With 9 days to spare before our friend will meet us in Sardinia, we crossed to the French island, Corsica.    The island is 100 miles long and 45 miles wide with a coastline of nearly 600 miles due to so many bays and peninsulas.     The wonderful scent from the low shrubs covering the island to the majestic mountain peaks (highest 2,710m / 8,900ft) to the beautiful anchorages makes this a cruisers paradise.    This island is all about the enjoyment of nature with  a bonus of  French cuisine.    Great snorkeling and diving.    We were told by several that  a trip across the island to see some of  the mountain villages is a must.    A contrast  while at anchor  offered the roar of  thunder rolling through the mountains, while  enjoying full sunshine.

In Ajaccio is the main capital where we stayed for two nights. Here is where Napoleon was born. The firefighting planes filled their tanks outside the marina and flew up in the mountains.

We experienced perhaps the end of the hot summer season as the evening temperatures were cooler. I wonder if I will think the same once we arrive in Sicily?   With another mestral coming we had to cut our stay shorter than planned and cross back to Sardinia.