That's Mainland Italy done

The running, or rather feeble jogging, continued to go poorly. Second time out and using some odd App called Strava I managed to take a wrong turn and ran the wrong side of the railway line. I realised a mile in to it when going back was just as far as carrying on. I think I might try Pilates.

Our time at Vibo Valentia Marina had come to an end and it was time to make for Sicily. It might be September but Italians still know how to charge too much for overnight stops in Marinas. So off we set to anchor off Tropea but it had a bit of a rocky bottom so we back tracked two miles to a little spot where we saw others anchored at Parghelia.

By night time we were alone and after a bit of a roly night we decided to make for the small port of Bagnara Calabra. Seemed a bit dodgy and not seeing any other yachts we made for Scilla towards the entrance of the Messina straits. Apart from a small encounter with a pot bellied Italian motor boater who after crossing our bows decided to do a U turn at close quarters and then tried to make out he had right of way, which he did technically.I think he was testing us. I wanted to test his knowledge of the abandon ship procedure by cutting his little motor boat in half but Mrs K wouldn't let me and we duly gave way with some interesting international gestures. I think I am spotting a trait amongst Italian motor boaters.

Going to Scilla was a good decision. A very pretty little town.

And lovely harbour.

Hermy is moored in the centre disconcertingly clear water as all rocks were visible. The castle was great with its little museum and fantastic views. Mrs K liked the views .On the other side is a really nice beach too.

Apart from Scilla's association with Greek mythology it is famous for swordfish fishing and today they use a weird type of boat to harpoon them with a really long front and a helm at the top of the mast. Crazy.

I think it may be possible to take your love for swordfish too far!

Anyway we liked Scilla and spent another night there anchored off the beach. A young German man swam up to us and asked if we would like a couple of tuna steaks as he had caught a whopper the day before. We said yes please and in exchange for a bottle of plonk we got some massive lumps of fish that did two meals one just fried and one with pasta.

It was at this point that I began to wonder whether the stars were in fact fully aligned when Mrs K and I took up the gauntlet of marriage. I was raving about the tuna and particularly the pasta dish when Mrs K cut in and said " I prefer tinned." Now I had noticed that she wasn't as enthusiastic about historic archaeological sites as I first thought after she had made a few 'Rubble' comments and as we crossed the Messina straits I was explaining a bit about the history of Sicily when she said " I don't give a stuff about all that, will we see Inspector Montalbano's house?" Inspector Montalbano being our latest box set in Sicily.

Well I was taken aback but we spent a day at Milazzo which has a great archaeological museum, Mrs K agreed to come as it was free and I thought I spotted her looking up some artefact on her phone.

Next stop The Aeolian Islands.