Trip on Ulimada starting 2008-05-01 in BSAJune08
Sailing in Sardinia – report by Bernard Smyth
A week’s trip off Sardinia in May with friends from the Civil Service Club and the Buoys Club.
We chartered from www.sandaliayachting.it/ at a cost of £1,209, with
extras for the flights and transfers from Olbia airport to La
Maddalena by minibus and ferry. At La Maddalena base there were
no facilities although it was rumoured there were showers and toilets
in the neighbouring marina. Whilst there were facilities at other
locations we tended to shower on board, particularly as we anchored
in sheltered bays on two nights, cooking on board. For more info on
the area see www.lamaddalena.it/inglese.htm
Strong winds marked the first few days of a week’s sailing from La Meddalena in a Beneteau 50 called Ulimada. We “flew” over to Bonifacio on Corsica and had trouble mooring on a lazy line because of the strong F6 easterly , but the capitainerie boat helped push the nose round against the wind and we made it. The strong easterly continued so we stayed another day in port. We walked up into the picturesque old town and gazed out across the Bonifacio Straights - a sea of white horses. Even on the third day the wind had not died and we sailed south back to the Maddalena archipelego in winds which increased to Force 9 for a while. We elected to stop off at Santa Teresa only for the winds to ease by late afternoon.
We visited Cala Corada Bay on Spargi, anchoring at Porta Palma on Capera island for the night. Not long after weighing anchor the next morning we were surrounded by lightning, thunder and heavy rain - which forced us to sidetrack to avoid the risk of being struck and eventually anchored at Cala Bita bay and watched the storms unfold. We moved to a safer sport for the night, anchoring off the marina at Cannigione for a wet night. On the final day, we had some cracking sailing off Maddalena in a F5 before handover. The yacht handled very well and was comfortably spacious with four double cabins and crew quarters up front that were not as spacious, mainly due to the deck cushions stacked in them.