Casting off the lines
The last few weeks in Austria have been marked by goodbyes, organizational tasks and the constant feeling of not being able to think of everything. Up to now, the upcoming sailing trip has always seemed far away, in 2 years, then in a year, we still have a few months, then it's just days and suddenly the day is here.
The month before our departure was marked by farewell parties. First we said goodbye to my extended family in Spitz at a local winery called “Heurigen”, then to our friends and Peter's family at a garden party and last but not least our work colleagues. And then it was here, the day of our departure. It was still quite stressful, because not everything was packed yet. In the late afternoon, we met up with my parents, my sister and her fiancé and a few friends at the Meidling market for a meal before we set off at 19:25 from Vienna Meidling train station with the night train via Padua to Florence. A few tears were shed on the platform before we really set off.
Our friends Julia and Gugi accompany us on our first leg to Mallorca. They have been on board before, but have never sailed overnight - so it will be a challenge for everyone. After a short night on the train and fully packed, we arrive in Rosignano at around 9 am. The next few days will be very labor-intensive, as there is still a lot to be done: stowing things, clearing out the garage, installing solar panels, shopping for the trip, installing the navigation lamp,....
There are also a few planned and unplanned visits. Peter's parents come to Rosignano to say goodbye to us and Peter's colleagues also drop by for an evening. After a work-intensive Saturday, we spend an evening in a restaurant with everyone in a large, sociable group. The next day, we show Peter's parents the boat and anchor in front of the marina bay for a swim. On Sunday evening, with a heavy heart, we say goodbye to the restaurant owner Francesco and Peter's parents over a pizza at Pomodoro e Basilico.
Another day of work on the boat follows before we really do untie the lines from our berth L18 in the Cala de' Medici marina for the last time. It's a very surreal feeling, as we've been working towards this moment for so long. Now it really starts. Shortly after leaving the harbor, we are greeted by a couple of dolphins - if that isn’t a good start!
The first stop on our trip is Corsica, more precisely the bay of Centuri in the northwest of Cap Corse. After an almost 12-hour crossing with little wind, we dropped anchor here just in time to watch the sun disappear behind the horizon.
The next day it is already very windy in the morning and we decide to leave early for L'Ile Rousse. There was also an high risk for thunderstorms and we wanted to head for a more sheltered bay. There wasn't much wind on this crossing either and it felt like it was thundering all around us, but luckily we were spared.
In L'Ile Rousse, our favorite town in Corsica, which we already know from previous trips, we enjoy the city life and get to settle at least a little. We stay in the bay for 3 days as we are safe from the forecasted mistral (a strong north-westerly wind). At the same time, we are already studying the weather for a possible crossing to Menorca. We want to take advantage of the next good weather window - either we set off directly from L'Ile Rousse or we head a little further south the Corsican coast. The wind and waves will determine when and how we continue - something we will have to get used to the next two years.