and bounds and she is often the designated interpreter for some of the yotties in the marina. Brian still carries a dictionary, mimes, does sign language and draws pictures.

Photos: stalls in the Cagliari market - note the murals
The city of Cagliari itself, where our marina is situated, never ceases to amaze us. There are museums, art galleries, cathedrals, and the old walled city. Centuries-old buildings, tiny narrow streets, salt flats, piazzas (open squares with their statues and monuments), the huge public market, the Sunday flea and antique markets, the extensive waterfront. We still stumble upon "hole in the wall" places such as artisan's workshops and tiny shops, which are not advertised with any semblance of signage and looking inside proves to be fascinating.

Other smaller jobs that were completed: some electrical wiring was revamped and improved, an engine-room blower was installed, sanitary hoses and galley sink hoses replaced, Brian was winched up the mast and checked the rigging, the bowsprit and caprails were sanded and revarnished, Debby put new calking around the cockpit coaming, the mainsail was changed (the original put back on), new lettering was made for the bow with "herself''s" name, stainless cleaning, two new anchors (Bulwagga and Rocna) now gleam dully side-by-side on the bowsprit, the sole (floor in the cabin) was sanded and oiled. Each job had its own "adventure" and set of frustrations and took the obligatory three times the planned time to complete. And the local chandleries are so much richer because of us...
The Day our Bicis went AWOL. We loaned our bicis (say "beechees" - bicycles) to a couple of friendly Norwegian cruisers who had berthed beside us, with the stipulation (stressed) they locked them if they left them (we are fastidious about that after Brian's bike was stolen in Portugal). Well, they stopped for a "quick" coffee and didn't they leave the bikes unlocked. Of course they disappeared. The highly embarrassed cruisers graciously paid for replacements - unfortunately (for them) the bikes were relatively expensive. That's life! We would not be without bikes in this live-aboard life - so much more can be seen from above the spinning spokes.
Photo: The largest man-made lake in Europe (Lago Omodeo) - Sardinia's water and electricity supplies
In the meantime, one more intense flurry of social events with the liveaboards here before everyone disappears: we had a BBQ last Sunday; dinners and general partying are scheduled to the bitter end...
Keep in touch once in a while - always love to hear from you.
Ciao, Brian and Deborah
Click here to return to the HOME PAGE