S1.23 - Southern Italy and the Strait of Messina
Sept 7: Navigating Messina Strait
This morning we prepared to traverse the infamous Strait of Messina. Anxiety churned in my stomach, perhaps fueled by the alarmed reactions from fellow sailors when we mentioned our route, the warnings of heavy traffic, the advice to keep our sails down, and the ominous weather reports showing hurricane-like winds nearby (see photo from last post). Despite the apprehension, Ryan meticulously researched the conditions, confirming favorable winds and weather, so we fueled up and headed south.
About the Strait of Messina (Wikipedia): "The Strait of Messina is a narrow passage between the eastern tip of Sicily (Punta del Faro) and the western tip of Calabria (Punta Pezzo) in Southern Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north with the Ionian Sea to the south, within the central Mediterranean. At its narrowest point, between Torre Faro and Villa San Giovanni, it is 3.1 km (1.9 mi) wide. At the city of Messina, it is 5.1 km (3.2 mi) wide. The strait's maximum depth is about 250 m (820 ft). The strait has strong tidal currents that create a unique marine ecosystem and features a natural whirlpool in its northern portion."
To our delight, the day turned out splendidly! Witnessing the natural whirlpools in action was mesmerizing. The primary current runs from South to North, but a smaller current runs in the opposite direction.
Strait of Messina Tidal Current and Natural Whirlpool
Navigating the strait was straightforward, thanks to clearly marked "roads" on the chart plotter, with a large pink bar separating northbound from southbound traffic. The presence of traffic circles for changing direction (I’ll be sure to take a picture of that when we come back through next season), and the need to be cautious of large ships and their wakes added a touch of excitement.
Eastern Coast of Italy…
Motta San Giovanni
We secured a mooring ball in Canale (just south of Reggio Calabria) with the help of Giuseppe and his assistant. They were incredibly friendly and even offered to take us ashore for anything we might need.
Canale Mooring Field - Reggio Calabria
Nicely hooked to our mooring ball - Thanks Giuseppe!
Tonight’s Backyard View
Tonight’s Front Yard View
Sept 8-9: Quiet Days to Debate New Horizons
After a days’ rest, we headed out to Porto delle Grazie - Marina di Roccella. It was very slow going today. We were fighting a relentless current and head winds until literally 3 min before arriving at the Marina but was still a very lovely day. Dock hands were super helpful and we were glad to be secured for the night.
Arriving at Roccella
We spent the evening debating if we keep going up coast or take the plunge and do a 30-hour passage to Greece. Will think about it overnight and make decision in the morning.