Sant’Antioco day two

I will remain here in Sant’Antioco for today. The forecast for today is for force 5-6 NW winds, the maestrale the west coast of Sardinia is so famous for, with waves of 2.5m. I would be mostly sheltered from the waves by Sant’Antioco, but the wind is still more than I am prepared to fight.

It feels a bit stupid staying on land for a wind I can’t feel, but Sant’Antioco is sheltered from the maestrale by a couple of mountains, which is probably one of the reasons why the Phoenicians chose the site for a settlement almost three millennia ago. There’s almost not a wind blowing here.

The forecast for tomorrow is still maestrale, force 4, which will hopefully be more manageable. From what I can glean off the Italian weather sites, the maestrale will finish on monday, to be replaced by weaker winds from varying directions. It’ll be interesting to see if Karel confirms this later.

The next difficult spot will be Capo Teulada, which is also a miliary shooting range. I’m just back from the capitaneria di porto for the shooting schedules, and the coming week they’re shooting Monday to Friday, from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening.

It the weather and the sea behaves, rounding Capo Teulada should be well within range of a day’s paddle.

I had hoped to keep Monday as a plan B, in case the conditions are tougher than expected, but that will hardly hold now I have the shooting schedule. If I don’t get around tomorrow, I will have to move as close as possible, which should be Cala Piombo, and then get up at 5 in the morning, so I can be well around at 8.

The local boaters strongly discouraged starting today. According to them the Golfo di Palmas will be quite agitated in a F5 maestrale, even if it doesn’t look like it from here.

At least I’ll be able to launch in no time tomorrow. Since I’m sleeping in a boat, there’s no camp to take down, and I can ready the kayak this afternoon.

Photos