We anchored at this beach bay for the night. With sandy bottom and clear water there are great anchorages and a very cute beach bar where we discovered the French version of Aperol Spritz – Cap Spritz. Delicious.
Girolata is our next stop. Each day we check the weather. Wind, swell, temperature etc and also the following days just in case anything is looming on the horizon. So far it’s all plain sailing.
Girolata is a completely different landscape. Bright red rock reminiscent of the Kimberley and tall pinnacles standing high in the water.
The Genoese tower on the hill
The view to the north east and the Corse sud path
Girolata is extremely pretty and remote. Walking in 1 hour 30 or by boat. Little stone farmhouses of the same red stone, cute beach bars and small restaurants. Cows walk along the beach and donkeys bray. Fabulous fresh bread baked in a wood fire. Easy to stay here.
And then it looked like we may have too! On making our departure we discovered that we could go nowhere. It seemed we had lost our propeller coming in the day before.
We spent several hours diving but to no avail. It is gone and we are stuck. We couldn’t be in a more remote place. Our only option is to sail to Ajaccio 42 nm south and we have to go today as the wind is non existent tomorrow and the next day.
The boat boys towed us out of the moorings and we set sail. Initially we zoomed along at 11 knots and it’s 4pm. It would be great to get there before dark.
But no – we watched the sun go down and the moon come up and the wind slow to 2 knots and we moseyed along. Rocks and reefs, lighthouses and fishing boats all negotiated and finally a safe anchorage at Ajaccio at 4am.
By 9 am we were under tow by the SNS and taken straight to the hoist. Up and out of the water, mechanic, new propeller, back in the water and berthed in the marina. Remarkable service.
Ajaccio is a great town. The markets as you can see – wow. Napoleon’s birthplace and they are in the middle of the 260th celebrations.
Chris and Michelle are joining us here.
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