Cala Rossa, Isola Favignana, Egadi Islands - 24th September 2021

I woke at 0530 and just dozed for half an hour, by which time Steve was awake. We were still rocking and rolling in the completely uncomfortable, irregular motion as last night. Our own private maelstrom. “Happy Birthday”, says Steve, followed by “ I don’t think we should stay here a minute longer than necessary. Let’s get out of here at first light”. So I made my tea and we readied the boat to slip away from the mooring buoy, before sunrise. The sea had calmed down a little but the swell was still just unbearably awful.

Immediately, as the boat was moving through the water, rather than getting bounced around by it, the motion was way more comfortable. It may have been a beautiful bay, with the castle on the hill, still lit up, but I don’t think we’ll be going back there any time soon. However, it had allowed us to get some sort of rest after the crossing from Sardinia.

We didn’t feel that the short distance across to the next Egadi Island, was worth putting the sails up, so we motored. Teresa joined us on deck, shortly after departure, and she too, was ecstatic that we were moving on. We passed a couple of the ferries that were moving between the islands. The hydrofoil looked like a super stylish version of the Red Jet in the Solent.

We were heading for Cala Rossa on the Isola Favignana, the largest of the Egadi Islands. We had read that this bay is so popular in the height of the summer that there can be more than a hundred boats either attached to the mooring buoys or at anchor. We were confident of being sufficiently out of high season to be able to get a buoy, particularly as we would be arriving before 10.30, when the day tripper boats come in great numbers. As we approached we could see several unoccupied buoys and hooked up to one in a very nice position, not too near to the others, already taken.

The back garden today!


We all had a swim in the crystal clear water. With mask on, it was easy to see the nursery of tiny fish in and around the Poseidon grass and the teenagers nearer to the surface.

The National Park Rangers arrived in their rib, to collect the mooring fee and gave us the low down on which parts of the Islands we would be allowed to go to, as the whole area is part of the National Park. The ranger was extremely professional and friendly. He told us the fish are called Occiada ( I think), from the Italian word for eye, occhio. They are the fusiliers that we have seen elsewhere.

Here, it is idyllic and we are again pinching ourselves, that we are in paradise. There was no swell. What a fabulous spot to enjoy my birthday.

Luncheon was served on the sun deck, followed by early afternoon reading and siesta. We cracked open the fizz later on and had an excellent dinner of as near as I could to steak au poivre. We sat out until the sun went down and the moon rose, although, this time, because of the small amount of light pollution from the land here, we didn’t see the moon until it was a few degrees above the horizon. I realise now, why I have never see the moon rise before.

All in all, it was a fabulous day and we went to sleep as very happy bunnies.

Tricia (and Steve, Teresa and Tom)

Distance today             15 miles

Total distance 2021:   319 miles

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