By 06h30 we were under way and heading further South. Our first destination was Capri but at 08h30 it was still shrouded in mist and there was not much to be seen so we carried on. At long last we had some breeze so we were able to hoist the sails and sailed for 2 hours on a flat calm sea but then again it dropped and we were forced to continue under engine. Svein put the time to use by painting the hatches with the second coat and also repairing some of the holes in the netting. We motored for the rest of the day and finally decided to stop in Camerota for the night (our second harbour since we have left) so that we could fill water. We docked in Camerota at 20h30. The first thing we did was have a very long hot shower – bliss. The washing was also put in to soak and we dined on Italian cheese and homemade bread whilst using Skype to catch-up with the family.

One of the Flegree islands it rivals Capri with its lush vegetation. Although visited by many tourists it is not as well known as Capri so had kept its charm. Made up of craters and ancient lava flows it is also known for its hot water springs and thermal baths. Some famous Europeans travelers passed through not least Ibsen wrote “Peer Gynt “ here. After having explored the town a little on the previous evening we found food shops and plenty of shoe shops but no repair shops or chandlers so it was Svein’s intention to set out the next morning, in the dinghy, to go to the harbor and solve our problem. However on waking up he found that our dinghy had gone. Fortunately he spotted it against the causeway to the castle so we woke Anelo who kindly went and fetched it for us. If they had not been there a very early morning swim had been the only alternative. Needless to say the dinghy is now attached to the davits and lifted every evening as we are taking no more chances!
Once everything was back to normal Svein went off to the harbour and fortunately found the Volvo dealer. He used his network and found an alternator in Rome (the only one in Italy) and arranged for it to be sent to Naples and then brought over to Ischia by ferry the next day. At least that was the problem solved and we just had to wait for it to arrive. It really changes not having to look at one’s watch all the time and just taking things as they come.
Anelo left this morning to continue their route. Late afternoon we took the dinghy and crossed to the harbour to fetch the alternator. Eventually the electrician arrived with the alternator and it was just a question of mounting the cooling fan and we could be on our way. On the way back Svein dropped me off in the town to do some food shopping and we met up later and got back to the boat around 20h00 – too late to install the alternator so we decided to spend another day in Ischia and fix the alternator in the morning. We used the evening to catch up on emails.
We decided to use the waiting time to spruce up the boat. Svein had already prepared and painted the hatches on the crossing from Ponza to Ischia but they still needed a second coat and Caryn was very anxious to make the lazy bag /jack for the mizzen. We had come across (in a bin) some ideal material in Macinaggio that was sufficient for the mizzen and to replace the main sail lazy bag that is looking very sorry for itself.
Early the next morning Svein had installed the alternator and it was time to attack the lazy bag. A long process and the sewing machine also decided to play up but by late afternoon we had the new lazy bag installed on the mizzen and we were ready to go.

We left Ponza in the early morning with the repaired alternator installed and set out on the next stage of the journey but after one hour Svein realized that the repair had melted and we were not charging from the engine – an expensive repair that has forced us to change our plans and head for Ischia to try and find a replacement. We arrived in Ischia in the late afternoon and anchored under the Aragonese castle in the Castello d’Ischia – A truly idyllic anchorage with clear blue water and beautiful scenery. It was not long before we were in the water cooling off as the temperatures have started to get serious and we have seen 40C on the cockpit thermometer. Anelo arrived just after us and anchored in the same bay.

A picturesque holiday town that is a great favourite with the Italians and fortunately not too crowded as we are still early in the season. We wandered around and climbed up and down stairs and watched the world go by in a sultry Italian day with the temperature reaching in the 40°. It has a very chequered history and was used, in the Roman days, as an exile for undesirables like the Caligula brothers and Agrippina. There is also a very extensive grotto system that was linked to the Summer residence of Augusto by overhanging arches complete with swimming pools and fish ponds.
In the late afternoon we were accosted by a local harbour employee who “persuaded” us to go to quay as there were strong easterly winds expected. We negociated a price of 50.00 euros which is expensive but a great deal less that is being quoted by the other pontoons. We had earlier questioned one of the pontoon boys (where we had left our dinghy to explore the town) who informed us that we could come to the quay for 80.00 euros instead of 130.00 (and this is the off season). The cheapest price quoted was 10.00 euros a linear metre. This was the first night to be spent at quay since we started and we hope that there will not be too many more at these rates.
We used the day that we spent at the quay to get to know our way around town and in the evening we decided to anchor again in order to avoid the noise of the town and the tugging of the quay. Although the wind was still blowing from the East we anchored and then to give us practice and to ensure that all was well we did an anchor watch through the night. Our method of anchoring worked fine and the boat was safe. We used the next day for Svein to install the remote control for the windlass and to fill up with fuel. Here we had a great fright. Although the wind was turning there was still a swell and it was strong enough for one of our mooring ropes to break during the fuelling. Fortunately no harm was done and we were able to complete the procedure and return to the anchorage. In the afternoon we had a call from “Anelo”, who had reached Ponza the previous day but had anchored on the other side of the island, to say that the wind was changing to West and they were coming round. They arrived in the late afternoon and we celebrated with a bottle of champagne and dinner on board. They had had a very tough time getting this far.
On Sunday Svein checked over the engine and we discovered that the alternator was not charging! He went round all the mechanic workshops but not many people were working. It is something that will have to be dealt with on Monday as all his alternatives to bypass the system did not work. Hopefully we will not have to buy a new alternator. We spent a lazy day on the boat taking up the sun and feeling frustrated as the wind has now turned and it is perfect for the next stage of the journey. Hopefully we will be able to solve the problem on Monday and leave on Tuesday.
Svein has been to the workshop and it would appear that the wheel on the alternator was loose. Something he had missed but the mechanic is repairing it and we collected it late this evening and installed it. We have used the day to our advantage to get some heavy washing done and to stock up on perishables before we move on.
We have put out pictures from the first stage of the journey as well this time. We will leave here on Tuesday and make for Capri and the Bay of Naples before heading down to the toe of Italy and Sicily. We have not yet decided if we will go round Sicily or through the Messina Strait. Time and weather conditions will decide.

We lifted anchor early in order to catch the wind that, for once, was in the right direction. We managed to get around the Argentario peninsula and sail for about 2 hours before the wind turned to South again. We followed the coast, where it was a little less strong and engine all day and through the night until we reached our next destination of Ponza in the Pontine islands just North of Naples at 10h00 on 13/05/09. We anchored in the bay and after we had caught up on our sleep wandered into the town to explore.