APPROACHING USTICA

                 THE AEOLIAN ISLANDS


After along and laborious sail overnight we arrived in the first of Aeolian islands Ustica.

Everywhere we go we say it can not get better than this, and then it does.

JOSEPHINE IN CALA SANTA MARIA
USTICA

                                                                            This group of volcanic islands in the south of the Tyrrhenian sea and to the north of Sicily are a perfect cruising ground and area.

Each island is individual and very attractive. Ustica is the most westerly and some distance from the main group of islands







 

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ISOLA VULCANO

The next island was Isola Vulcano approx 25 NM from our stopover in N Sicily.  This is a still active volcano.  We anchored in Porto Di levante directly beneath the still smoking crater. And could we smell it ?


The island smells of rotten eggs, with steam/smoke coming out of the mountain in several places. It is inhabited and has an amazing number of ferries speeding into the harbour and disgorging day trippers from the nearby adjacent islands.

  

THERAPEUTIC MUD BATH
(JOSEPHINE IN BACKGROUND)

                                                                 

        
The tourists trek to the peak of the crater some 1578 ft.

There are numerous hot springs and people bathe in them and coat themselves with the rotten egg smelling volcanic mud, and then waddle towards the sea wearing there overall cracked mudpacks.

It is said that it has medicinal benefits but we did not try it!

ISOLA SALINA

Our third Island is Salina. We arrived in scorching hot heat to this steep and very high island and were immediately struck by its greenness.

We will spend a few more days in the area and then move on to the Straits of Messina and the E coast of Sicily and prepare for what is hopefully our last long sail to the Greek Ionian.

RAY & MANDY

Thurs 9 May 2013

38 33.5 N x 14 52.3 E