Sailing Aeolian Islands in mid August is not the best choice because everyone is on holiday in Italy, thus the Islands will be very busy. Disadvantages of small ports and mooring buoys fields, overcrowded bays and unskilled skippers are compensated by wonderful sights and transparent water.

Our sailing week started from Termini Imerese where at the last minute we got an old Bavaria 46, which sadly showed all its years of chartering.

The prologue: Termini Imerese - Lipari Valle Muria

64 miles distance, departure at 6.00pm. Flat sea, no wind. Our old boat is able to sail at 6-6.5knots running the engine at 1500rpm. Cefalù, its lighthouse and the moon gave us a rare beautiful sight.

We got to Vallemuria at 4.30am, earlier than expected. Vallemuria Bay is not very busy in the night because it is exposed to prevailing winds. Anchoring at 6 metres depth is easy. After the night shifts we can chill out and wait for the dawn. The waiting is rewarded by an amazing landscape unveiled by the light.

Go to the first leg – Go to the second leg – Go to the third leg – Go to the fourth leg – Go to the fifth leg – Go to the sixth leg – Go to going back

First leg: Lipari 

On the first day, 15th of august we visited Lipari. Sailing around, faraglioni, lunch in Canneto and night anchored at pumice quarry.

Lipari's faraglioni Pietra Lunga and Pietra Menalda are on the Island south west side and are necks or volcanic hills

It is possible to sail between Pietralunga and the coast. We did it. Nice experience.

Dopo i faraglioni abbiamo navigato lungo la costa occidentale di Lipari passando al largo di Pietra del Bagno, Cugno lungo, Le Torricelle, Acquacalda e dopo aver doppiato Punta Castagna, abbiamo puntato direttamente su Canneto, dove abbiamo preso un gavitello per scendere a terra a pranzo.

After a big lunch with raw sea fruits, pasta with tuna, pasta with swordfish, pasta with sea fruits, amberjack and fried fish we barely got back to the boat and move to pumice quarries and spend the night.

Go to the prologue – Go to the second leg – Go to the third leg – Go to the fourth leg – Go to the fifth leg – Go to the sixth leg – Go to going back

Il Ponte alla Luna a Sasso di Castalda, vicino Potenza, in Basilicata. E’ lungo 300m, alto 102m e con una unica campata, il ponte tibetano dedicato a Rocco Petrone, direttore del programma Apollo, che portò i primi uomini sulla Luna con la missione Apollo 11. Antonio e Teresa i suoi genitori, prima di emigrare negli Stati Uniti, erano originari di questa graziosa cittadina che oggi conta poco più di 800 abitanti.