ARRIVAL
Will the crewon the mainland There are direct flights from various German airports to Lamezia Terme, for example with Eurowings (prices between 200 and 350 euros). From there, the transfer takes about an hour by car. Alternative flights toPalermo in SicilyHowever, the transfer from there to the Porto Rosa base or similar takes almost two and a half hours and costs around 250 euros each way.
CHARTER
The Fleet offerin the districtis relatively limitedthere are bases inTropea orReggio di Calabria on the mainland or on the northern side of Sicily, for example inPortorosa. Not all fleets there are of convincing quality. It is best to book through a charter agency that is familiar with the providers. Most crews opt for the mainland bases, as theTransfer clearshorterand cheaper than in Sicily. Tropea is also a pearl on the coast and is therefore a more popular port of departure. From there it is around 30 miles to the first island, Stromboli, or around 40 miles to Panarea.
WIND & WEATHER
In summer, the area is considered a light wind destination, with often only a weak Tramontana blowing from the north-west. The islands, some of which are high, provide a few reinforcements or cover. The very mountainous mainland opposite is notorious for strong local winds, particularly in spring and autumn, especially at the wind nozzle near Messina between the mainland and Sicily. Sometimes powerful thunderstorms can form there; squalls are also not uncommon, and the crews of the Middle Sea Race, which takes place every autumn, can tell you a thing or two about it. They sail around the whole of Sicily in a long-distance regatta and repeatedly get caught in storms in October.
NAVIGATION & SEAFARING
Navigating the area isrelatively simpleThe steeply sloping former volcanic cones, which most of the islands are, have only a few shallows. You can almost always reach the next islandby sight head for.
However, the area is quiteOpen and unprotected and offers very few anchorages and harbours sheltered from all wind directions. This is actually the biggest challenge, because if the rightSevere weatherespecially from the south,threatensdepending on the wind direction, sometimes there is nothing else to do butProtection in the safe mainland harbours or in the north of Sicily. However, such a harbour can always be reached in one day. In summer, however, this kind of weather is clearly the exception.
As the shores of the coasts are steep in many places and there are also many rocks on the bottom, theAnchoring not always easy. A lot of chain has to be inserted.
HARBOURS & ANCHORAGES
There is onlytwocorrect (and important)Marinas in the area, namely the harbour Pignataro ofLipari and the harbour ofSanta Maria Salina on the island of Salina. They offer moorings on the pier and modest comfort.Both are not recommended in strong southerly winds. Otherwise, Roman Catholic boats are moored to the pier with mooring lines. There are small moorings here and there, but they are often reserved for ferries, excursion boats or locals; the places are sometimes not easy to find. The mooring fee per night for a 43-foot boat costs between70 to 100 Euro.
In some places there areBuoy fieldswhose quality is not necessarily the very best. Pay attention to the information in the area guide.
Good and safeAnchorage areas in the district are rareThere are a few on Vulcano and Panarea, but most of them are really good weather spots. As light winds often blow in the area in summer, this need not be a problem. However, you should not expect perfect protection from swell from ferries or other traffic.
LITERATURE
"Coastal Handbook Italy" by Rod Heikell, Edition Maritim, 49.90 euros. Nautical charts: Italian pleasure craft charts, set IT P6a, approx. 110 euros.
TERRITORY CHARACTERISTICS
The speciality of this district is without question itsVolcanic characterStromboli on the island of the same name is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, it is practically permanently active and erupts more strongly from time to time, most recently in 2019 with two sensational explosions. The resulting natural spectacle is impressive: in its normal state, you can watch the mountain erupt lava on the edge of the crater with a guide; lava masses sometimes spill spectacularly into the sea via the northern side of the slope known as the fire slide, creating hissing masses of steam. Especially at night, this is a spectacle that you will probably never forget in your life.
Volcanism also characterises the region in other ways: Vulcano has an old cone in the centre, which is still bubblingsulphur gases are emittedwhose vapours drift over half the island. If you want to experience the elemental force of volcanoes, this is the place for you. The geological history here is particularly striking: all the islands are of volcanic origin,rise relatively steeply,and the banks around them are correspondingly steep; they are not ideal for anchoring due to the large amount of rock in places. This is especially true for Stromboli and Salina.
Apart from that, however, the islands offer plenty of variety andbeautiful ambience: The placesLipariandSanta Maria on Salina are pretty Old towns with flair, The other islands are home to small, pretty villages. The main islands of Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea and Stromboli are easy to reach.sail off in a week.If you want to stay longer, sail out to the two somewhat remote but very pretty islands of Filicudi and Alicudi. The first trip is just under100 miles. If you also want to see the outer islands, you need to plan for around 140 nautical miles.
If you arrive early or late in theEarly or late season should be aware of the fact that you have to bedeteriorating weather often have no choice but to sail back to the mainland or Sicily's north coast to seek shelter there. However, the routes are doable in half a day and the destinations are definitely worthwhile.
A Tip for crews who want to climb Stromboli at night with a guideIf the volcano erupts, as it did twice in three months in 2019, the tours are severely restricted or even cancelled until the mountain calms down again. So if you are coming here primarily for this reason, you should enquire with the local charter company or online beforehand.
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Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
