Tips and secrets from those who sailed 30 thousand miles to discover the secret Mediterranean
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John Aliverti has been sailing for 30 years in the Mediterranean, during which time he has sailed more than 30 thousand miles. it is from him that we get our tips for a perfect cruise. Summer is approaching and the sea is filled with boats. What destinations do you feel like recommending to escape (as much as possible) from the crazy crowd?
Escaping the “crazy crowd” in July and August is not easy. “Damage limitation” requires careful selection of locations and the application of a few simple behavioral rules. Regarding locations, crowding depends mainly on two factors; the proximity of easily accessible tourist port facilities and the amount of available ridership in the area (which determines the concentration of boats).
For those seeking tranquility, it is definitely worth investing a day or two to sail a few miles and get away from the big tourist centers (it is a small commitment of time and effort that pays off handsomely). For example, in Sardinia, boats tend to stay there around the two extremes of the island; the Bocche area in the north and the area from Carloforte to Villasimius in the south. Along the central coasts of the island there are far fewer boats. There are popular areas, besides Sardinia and Corsica, for example, the island of Elba, with a great deal of ridges that allow boats to “spread out.”From a behavioral perspective, my first advice is to be well aware of what you want. Going to the harbor or marina in the high season often means finding yourself with many boats and lots of people, which to some may even amuse. I try to stay in the roadstead as much as possible and access the ports the bare minimum. Sometimes it can be interesting to visit places. The roadstead makes it possible to take advantage of the early hours of the day to enjoy the bays in peace before the crowds of boats that have spent the night in port arrive.
Coming to places (limiting to the seas west of Italy) I would definitely recommend Corsica especially the Gulf of Girolata and the Gulf of Porto (on the west coast) being careful of Mistral. Or in Sardinia where I would try to reach the area around the ‘island of Mal di ventre (west coast) and the area south of Arbatax, including the Quirra jump area (on the east coast). For those who prefer not to stretch too far I would certainly recommend Elba, which is certainly heavily traveled, but where the large number of anchorages allows even in August to find reasonable spaces. A separate discussion should be made for Greece, where it is still possible to find quiet places while paying attention to the Meltemi. Having to name a few places I would say the island of Amorgos, the Levitha Rock (both in the Cyclades), and the area around Cape Karsi (the southwestern tip of the Peloponnese). Similarly, the Turkish coast offers plenty of ridges, but perhaps, unfortunately, these are not times to frequent it.
Your first boat was a 26-footer (you now sail on a Comet 41S). Regardless of size, what should a boat always have to enjoy cruising at its best?
First of all, a boat with good sea keeping and a skipper/owner who is aware of sea size. Then to be comfortable, I would say a good awning that protects from the sun during the day and ‘humidity at night can already be a good start…… For those who want to avoid harbors, I would say a good freshwater tank (or desalinizer), a proper anchor line that makes people sleep soundly (I have 80 meters of chain), and a tender that is comfortable to use. Since the unexpected is always lurking, a minimal sail repair kit, needles, thread and a sheet of adhesive dacron (especially the latter solves many situations). Finally, to enjoy the evenings at the roadstead, I would say that a good glass, in proper moderation, and some chocolate cookies should not be missed.
And what should never be lacking when it comes to safety?
Most important point. Again there are two fronts here; endowments and behaviors. For endowments, the first thing is automatic life jackets that can be worn easily and comfortably and have the loop to attach to a safety cord. Lifelines that can be installed to allow walking out of the cockpit safely. Then I would say an EPIRB device and a portable VHF radio. For those sailing abroad, I would recommend a navtex device to have the confidence to always read bulletins and alerts with peace of mind. As for behaviors, I believe that each skipper should decide freely according to the weather, crew conditions and the sailing to be done. Having to give some pointers I would say first plan navigations (even the simplest ones) by studying the route (perhaps identifying potential trouble spots) and consulting bulletins. Second explain the use of safety devices to guests. Third have people wear life jackets when appropriate, tending to be when reducing canvas and at night. Finally, do not be impressed by the sea conditions if unexpected “turbulence” happens and always try to be calm and instill calmness in the crew (calmness not recklessness).
How does your role as skipper work? Does it actually help in covering the costs of running the boat?
Sailsquare is a great way to keep boat operating costs down. It offers the opportunity to make yourself known to tens of thousands of people and allows, through its review system, to reward the most attentive boat owners. In addition, I believe it will become more and more widespread because it offers great diversity from traditional rental solutions. First the boats, traditional charter companies generally have one or two types of boats often all the same or otherwise similar. With Sailsquare because the owners are many and varied, the boats are also the most diverse, of all types and sizes. No traditional rental company will ever be able to offer the same diversity. This also applies to ports of embarkation; traditional companies must necessarily concentrate their boats in ports where they have their bases, in contrast, individual shipowners are scattered everywhere.
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