LE CASTELLA 25 – Days 62 - 64

LE CASTELLA 25 – 27 June, Days 62 - 64

Our first impressions of Le Castella, apart from the prominent and partly restored castle, was of a scruffy and sleepy fishing town. Once ashore we bought fresh fish to cook at home from the fish shop of a local fishing family. The fish-wife made a perfect job of preparing and fileting the fish, which tasted delicious cooked in our tiny galley.

On the west side by the castle are tourist restaurants and shops, and as if in England, the June tourists were dodging showers, or walking round as this was not beach weather. It was almost 13.00 and all the shops were closing. Arriving at the one supermarket we found that it had also closed until 16.00 so went back to the harbour.

In Roccella Ionica we had been berthed next to Christine and Jim of Grey Goose. They motored in past us in the small anchorage at Le Castella, and berthed in the small harbour. They hosted our dinghy when we went ashore and charged our computer and other devices as we were struggling with battery power under black and grey skies.

We came back from the little town to find Chris and Jim on another yacht we had seen in Roccella and we were invited by Michel and his wife from Paris to have Limoncella, coffee or wine. Michel had a rental car to take his wife to the airport next day and took me 3.7 km to a petrol station as there is no fuel to buy in Le Castella. Sailor helps sailor. Merci beaucoup.

Strong north winds with gusts and thunder storms were forecast and we found that the stronger north wind, and especially NE created swell in the anchorage outside the harbour we motored round to the bay by the castle for a comfortable night. After my early morning swim to the beach we were joined by a massive Sunreef 74 catamaran, 34’ Italian yacht and Nauticat 40 catamaran from Biarritz. I had once Captained the latter type in Spain for a weekend.

Strangely and totally against forecast each afternoon a SW wind brought swell into the bay. We settled down for the second night but in the early hours awoke to an uncomfortable swell as there was a NW wind so we motored back to anchor in the harbour. Again we met up with Chris and Jim, went finally to the supermarket and had warm showers in the port. Showers on the boat a a few litres of water heated in a camping shower bag which needs sun to heat up and uses precious supplies.

We came back to Apataki just before an afternoon of thunder, lightning and heavy rain.

Twice in the day we observed one fishing boat towing another back to harbour, the second time they joined side by side and the controlling boat bought the raft safely to the dockside. Low evening sun brought beautiful light and we dined in the cockpit. Sea people help sea people.

We did not want to risk the mainsail being stuck again up the mast be the wayward lazy jack so Anita went up the mast to tape the upper parts safely out of harm’s way.