Sailing to Byzantium - 8

Palermo is truly an ancient city; it is probably one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean with Phoenician origins and succession of occupations by the Greeks, Roman and Byzantine empires, Arabs, Normans, followed by the regal houses of Anjou and Aragon, before being consumed by the reunification of Italy. By the 13^th century Palermo was one of the most important European ports for reasons that are only too recognisable for us. When a storm was building you needed the refuge of a safe port, and the sirocco created a need for a safe haven in the vicinity of Palermo, protecting valuable cargos and establishing vital diplomatic and commercial links at the same time; Frederick I declared Sicily to be stupor mundi or wonder of the world.

The city today is cris-crossed by a number of modern long straight vias and corsos which attempt to achieve some form of order. At an artificial centre point created by the grid like vias and corsos is the Quatro Canti separating and dividing the city into four quarters. Either side of the modern and formal arterial routes can be found the ancient warren like network of narrow streets paved with shiny, worn square flagstones, which are lined with ancient dust, rubble and decay, with filth and litter in many places. I am not put off by this because better districts have the same issue with litter, and it only serves to reinforce the grotesque (given its original meaning) and medieval characteristics of the city. If filth, litter and urban decay were to be a wonder of the world Palermo would set the standard. It is said that one of the Canto’s of Dante’s Divine Comedy was based upon the court of Frederick I in Sicily during the 13^th Century, and in many parts of Palermo today Dante would not be taken aback, surprised or shocked by what he might observe in the market places and backstreets.

A scene from la Mercato della Ballaro

The two quarters close to the port and the Mollo Sud, where we are based, have street markets namely the Mercato della Ballaro and Mercato della Zucciria. The former is quite big and winds its way through the Ballaro quarter. It is gloriously dirty with artichoke leaves spread all over the narrow streets. Boxes of fruit and vegetables stacked in the street delineate the pitch of each vendor and these spaces are mirrored overhead by canopies which protect the produce from the midday sun. There appears to be an unbroken tradition and history of street vendors or venditore ambulante adding to the variety of the market scene.

Trays of cooked vegatables being sold by a venditore ambulante

It is a loud, busy and bustling market where extreme poverty puts on a smile and does its daily business supplying the quarter’s inhabitants with some of the best and freshest food that this part of the world has to offer. The people may be poor but they eat like kings and have a diversity and richness of diet that is not only easily affordable but north western Europeans could only aspire to. The produce which is sold is mainly from Sicily but also from other islands such as Pantelleria, which exports its muscat raisins or zibibbo di pantelleria and salted capers among other things.

Sicilian Oranges

Capperi picollo di Pantelleria

There are many street side butchers in the Ballaro market, who proudly carve flesh from carcases and separate offal for presentation on slabs and in bowls before your very eyes. The slaughterhouse and chop shop is effectively part of the street. Some butchers cook the offal, and this like many other cooked vegetables can be purchased from great cauldrons of steely water which sit out in front of the stalls. There is no swift practice here; people do not force you to buy and you must actively get their attention and tell them what you want. Everybody is more than happy to deal with your requests, offering advice as you go with a level of courtesy and individual attention that is hard to find anywhere else; all this in a sometimes intimidating and medieval environment.

Sicilian tomatoes

Butchers from la Mercato della Ballaro

Seasonal foods are sold on a daily basis from early morning till about 8 p.m. The current seasonal treats are the many varieties of artichokes which are available for sale; large, medium and small; purple, green and an attractive combination of colours are all to be found. Small three wheel vans hurtle through the city piled high with bails of artichokes replenishing stalls at street corners, roundabouts and other roadside venues as they navigate their way through the cities streets, beeping their horns and hollering as they go.

Some of the many varieties of artichokes available in the markets

The Mercato della Vucciria has an entirely different feel to it, and it is more compact and a smaller. There are more formal shops in the Vucciria with a great variety of stock collected up into just about every corner, shelf, horizontal or vertical surface available. The street stalls sell mostly vegetables and dry goods, but this market has a small trapezoidal piazza not far from the Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele with a number of fish sellers. A few out of season, and non mainstream, Japanese tourists venture to these parts, clearly identifiable by their nikon machinery attached to their torsos flapping about and captivated by the fish stalls. I can only respect their ability to seek out the freshest of fish; they may be in Catania on Saturday!

A selection of fish for sale in the Mercato della Vucciria

Like the butchers of the Ballaro, the fish sellers display some of the freshest fish I have ever seen out on large tables of ice. Any self respecting fish seller will have a swordfish or spada on the table ready to be sliced into great steaks. Boxes of fresh sardines still sporting an elegant pink hue on the fine scales could not have been out of their saline world for more than a few short hours. Large tuna or tonno are also starting to appear in the market.

A box of the feshest Sardines

There is a long tradition attached to the seasonal fishing of the tuna in Sicily. It is said that the tonno caught here in Sicilian waters is the best available anywhere. This is chiefly due to the blood temperature of the fish by the time it arrives in Sicilian waters on its annual migration from the Atlantic chasing the sardine into the heart of the Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian seas. In times past the tuna would have been penned and netted by an armada of long boats, culminating in la mattanza alla tonnara (the slaughter of the tuna). Todays efficient factory ships do not bode well for the future of the tuna stocks.

Spada

The contrast between the dingy dark backstreets and extraordinary colours of the fresh vegetables and fruit, and meat and fish gives the city an added energy and vibrancy. The urgency with which the three wheeled over laden lorries speed through the streets is a reminder of the scale of the enterprise undertaken by the market sellers to feed this great sprawling city. I am told there are supermarkets here but I have yet to see them.

Sailing to Byzantium - 7

Computer generated chart for the north west Sicily

At 0000 hours I commenced my watch on 25^th April. There was very little to see in a very dark sky. There was no moon and any light that might have been provided by stars was diminished by a thin layer of high level of cloud. We had been threading our way through the islands, yet had not seen land at any time just a clear horizon with the odd distant ship crossing it. Before I came on watch the wind had showed signs of building and the engine was shut down so Fenix was sailing away under her own power reaching along on starboard tack. Within half an hour the wind was decreasing and we required the engine to maintain a high average speed and continue our progress east. The engine started, and as I checked the transom for water I noticed more smoke than usual and went to shut the engine down. There were a number of possible problems but we would not know for sure until a chance arose for a thorough inspection. We resolved to sailing at speeds of just over 5 knots negotiating the ships, liners and inquisitive fishing vessels as we went.

Approaching the Sicilian coastline close hauled

My next watch began at 8 a.m. The wind built steadily through the early morning and the direction changed to the east. We were now sailing upwind and had not made enough easting to avoid the predicted easterlies. This was not all bad news, because soon after coming on deck we decided to tack and close the land. Sailing close hauled, or on the wind, Fenix requires good concentration and is very rewarding once you get into your groove. By early morning the north west of Sicily was in view and our new course advanced Fenix towards this spectacularly rugged coastline. 

We decided to take the opportunity to anchor up and take a closer look at the engine and make a decision based upon the options which were available. The course towards land was not laying Palermo and we decided to sail into the small Baia di Carini and anchor. This little bay was fully protected from the easterly wind by an island, a promontory and a range of mountains further to the east marking the approaches to the Bay of Palermo, namely Cabo Gallo and Mountes Gallo and Pellegrini. We anchored in 10 meters of clear blue water and while Steve and Moritz poked around the engine, I stepped over the side for a swim and cleaned the waterline.

Baia Di Carini and Cabo Gallo

The prognosis was not good and we needed to get to a major port and access to a marine engineering workshop. Palermo was closest but Messina would bring us closer to the half way point. There was other information now available to us as we had updated our weather files from the internet. A sirocco was forecast in the region with winds predicted to reach 35 knots from the south by Monday 27^th April. Messina is no place to arrive with a suspect engine so we chose to sail the remaining 12 miles to Palermo.

The pilot books do not paint a pretty picture of Palermo and after having had a chance to read their comments we were not looking forward to arriving there. It is the capital of Sicily and is a very big port which would have the skills and resources to assist us but reading the pilot book would not inspire one to intentionally visit the city. We arrived around 1930 hours docking on the fuel berth and were met by a group of people on the dock all offering a hand to tie up.

A view of the commercial port to the north of Palermo harbour with Monte Pellegrino in the background

Two became three, and three quickly became twelve. Everybody there was keen to give input, some offered translation services and others made magnificent gestures by the waving of their hands, others were simply keen to meet us, chat about the boat and our trip. When we mentioned the engine was problematic we were assured an engineer would be with the boat by 900 a.m. Monday morning. Everything, and anything, that could have been done for us was done. Asa token of our appreciation, we presented a bottle of our very best Lambrusco to the main man on the dock and this gesture was very quickly returned by a formal presentation of two bottles of wine, one red at room temperature and one white, which was chilled and ready to go. The Sicilians, it was clear, would not be out done on any front, and in particular hospitality.

A view of the port to the south and the city of Palermo

Saturday had been a very long day for us all and we were all very tired on Sunday. Some light exercise in the form of a walk around this historic city before lunch brought about a short revival in our energy levels. I decided to make a cake. There were quite a few apples on board and I prepared the batter or sponge mix while Steve peeled the apples (number to be limited as he saw fit). For added interest and flavour I decided to use the roughly ground Mallorcan almonds which I purchased for the yachts stores prior to our departure. I also decided to make it look like an apple sponge cake form the north of Italy and use a springform tin. The batter was simple enough and straightforward, but Steve had decided to chunk and chop the apples instead of opting for fine slice, which would have been used in the cake from northern Italy. He also decided to limit himself to five apples. I would have used two or three, however he is an expert on apple pies and puddings and so I bowed to his superior experience.

The result was excellent. The sponge was not too moist and crusty brown all around. A slice of cake could only be admired for a short period; the large chunks and slices of apple marbled and supported the sponge. For Proper Eve’s Pudding we used the following: 150 grams of sugar, 150 grams of butter, 60 grams of coarsely ground almonds, 110 grams of sugar, three eggs, a little vanilla essence and five apples. The cake should have been photographed while cooling on deck in Palermo harbour, one of few mistakes I have made on this trip, as it was almost entirely eaten in one sitting.

Weather file for noon Monday 27th April

Monday morning commenced early with the arrival of the sirocco wind, which was forecasted on Saturday. We are now sitting in this very sheltered harbour being blasted by gusts of in excess of 50 knots. Extra shorelines were sent form the shore yesterday evening and now all shore lines, and lines to other yachts, are bracing us in these violent conditions. The wind is whipping up a spray as the gusts hurtle down the harbour. The winds may not abate until Wednesday and certainly our engine may not be operational before then either.

Sailing to Byzantium - 6

Computer generated chart with weather overlay for 24th April

I was quite tired and still sleepy when woken for my watch at 0000 hours on Friday 24^th April. After having taken my time to get dressed and get on deck I quickly found my bearings. We were at 38 48.51’N 7 40.44’E motor sailing with the wind coming form directly astern. We were due to arrive off Cabos Teulada and Spartivento, the southern most points of Sardinia, within 5 hours but we would not be close enough to acquire any phone signal.

Yet again the night was quite dark but there was a loom of light to the north east as we closed in on Sardinia. The westerly wind had taken us further away from Sardinia on Starboard gybe as we were about to enter the Tyrrhenian Sea. The proximity of land and such an important turning point as southern Sardinia and the port of Cagliari meant there was a marked increase in shipping through the night giving us something to concentrate on as we continually assessed the acute converging angles involved.

Gradually the sea state altered as well as the sea floor rose form 2750 metres to 300 meters and the more pronounced swell made Fenix roll into the waves with a little more energy than before. By 4 00 a.m. we had crossed back into deep water and I returned to my bunk. The wind moderated soon after, and the wave length became shallower and longer giving me a good three hours of rest (albeit with the diesel engine running at 2000 r.p.m. in the background and generator on cooling the fridges).

Broad reaching under full main and asymmetric spinnaker

The situation was unchanged at 8 00 a.m. and instead of staying on deck I took the opportunity to make a bitter lemon tart. The smell of the lemon zest and juice cleansed the interior of Fenix. Steve wandered into the galley for a little chat, and after a while inquired if we had enough gas on board to keep this level of culinary activity going. I reassured him by saying we had enough gas to keep Marco Pierre White’s place open for a week and he left quite satisfied. For a number of reasons the lemon tart took a little longer than normal as I was forced to brace myself with a gradually building swell and by midday the tart was completed and we were cruising along under full main, staysail and asymmetric spinnaker in bright warm sunshine.

This was sailing at its best; running down our easting as fast as possible with our eyes firmly fixed on Messina. The sprint lasted until about 19 20 hours when I was about to cook the courgettes. Feeling they yacht roll awkwardly I knew there was not enough wind to carry the asymmetric spinnaker at the angle we needed to travel in. With the autopilot engaged Steve and I snuffed the asymmetric spinnaker, got it down, and bagged it before it was lowered through the fore hatch.

Friday's sunset

I returned to the hot pan and slowly turned the courgettes and prepared to serve up the roast chicken which had been cooking with fists of garlic and onions since a little before 18 00 hours. Conditions were quite calm by 19 30 hours, and we all sat down to dinner with hungry eyes silently tucking into the fare. I caught a glimpse of the last minutes of the colourful sunset while going on deck to maintain the watch and returned to serve the lemon tart which had made its way through the day unmolested and intact.

Sailing to Byzantium - 5

Computer generated chart with weather overlay for noon Thursday 23rd April

After passing Cabo Blanco we quickly proceeded through the Freu De Cabrera, a stretch of water between Cabo Salinas and Isla de Cabrera and the smaller islands of Horada and Conjera. Small fishing boats were scurrying around trying to get to their pots before the sun set. Travelling at 9 knots in 16 knots of wind we cleared Cabo Salinas and almost immediately had our first visitors as dolphins converged on the bow of Fenix.

Fisherman in the Freu de Cabrera

Thursday the 23rd April commenced in conditions which were not too warm and not too cold. We were at 39 08.90’N and 3 51.27’ E under engine with 10 knots of breeze. There was little to report and the ocean was empty. Having left Mallorca and passed well to the south of Menorca we would not see many ships or other traffic until approaching Sardinia. Large balloons of phosphorescence were eddying out behind the boat illumination the water with slow, soft explosions of light. It quickly became clear that the gyro for the auto pilot was not fully in tune with the other instrumentation and George, our auto pilot, was quickly down graded from ocean yacht master to competent crew. His status on board is now being closely monitored.

Our dolphin friends

With no cloud in the sky and no moon present for the next few days the stars and planets were clear to be seen and were a good distraction and source of conversation until my watch ended at 4 00 a.m. At 7 00 a.m. I could feel my body roll to the starboard side and clearly the jib had been unfurled and Fenix leant to the breeze accelerating as she heeled. A beautiful sunrise was reported but as I commenced my watch the sun was filling the ultramarine blue sea with bright patches of speckled glare under the jib, and brilliant white foaming water pressed away from the hull as it went through the water achieving 9 knots in 18 knots of wind.

Beautiful reaching conditions

Lunch passed off peacefully and not long after the engine was back on and we were motor sailing again. Numerous requests were made for swordfish and the second line was set from a block on the boom, but there was little to be caught in a sea that was up to 2700 meters deep. The main meal of the day was served out at about 19.30. Dinner time was postponed for a few minutes following the sighting of a whale. Everybody was on deck trying to catch sight of the whale as it blew because apart from a single ship we had not seen any other sign of life. Moritz saw a turtle earlier but Steve disputes this as he himself did not see it – the fun and games go on.

Dinner included a starter of pimentos al padron accompanied by a pimento blanco and tomato salad. Main course was baked bacalao in a cream cheese and parsley sauce topped with bread and manchego cheese. This was all served with fried courgette and borlotti beans in a tomato sauce. Steve reckoned they might taste better tomorrow having had the benefit of a nights rest. Crème caramel with a mixed fruit salad was served in the central cockpit not long after.

This evening we are motor sailing at around 8 knots and the sun has just set. For the last two nights the sun has been a magnificent red orb lowering itself over the horizon; a placid reminder that time never stops. The wind continues to move aft as predicted in the weather files and we are now deep running in about 16 knots of wind from the west, gybing every so often to make allowances for the sea state and prevent too much rolling. As I type I can hear a few crashes coming form the galley as the washing up is being done; a true juggling act if ever there was one dependant on careful planning and a keen sense of balance as you must anticipate every roll and lurch the boat makes. If the sense of balance is switched off then you must quickly find a sense of humour!

Our plan is to continue east as fast as possible and pass Palermo and Trapani proceeding in the direction of Stromboli and the Aeolian islands to the north of Sicily. A number of the islands currently have active volcanoes and we should pass them in the night giving the best possible views of any volcanic activity. From there Messina is approximately 50 nautical miles away and we can expect to arrive there at some stage on Sunday to unwind and get more than our 3 or four hour naps which we have been getting up till now.

Thursdays Sunset

Sailing to Byzantium - 4

Computer generated chart with weather overlay for Tuesday 21^st April

A dull and wet start to the day on Tuesday did not set the tone for an improvement in certain administrative tasks which were to be dealt with prior to our departure. A strong brew of coffee brought about the right environment for a few venomous draft emails which may be toned down prior to our departure from these waters. In the galley the roast tomato mix was blended to a sweet perfection and the dried borlotti beans have been placed in water to hydrate in sealed containers.

It became clear by the afternoon that we would not be leaving on Tuesday and arrangements were quickly put in place to allow us to depart by Wednesday afternoon. Following a light breakfast this morning I made a batch of crème caramels. The crew congregated on the aft deck for the safety briefing and just after midday we the authorities allowed Fenix to depart after having finally sorted out the local administrative issues.

We are now motor sailing, in bright sunshine, at about 6 knots passing Cabo Blanco to port and leaving the Bay of Palma astern. Our route will take us quite close to Sardinia and given the current available weather forecasts we may not stop there but proceed on to the north coast of Sicily. This is primarily to place us as far east as possible in order to avoid headwinds which have been forcasted to develop and take hold to the north west of Sicily by Saturday.

I expect to have phone signal at some stage on Friday as we pass Sardinia and will post another update at that time.

Sailing to Byzantium - 3

Weather Grib file for Tuesday 1800 hours

The reports for tomorrow’s weather have remained quite consistent for the last few days and the passage to Sardinia will be dominated by a north-westerly airflow. Winds are not as fresh as originally forecast but may freshen to over 20 knots by Thursday evening as we approach the south west corner of Sardinia. We may dock on Friday at some stage in a moderating wind but shortly afterwards the direction is set turn into the east as another weather system takes hold over southern Italy. This may the first sign of some significant hardships to come however, forecasts for that far in advance are merely a guidline as to what can happen and are not necessarily to be treated as an absolute certainty. We will continue to monitor the forecasts with added interest as we proceed.

There was a noticeable chill in the air at dawn and the north westerly airflow is having some effect already. Fenix has been readied for departure; yesterday the storm trisail was inspected and the storm jib was hanked on to the inner forestay for use as a staysail while reaching, or to be set when conditions are less than clement. This sail plan is particularly effective for Fenix and we will most likely set the asymmetric spinnaker off the bow reaching most of the way to the Sardinian coastline.

The water, dry and non perishable goods were purchased and stowed over the last two weeks. All that remains now is the provisioning for the perishable goods. To date I have prepared a leek and potato soup and a roasted tomato and sweet corn soup which have been frozen and buried in the freezer. A few portions of Bolognese sauce have also been frozen along with portions of mixed roasted vegetables. These can be used when the fresh food runs is in short supply or if preparing and cooking meals is just not feasible. We expect to log just under 2000 miles on the passage and there will be times during this period where the weather puts its own limitations on the use of the galley and the types of meals that can be served out.

Leaving the perishables until the very last moment guarantees these items will remain fresh for the longest period of time while the boat is at sea. Typically, I try to go to local markets to stock up on locally produced food and vegetables. To my mind you rarely are compromised on quality and the prices are always competitive with the supermarkets. Apart from that, you are guaranteed seasonal produce and it is simply more exciting finding and going to these places even if means an early start.

Cheese is absolutely great on a delivery being full of flavour and goodness. A good cheese plate is always a crowd pleaser and difficult to resist. I generally seek out locally produced varieties which are easy to serve on a plate accompanying other savouries on a lunch plate, or in a bowl if things are a little wild. The cheeses selected today were a Spanish manchego curado, and an antique hard cured Menorcan cheese. Along with these I have selected a number of old reliables such as brie, camembert and rochfort to cater for all tastes.

Other dairy products such as cream cheese and yoghurt are much in demand on deliveries. Some vegetables such as pimentos blancos can be eaten uncooked being crisp and quite sweet. Cured meats such as chorizo, sobrasada and jamon navidul are also popular for supplementing lunch plates or for use in a main course for the evening meal. Some meats such as chicken can be frozen but I prefer not to resort to freezing the fresh produce.

A few dozen eggs have been stowed away. With a good oven you can not only boil and fry the eggs, but it is also possible to make crème caramel (if you are careful) and cakes for those who have a sweet tooth. If conditions are good and relatively stable I may even make a quiche.

The entire crew are keen to eat fish as much as possible on the trip. The fish identification cards were placed an on deck pack strapped to the aft rail. The pack also contains torches for working at night and binoculars for those on watch. Nothing has been left to chance and we expect a few catches to complement and add to our stores. We intend to have two lines out for most of the passage and hopefully a tuna or other tasty fish may come our way. Tuna and bonito will be hot on the trail of the shoals of sardine and anchovy and our route will follow this Spring migrations of these fish all the way to the eastern Mediterranean. The Straits of Messina are famous for swordfish and it is possible that we might see them rolling or breaching the surface of the water there. Catching a swordfish may not be possible for us, but we may see the sophisticated, eccentric swordfish vessels from that part of the world prowling the narrow straits hunting for these majestic creatures.

A rich roasted tomato, red pepper, garlic and onion mix prepared this evening

To encourage a successful catch I intend to only stock dried fish in the form of bacalao, or salted cod. This can be rehydrated overnight in a basin or container of fresh water and baked with all manner of sauces and or vegetables. This afternoon, I roasted a tray of tomatoes, red peppers, garlic and various types of onion and shallot in a rich fruity Sardinian extra virgin olive oil. By tomorrow morning the roasted vegetables will have reduced further and be perfect for blending and being transformed into a creamy tomato sauce which can be used to cook with borlotti beans, the salted cod, not to mention pasta or a large grained brown rice.

I shall try and get another post out tomorrow evening as we clear the land and before we loose phone signal. If we do not come close enough to Menorca to get a good strength signal the next post can be expected by the end of the week as we aproach the Sardinian coast. New options will arise with decisions to be made as the weather system develops to the east of us.

Sailing to Byzantium - 2

A print screen from a computer generated chart for use in our Spanish exit strategy

Our works are now complete however we are now held up once again. This time there is a local administrative issue to be dealt with and we are required to wait until Tuesday before we can depart. Planning a passage such as this has been less than predictable. This latest postponement however means we can start the passage with a full complement of crew when we leave Palma da Mallorca. Depending on a number of factors, weather included, we may still stop in Cagliari before continuing on our journey across the north coast of Sicily and passing through the straits of Messina.

A grib file weather chart for midday Tuesday 22nd April

The current grib file available for Tuesday suggests the winds will be favourable and freshening as the passage progresses. On current information we can expect a north-westerly airflow of up to 30 knots, which should make the 300 nautical mile passage to Cagliari a short but exciting one as we chase the sardine and mackerel filled seas going east.

The basket makers shop in Palma

After a long day yesterday, we treated ourselves to a break from the preparations and took some time off to wander around the back streets of Palma, where a whole host of specialist shops can be found including basket weavers, dressmakers, upholsters and woodworkers. A few days ago, I caught sight of a crusty old basket weavers shop, and we decided to go back and find it. Inside every available bit of space including the ceilings and floors of two small rooms was crammed full of and stacked with straw baskets, bags, boxes and lampshades.

There was little evidence of the digital age, apart from a token casio calculator possibly purchased in the early 1980s. The gentleman behind the well worn counter offered advice to a number of customers on topics ranging from baskets woven on mainland Spain to the specifics of weaving a chair seat from straw. The time passed with ease as we browsed around the shop and eventually a few items were selected and brought to the counter, where the gentleman carefully removed his handwritten price tags and added the amounts up on his impressive beige and brown desktop casio calculator.

It was still quite early and our next stop brought us to the San Oliver fish market. Many of the boats in the fishing fleet had returned to their dock, passing us as they went just before sunset. They quickly manoeuvred their vessels, eager to land their catch as quickly as possible on the dock. Saturday morning in the fish market is always a spectacular of how fresh fish can be; mackerel, sardines, anchovies, monkfish, hake and john dory never fail to impress bright and gleaming on many stalls. We sampled a plate of fried calamar and pulpo al fiera [boiled octopus with paprika and olive oil] at bar del peix before moving on.

A pair of john dory at the San Oliver fish market, Palma

We decided to head west and explore the west of the island at St Elm, a beautifully situated small bay which opens out onto the island of Dragonara. Unfortunately, what was once a nice small village has been somewhat spoiled by over development with the result that the little bay is dominated by holiday and tourist oriented buildings. You can only hope that the clear waters of the bay and the narrow channel between St Elm and Dragonara will not be tainted.

From St Elm we pressed on northwards in the direction of Estellencs and Valldemossa winding our way up into the mountain roads which gave great views over the sea and and rocky coves below. Five years ago I visited a small fishing village on the north coast called Port d'es Canonge and I was keen to reacquaint myself with this out of the way place. Desperate for lunch accompanied by some refreshing rose wine we eventually came upon the turn off for the village and began the dangerous descent to get there. I cannot stress enough the level of care required to make your way down along this narrow road, which in many places there is barely enough room for a bicycle to overtake a donkey and it would certainly be inadvisable to do so in some stretches.

The small cove at Port d'es Canonge

This small village is easily passed unnoticed by many and is unknown to most. It was practically unchanged in the five years since I had been there and the same slipways ran to the shore from ramshackle boathouses, which were intended to shelter the fishermen's boats from the northerly wind and swells. Lunch was had in restaurant C'an Toni Moreno and it was excellent fare. We tucked into a hearty bowl of sobrasada and sepias [cuttlefish], before enjoying a wonderfully rich arroz negro; this is essentially a paella stained with black squid ink cooked with squid and small clams. Desert was a light and creamy crema catalana with its crispy caramelised top. The wine was of course a rose; a lightly sparkling and coloured wine called Cresta Rosa from Girona.

The sweltering temperatures of the April afternoon had given birth to a cool sea breeze which came and went throughout the meal, but gradually the clouds ballooned over the mountain which was directly above the small village port. By the time we made our way up onto the main road there was a light covering of hail and snow melting away as we made our way back to Palma passing through the pleasant and pretty town of Valldemossa.

One of the many painted terracotta plaques on the walls of houses in Valldemossa

Sailing to Byzantium

Weather file for Thursday 16th April

I have posted above the weather grib image for Thursday 1200 hrs when we expect to depart Palma and make our way to Cagliari, in southern Sardinia. Once there we will pick up another crew member, bringing our complement to four, before departing for Sicily, where there will be another brief stop. Our route to Istanbul will take us across southern Italy and Greece turning north east as we pass through the many islands that crowd the charts between Greece and Turkey.

For now we monitor the weather and provision Fenix with dry goods and water, while we have also been cooking and freezing meals and soups. Over the coming days fresh goods will be purchased for the passage and works carried out where necessary and finallised around the yacht prior to departure.

The initial signs are for a good start to the initial leg of the trip with average winds from the south west. These winds are expected to moderate before our arrival in Sardinia, but we shall continue to monitor the weather systems over the next few days. I hope you will log on and follow the events of the passage which I will try and update as often as possible.

Alaro: Es Verge - Sunday lunch with lots of sheep

One of the team of chefs in the kitchen at Es Verge

About ten years ago, almost to the very day, I was interrupted by friends while doing a little work on a beautiful boat in Palma. I had just finished painting and was intermittently looking at the paint job and gazing up at the clouds forming on the mountains behind Palma. My friends said that if it was going to rain there was nothing I could do about it, and I was merely watching paint dry and perhaps waiting for the inevitable.

They attempted to rescue me from my gloom by suggesting that we go to a restaurant in the mountains to the north of Palma. Last weekend I made the same pilgrimage taking a circuitous route to the quaint Mallorquin town of Alaro, slotting our way through the narrow back streets eventually emerging onto a little used farmers' road. I had promised Moritz, the driver (of the hire car) and skipper of Fenix some off-road mountain stage driving so rough and dangerous it would never make it onto a WRC event - this was to make up for a frustrating week and he was not disappointed. We made a sudden turn left hand turn and immediately began to ascend the mountain track to restaurant Es Verge which, if your car makes it, you eventually arrive at after about 10 minutes.

It is quite difficult for me to describe Es Verge purely because I love the place. The restaurant was still run but the same old folk, who take everything in their stride and have a happy go lucky manner of looking after you. The restaurant itself has the appearance of an old farmhouse, because it probably is an old farmhouse. On a sunny warm day you leave behind the glare of the bright sunshine entering the building and the cool dim world inside.

We pleaded with the sheep not to go skateboarding but...

Olive trees growing on the slopes close to Es Verge

Slow roasted shoulder of lamb is the speciality of the house. There are sheep all around and the relatively new addition of a gate prevents them from joining you for dinner. The plan is that the sheep are normally kept at bay during lunch but shortly after the invasion begins and they slowly converge from all directions, jumping over and through gaps in the walls. Suckling pig and grilled prawns are also on the menu but you do not see them and frankly they would not be as entertaining to watch. The lamb arrives quicker than you might think and an unmarked anonymous bottle of house wine is always a good option to accompany this fine rustic fare.

Dinner time at the kitchen door?

Once you have finished you meal a flan or pudding among other deserts is offered but a personal favourite of mine at Es Verge is a flaming drink which is made from a mixture of rum, brandy, chopped lemon, coffee beans and sugar. I am guessing there is likely to be a secret undisclosed ingredient, however this concoction, which is served in a glazed terracotta bowl, may have the ability to burn forever if you allowed it to. This acts as a mild sedative prior to your ascent to Castell d'Alaro following the meal. The pathway to the Castell passes the entrance to the retaurant, and winds its way up to a ridge just over 200 meters above the restaurant. The ridge is quite narrow and there are great panoramic views of Mallorca to be experienced all around this mountaintop. If you remain thirsty or wish to have another mild sedative before you descend there is a small taverna among the buildings on the ridge, and a small church should you wish to pray for your safe arrival, or return as the case may be.

A view from the ridge above Es Verge