10:00 AM departure from Alghero in
Sardinia, with safety guidelines andcourses plotted,after fuelling up (386
litres to fill the tank of the Cap Camarat WA and 366 litres for the Cap Camarat
CC). First, Stéphanie (Moteur Boat Magazine) and Roland
(Jeanneau) leave aboard the WA, followed by Sam and Virginie (photographerforMoteur Boat Magazine)and the Italian
journalistaboard theCap Camarat CC. The last
boat to leavewas stopped for a security check by theguardia civile, who were very polite but firm, and then again for a
second checkwhen passingCapo Caccia.
Cruising two-handedon the passage from the point of Argentiera,at a speed of 30
knots andat 355 degrees,there is no wind and calm seas, with just a light breezefrom
the north-northwest. In a second
beautiful passage from Capo Caccia,with very tall cliffs anda pretty little
lighthouse perched on top, there is a superb view withtowering cliffs. No vegetation, just arid land alongthe length
of this Sardinian coast, where some say bandits still hide out in the
highlands.
10:45 AM – Argentiera is a beautiful place,the name of which comes from a
silver mine beside the silvery sea.
11:13 AM – At 10 nautical miles from the island of Isola Pianna,in a pretty passage
between Sardinia and this little island locatedjust to the north.The water is
as blue as a swimming pool.
“Passage of death”toCala Santa Maria – Maddalena Islands
Passage of the Lavezzi Islands, see map, 23 knots at 3,500 RPMand fuel
consumption at 53 litres
End of the first leg to Bonifacio –speed at 30 knotswith a very calm sea
In total, this first leg covered 126 nautical miles –10:00 AM to6:00
PM–averaging around 25 knots–at 2700 RPM.