Sailing with the Treleavens

Achab Yacht Club is a small Marina where Cadiz will spend her 8 months high and dry up the Tiber River 20 kms from Rome in the company of 100s of boats in other marinas. The Yacht Club Restaurant has the reputation of being one of the best in Rome, so for Gail's last night we have Spaghetti Vongole, Scampi and Tiramisu. You only hope that the fish is imported as the River is so very dirty. Gail and I manage a day trip around Rome jumping queues and ending up in one queue we thought was to visit the dome of Saint Peters only to find ourselves looking at the past Pope's  crypt.

The weather is now gorgeous and as we have 10 days till our departure we will adventure away from the yacht to fill in our time. The Monaco Boat Show is on and an over night train seems like a good idea! Boats, boats and more boats.

A sleeper cabin seems a good idea, but the only ticket available is to share with 2 others. Ian hoping for two glamour's, the 'others' turn out to be suspicious looking guys. Ian sleeps with one eye open and I have my arm through my bag and stay fully clothed. We do survive and are met by George Villata and stay at his beautiful holiday villa at Roquebrune Cap Martin bordering Monaco. George is our Italian friend Luca's father. Luca does the opposite to us. He spends summer in Australia and New Zealand on his yacht
and comes back to his house in Torino for the European summer.

The Luxury Super Boat show is the world leader in prestigious yachting exhibitions with 93 super yachts. Ian makes sure I don't get any big ideas and I am fascinated by all the designer shoes left on the wharf while the prospective buyers view the boats. Great to see many NZ and Australians promoting their talents. Passing through we enjoyed a drink with Alan and Gail Warwick from NZ.

Our trip back to Rome is first class and we have a cabin to ourselves, the only way to go in the future.

To Ian's surprise a little bit of history is sitting here in the marina. Gunboat Rangiriri, a Bruce Farr half tonner from NZ which won the World Half Ton up in Sydney in the 70s. Bringing back many memories, we owned her predecessor Titus Canby and crossed Cook Strait in a gale. Looking at the 30 footer I must have been completely in love or just stupid.

Near the marina on the Tiber River are the Roman ruins of the Ancient Port to Rome called Ostia Antica. Once a thriving metropolitan port of 100,000 inhabitants in the 4th Century BC but silted up over the centuries to form a new coast line 2 kms away.

Spanning 34 hectares excavations began in the 15 Hundreds at the time of the Pope Pius V11. Today you can walk down the original stone roads passing through Temples, the Theatre, houses of Charioteers, bath houses, latrines, and the marble meat market. Walk over mosaics tiles and past remains of paintings and marble statues.what remains is mind blowing and you almost get the feeling you are intruding. This is a community as it was then and such a privilege to see.  Next time in Rome this is must, we actually spent hours here which is not normal.

We are now out on dry land after a little apprehension when she seemed too heavy one end. I think that's the cellar end, one has to leave a little for next year. I have just read where the French have not sold 18% of the wine they produced this year, such a relief that we didn't drink enough.

Three seasons in the Mediterranean, 8000 nautical miles, 11 countries and lots of friends.

Thankyou everyone, for being with us all the way. Look forward to catching up over summer back in Australia while we continue our endless summer.
 

One regatta finishes another starts. Arriving even before the prize giving for the Maxi Worlds, are the Farr 40s and Swan 45s for yet another regatta. Kokomo from Australia is racing and once again the Costa Smeralda Yacht Club is very busy.

A beautiful day's sail north to Corsica, a change of flag to French and meet Gail in Porto Vecchio. On our way we call into Tahiti Bay just for a swim and just as we get our anchor down they want $60. After a lot of arm waving, we leave very quickly. A night in Rondinara Bay and a definite autumn feel is in the air.

On the islands of Lavezzi of which consist of a pile of rocks, we navigate our way through them and find shelter from the wind in an idealic bay. A cemetery ashore is a memorial to a ship wreck when all 750 passengers lost their lives on the way to the Crimean War. It is also a reminder to how dangerous the windy and rocky Bonifacio Straits between Corsica and Sardinia are.

Its time to go up the mast and take some photos, but my bravado soon disappears and at the first spreaders, I can go no further. As I cling to the mast that I can't let go of, I don't have enough hands to take the photos. Lots of advice coming from the deck below and with the wind picking up I have suddenly lots of admiration for Ian and anyone who goes up these things. Shear guts, I get some photos, not many, shut my eyes and couldn't wait to get down.

Bonifacio for the night and a meal at our favourite restaurant Le Voilier isin the port.  Mussels, rack of lamb and sorbets, all very delicious and veryFrench. Breakfast up in the citadel, walk around the old centre and a mustsee cemetery. Must be something about this place as we don't usually visit cemeteries.

Janey leaves us and we say farewell until Sydney, but how plans can change.We poke our nose out the entrance and with wind on the nose to go west up the coast, it's all too hard and turn around and head back to Sardinia. Very nice to have the choice.

Suddenly the Mediterranean summer has come to an end as we 'fly' back to Porto Cervo in a fresh breeze. A change of flags again to Italian and Janey is here to meet us. Here we wait for the right conditions and will head for Rome. If you can't swim you can always go shopping, all roads lead to Rome.

What to do on a wet day? Visit some Neo Lythical ruins. Near Porto Cervo is Arzachena and here are the very old stones of the Gigantic Tombs. Just a pile of rocks actually, but the lunch on the way home was great at Dante's. More mussels, great pizza and plenty of wine.

We have had a great season in the Mediterranean and ready to head home at the end of September. Cadiz will be once again high and dry up the Fumicino Canal where we left her in 2003.

20th September, the weather is predicting strong winds from the NE so we decide to head for Rome earlier than planned. An overnight crossing to Rome of 130nms taking 18 hours was mostly a motor sail under a beautiful moon and interesting lightning on the horizon. Gail was impressed as we shared several watches and at how many Ships we had to navigate around.

Just found out that the Fumicino lifting Bridge has broken down and we arenow looking for another place to leave the boat .Decisions!!!!!!!
 

I have had the privilege to be invited by Charles St Clair Brown and Bill Buckley to sail on their 98 footer Maximus on a training day and what an experience. The wind was 12 knots and we sailed at 17 knots, it felt like a low flying aircraft, it was so smooth and effortless. As for the canting keel out to the side, that is an amazing sight, I wonder what the dolphins think of that. Along for the ride also is great supporter of NZ Yachting Peter Cornes.

In port there is the biggest gathering of Maxi's in the world and shaping up for a great week of racing. There are 40 boats in three classes, Wally fleet, Maxi Cruisers and Maxi Racers. Skandia Wild Thing and Maximus line up with the very best racers with 7 in their division. For those who don't know, this is the Skandia that had to be rescued from sinking in Bass Strait in the last Rolex Sydney to Hobart. Quite amazing to see her racing again so soon and even faster than before.

Dinner at the Costa Smeralda Yacht Club, a BBQ aboard Peter Cornes Luxury Motor Yacht and swimming in the Yacht club pool, we are having a very nice time.

The sponsor for Maximus is Slam and we are all given a great crew uniform, to compete with the other million dollar campaigns .The fleet of Wally's is the biggest division ranging from 70 feet to 107 feet worth millions ofdollars.

The crew of Maximus is awesome with Mike Quilter, Harold Cudmore,Richard Bouzaid,Geoff Scott, and of course all the famous workers.

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2005

5th September 05- Race One

Following for half the race in the inflatable tender Maximus leads at the finish but the race is withdrawn due to the committee boat forgetting to put down a mark of the course. At this standard of racing this should never happen.

6th September - Race Two

The wind is blowing 23 knots and doesn't take long for Maximus to take the lead. According to the skipper of Nariida, a Norwegian 105 footer, Maximus sailed passed them looking like a trimaran and couldn't believe their speed, which was 19 knots. Leading by miles and looking famous at her last mark the sky fell in as they gybed. Everything came down and into the water, as millions of dollars are quickly cut away to protect the hull. In Ian's words "there was an airy silence and then an enormous cracking sound as splinters
of carbon fibre flew through the air". No one was injured and for whatever reason these things happen, it still comes as an enormous shock.

Without a doubt Maximus is the fastest maxi yacht on the water in the world. Reaching she left Skandia for dead, and before her mishap was miles ahead of her.

That's the end of the regatta for us. The masts in two pieces, boom and sails have been salvaged from 40 metres of water, she will now be shipped home and be ready for the Sydney- Hobart Race.

This maybe the most expensive marina in the Mediterranean, but we have been disappointed. The most unbelievable being when Maximus returned she was told that she was no longer in the regatta and couldn't return to her berth where all her equipment was. After a lot of talking by rude arrogant staff, this was rectified. It's also been the most uncomfortable for us as they have put
us on a floating pontoon.

But the yacht club and surrounds are magnificent and the quality of yachts and crew competing mind blowing.

We have been very fortunate while in Sardinia to enjoy the hospitality of our Italian friend Luca who we meet during the Sydney Olympic Games. His family own a holiday house just north of Porto Cervo and his mother and sister were very kind in offering us all assistance especially with washing which is difficult living on a yacht.

Staying till Sunday when Gail Ferguson from Auckland is to join us for 10 days. We would like to sail the west coast of Corsica around Elba and back to Rome. We are leaving Cadiz up the Fumicino Canal at the end of September.

Janey will also be joining us again as Maximus is going on a ship back to New Zealand in 2 weeks, before she fly's back to Australia to join the real world. All good things come to an end.