We’re on the Move

After waiting for a good weather window we finally left Monastir. The wind had been changeable and we didn’t want to set off on a 180nm passage, which would take us two days, either bashing into a head wind or with no wind and having to motor all of the way.

The forecast was for a good sailing wind on the beam, certainly for the first half of the journey, but then was due to drop off on the second day. This was the best solution that there had been for a couple of weeks so we decided to take the opportunity and made preparations to leave.

All winter we had been tightly hemmed in on our dock, moored between other boats and with large catamaran’s on the dock opposite making it difficult to leave, certainly without being slowly squeezed out with plenty of fenders. During the weeks prior to our departure many boats had left, but then a huge 62 ft catamaran moored opposite which was 29 ft wide so again our exit was going to be difficult. After much pondering of how we would extricate ourselves we were very relieved when it left the afternoon before our departure giving us a clear path out.

We wanted an early start on the morning of departure so booked a 5am checkout with the immigration police and customs, we completed all of the paperwork and then they came onboard to check the boat, all went very smoothly, they untied our lines and we were free to go by 6.30am. It was already hot and sunny, we set our course and headed east towards Malta.

Once out of the protection of the harbour, there was a bit of swell but not too much, we had a force 4-5 southeasterly wind so quickly put up the sails. The swell picked up as we passed a group of small islands which give some protection to the harbour, we were rocking and rolling and the waves were crashing over the bow and giving us a saltwater shower in the cockpit, but we were making good speed at 6-7 kts.

After a lively day, the wind dropped down to force 3-4 and the sea flattened out a little making it more comfortable. Without so much rolling around I was able to prepare dinner before we settled in to our three hour nightwatches.

It was cloudy so we didn’t get to see a beautiful sunset, the night was very dark, there was a big moon but you couldn’t see it through the clouds. The sea was now calm, the wind was lighter and our speed dropped to 4-5 kts but we were still making good progress and continued through the night, getting some rest in the calmer conditions when off watch.

By the morning we lost the wind as forecasted and had to motor the rest of the way. It was a very uneventful day, the clouds were still around hiding the sun rise, and there were hardly any boats to avoid, the most exciting event was when a lonesome dolphin swam past.

Some friends told us of an available private buoy in Sliema, so after 34 hours at sea, we headed into Marsamxett harbour in Malta. With the help of our friends, we secured ourselves to the buoy before they joined us onboard for a celebratory sundowner.

The next day we had to check in, so launched Ed and Fred for the first time this year. Paul was very pleased when Ed fired up straight away, he had obviously done a good job servicing him last Autumn.

Malta has a very good bus system so we hopped on one to the busy cruise ship port at Valetta.

Once we had visited all of the necessary officials and had our documents checked we were free to stay, so we went up the lift to the town for some lunch. We stopped at a nice cafe at the top near the fountain, overlooking the familiar sights of Grand Harbour. It was very good value, the traditional tuna ftira were definitely huge enough to feed two!

We have already seen much of the town on our previous visits but hadn’t been into the cathedral. It was quite expensive, 20 euros each, but when I asked for two tickets I was horrified when the lady asked if I wanted two ‘senior’ tickets, once I got over my initial shock, I thought, well if she thinks I look like an OAP, I may as well have the reduced price tickets!

St John’s Cathedral was built by the Order of the Knights of St John and completed in 1577, soon after the Great Siege. The Order dedicated this church to St John the Baptist.

The cathedral’s interior is extremely ornate, which is a sharp contrast to its austere façade. Throughout the centuries, the church and its nine chapels were enriched, every grand master and many knights donated gifts of high artistic value and made enormous contributions from the leading artists of the time.

During the seventeenth century, the church was embellished in the new Baroque style, the walls were carved with elaborate motifs of gilded foliage and marble monuments that transformed the interior.

The entire floor of the Church is covered with marble tombstones. They commemorate some of the most illustrious knights of the Order and members of powerful aristocratic families of Europe.

A section is dedicated to Caravaggio displaying some of his masterpieces which were painted during his time on the island whilst on the run from authorities in Italy. ‘The Beheading of St John the Baptist’ was displayed as a centrepiece in one of the chapels.

The painting of ‘St Jerome Writing’ is displayed in a separate secure room since its theft from the Cathedral in 1984. The painting was recovered two years later, but the canvas had been cut out of the frame and needed restoration before it was put on display again.

Later we got the ferry back to Sliema, the town was all lit up, and we returned to ZigZag in time to watch the moon rise behind the island.

Sliema is a very convenient place to stop, everything is easily available with good chandlery’s, supermarkets, restaurants and bars ashore. Over the next few days we will be busy stocking up with items we were unable to find in Tunisia.