It is really annoying having a perfect wife. Mrs K proved
herself beyond reproach. The children came out to see us again and we had a
lovely time in Pisa.
Slipping along from Pisa to Cecina a nice little marina
approaching the Italian islands particularly Elba.
Unfortunately we were stuck
in Cecina due to a bit of a blow. We tried to make the most of it by exploring
locally on bikes but map reading failed me once more.
"But I thought we had crossed the river so turning
lefty was logical" Anyway we only went about four miles in the wrong
direction.
Then we discovered Cecina's water park. So hiding from the
weather in order to avoid hurtling about getting wet we went to this park in
order to hurtle about and get wet? I think I am getting old, but unfortunately
for my joints and bones, I think this after the event, not before!
Then old Uncle Tony who has been making America great for
the last 25 years joined us from his programming cubicle in New Jersey.
I think he has exaggerated the hair line here.
I have to say he took to sailing in the sun with a natural
vigor. Tony turning bronze!
And so we set off from Cecina to Elba via a nice little
lunch stop at Porto Barratti. Nice swim then on to Portoferraraio, Napoleon's
reduced kingdom following his surrender to the British in 1814 ish.
Anchored in the bay, it's a shortish ride in the dinghy to
the harbour.
Now the perfect wife bit. Mrs K has a waterproof bag and
each dinghy journey requires all electronics and wallets to be surrendered for
safe keeping despite groans of 'we'll be fine.'
We executed a three person dinghy ride from the anchorage to
the pretty harbour at Portoferraio without hazard. Walked around Cosimo Medici's
fortifications had lunch and decided to return to Hermy and come back in the
afternoon to take a look at Napoleon's house. No problem.
So at about 5 pm we duly load ourselves in to
the tender and splutter our way across the Ferry lines and in to the harbour once more.
In the harbour you are surrounded by shops and bars containing people just
watching the world go by. As there wasn't too much world going by, three people
coming ashore in a small dinghy was worth a look.
Now Mrs K clutching the
waterproof bag hopped on to the dock daintily while older brother lumbered across
the dinghy to disembark. I started to shut down the engine and remove the kill
cord.
They say you should look up to your elders and I did just that as the
great oaf fell backwards in to my arms. Now the combined weight of two middle
aged Kilbrides slightly off the centre line of the dinghy was too much and
with yells of 'oh fuck' just to maximise viewers, over we went, dinghy and all.
Well I came up to the sound of Mrs K's delirious laughter whilst she clutched
the waterproof bag, and then to the sound of a spluttering brother. Luckily a
couple of very kind Italian men righted the dinghy and pulled us ashore, we gave our thanks and said sorry we are English, by way of explanation.
Drying off in the sun. Wet? No!
So a day washing and WD 40 ing
and then a more successful visit to Boney's pad the following morning, despite
some appreciative nods from the locals.
Boney's loo.
Then off to Porto Azzurro a very
nice port on Elba.
Armed and dangerous!
A very nice clean town with
beautiful views.
After a juicy, salady lunch
and a further successful dinghy ride back to Hermy we set off for Salivoli back
on the mainland for a very expensive stay and nothing much to see.
Another lunch stop at Barratti
and then a sail back to Cecina.
Now should the fore sail reefing system be unscrewing
the forestay that holds up the mast?