The unstable weather is continuing. A Mistral has been blowing hard for several days. Even down here we can feel the force with 20-30 knots of wind.

Trapani with the Egadi island in the background

As soon as we pulled in to the marina in Trapani we got an email from Max on  yacht  “y2K”.  His wife Alessandra, being on their boat, had reported that an HR was coming in to the marina. Max who was in Milano sent us the welcome message. Later in the weekend we had a nice exchange of experiences in the cockpit of Bella Luna.  You can follow their adventures here.

Marina Levante, Trapani

We liked Trapani. It is a mixture between run down houses and really nice looking houses.  On Saturday we visited the historical Aragonese village, Erice.  It was built up on a mountain for best protection. In Greek times the place was known to mariners for its temple of Aphrodite and her courtesans.   We took the cable car up to the mountain and spent all day exploring.   There are more than 70 churches  and a castle ruin.   Different religions are represented as different nationalities have been in power. We enjoyed our day  in the cooler air.

Cable car to Erice

Erice was easy to defend

Street view

Musician asking for money

The Horse whisper

Lazy dog taking siesta

Monestery

Sea view from Erice

Art work in Erice

On Monday we went out to the Egadi Islands.  First night we anchored in a south cove off Island  Levanzo. It was a wild night with NW gust coming down the hillsides.   Not that much sleep.Sunday night we had  storm.   It was nice to still be in Marina Levante in Trapani. It is a small but friendly marina. They look after you and the boats.  As we were wide awake and up checking, we saw one of the guys walking the docks in the middle of the storm at 0100 in the pounding rain and lightning.

In the morning we got an email from Max saying go to Favignana as it is better with NW winds and would be more comfortable.   We sailed over the strait  between Levanzo and Favgnana and experienced the biggest waves this season.

The anchorage was much better, but the wind increased and clocked to W.  We could see that we were dragging and had to re-anchor, as the anchor was not properly set in the grass. The second time went better.

Then a charter boat arrived with several guys.   They come in with the Danforth anchor full with grass. Drop it and plow more grass in to the anchor. Then they look at us and think it must be better holding close to them so  they drop the anchor quite close, and 6 naked men jump in the water. The boats are dancing around their anchors, as the wind is 24 knots with higher gusts.

I checked the  weather report. It is not a difficult decision to lift the anchor and sail into the Sicily straits.   We get a fast down wind sail to the south coast and drop the anchor behind the large harbour  breakwater of Mazara Del Vallo,  Sicily’s  biggest fishing harbour. Although the winds remain, the waves are insignificant.    As we are anchoring at sundown, we hear the loudspeakers of the mosque calling for prayer.