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| Cafe time in Poggio, stunning vista |
29 Jul - 08 August 2010
After our stormy early morning departure from Corsica the squalls cleared, we raised sails and enjoyed a peaceful, comfortable sail 40 miles east to the Italian Tuscan Island of Elba. The Tuscan Island group comprises of 6 islands, the largest marine park in the Mediterranean. Elba is the largest, about 150kms long, a popular destination, just 50kms from mainland Italy and an absolute gem.
We arrived in the southern anchorage of Marina di Campo early Thursday afternoon. Except for small local craft on moorings it was deserted. We anchored in the middle of the bay, tidied the boat a little, then took a well earned afternoon nap! We spent 4 nights in this lovely spot, the small town ashore was a delight to wander around, there were few cars - everyone was on bicycles, it was just great. Friday came, and so did the yachts, the bay filled up and it stayed that way, it was the beginning of August and maybe everyone had started their summer holidays.
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| Street art on the walls in Poggia |
We caught the bus one day over the island and up to the capital of Portoferrario. We read in summer it can be a hectic place with a million visitors each summer, most arriving by ferry into this main harbour. It was a sunny saturday and we expected chaos, but it was so deserted we wondered if there was a ferry strike. We enjoyed a leisurely pizza lunch al fresco, rambled through the old town area, went up to Napoleon's villa where he stayed while in exile, took in the outstanding views and saw all there was to offer.
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| Pink houses on Poggias town square |
On another day we shared a car hire with Liam and Annie. We headed west along the southern coast and then up the western side of the island. It was time to turn inland and find a spot for our cafe latte, driving high into the hills we passed Marciana a small pleasant town, but kept going higher to Poggio just one of the cutest little villages ever, and what a view. Definitely the best choice yet for our morning cafe. We stayed up in the mountains awhile, the air was cooler and the scent of pine just wonderful. We had packed a picnic lunch so found a designated picnic area inside the forest, set out all our goodies and nibbled away. With the rest of the island still to explore we headed along to the east coast, then continued up to the north east corner, from there Italy was just a stones throw away. Stopping in Porto Azzurro on our return for a cooling afternoon drink in the town square completed our tour and we were back in Marina di Campo by 7pm. A great day out on this beautiful island.
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| Group "family" shot at the It Pizzeria |
Our evening was spent ashore at the It Pizzeria, owned by a Italian/Australian family - Mum, Dad, 3 daughters in their 40's all working together in the family business every summer, what a challenge that would be!! They treated us very well and we had a lovely evening in their waterfront restaurant.
Time to move on, we had enjoyed our short stop by car at Porto Azzuro so motored the 14 miles around to the eastern end of the island and anchored in the protected harbour. Gone with the Wind had moved on to the mainland, but just to keep the antipodean numbers up, Sundancer II rejoined us from Corsica, and also Panthera, a New Zealand owned catamaran - at last some kiwis!!! The six of us had a great meal ashore at San Guiseppes, we voted it our best pizza this season. The town is quite touristy, most were Italians, but again there was a really relaxed, friendly, holiday atmosphere. After 7 nights on this island paradise it was time to head back to the mainland.
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| Enjoying a seafood antipasto |
It's nearly 100 miles to the famous Cinque Terra area on the Italian mainland. There is not a great choice of anchorages enroute but we decided to break our journey and stop a night anchored off the small town of Castiglioncello. We departed Elba in company with Sundancer II and Panthera, there was only a light wind but with skippers persistance we managed to sail over half the 41miles. The anchorage afforded little shelter from the east or south - but we had little wind, then just before dark an annoying roll developed, to finish things off a beach bar came alive with the sound system kicking into life at 11pm through till 2am. Not one of our better nights sleep. By 7.15am we were out of there, we tried to sail in the light winds but motored most of the 48miles north in flat seas. Finally we arrived into the best protected anchorage we have encountered this season in the small bay of La Grazie, tucked inside the larger bay of Le Spezia.
Cruising info for Marina di Campo and Porto Azzurro on Elba:-
Anchorages -
Marina di Campo 42 44.699N 10 14.504E 8.5m sand, just a little roll sometimes
Porto Azzurro 42 45.602N 10 23.648E 9.5m sand. (Sundancer II were slightly in front of us and got their chain wrapped around a huge piece of machinery on the bottom. We had had changeable winds and had moved direction frequently. They eventually cleared it with Mark in the water directing them around the obstruction.)
Castiglioncello 43 24.020N 10 24.969E 9.0m sand Didn't go ashore
Communications - yippee, back in dongle land!! but .... it didn't work. Topped up just 5Euro in WIND shop in Portoferraio which got it back into action. Phone signals good.
Ashore - Dinghies can be left on beaches in both or tie to wall in harbour/marina. Both towns had everything you need. Good supermarkets in both (Marina di Campo best one by bus station/tourist office). Got diesel from marina in Porto Azzurro, didn't note price.
Sightseeing - Our bus to Portoferraio was 4.50Euro each return, slightly more if you buy ticket from driver. There is also a one day pass valid for all the island. The tourist office is right by the bus station in Marina di Campo. They gave us a list of car hire places. Our car (small and only 2 door) was only 45Euro from 9am to 7pm and we put in 15Euro fuel. We collected it from Centro Noleggio, on the main road out of town about 10mins walk, the office is a wooden shed with a postage stamp sized sign, in a carpark with several pushbikes and motorbikes parked in front.
