Mediterranean Cruisers Net

The Mednet as it is known to the cruising yachts in the Mediterranean is an institution to those in the know.  It is a network (talkshow to landlubbers) run on the SSB HF radio on Frequency 8122Khz at 07:30 Italian time.
I first heard the Mednet when we entered the Med on April 2007 and have follow it every summer since then.  A netcontroller introduces the Mednet then asks for vessels to check in giving their boat name, crew names, location and weather.  On good days when the propagation is clear the netcontroller can get up to 25 boats checking in, ranging from the Eastern Med near Egypt to the far western Med of Spain.  We have even had a few boats give us a call from the Bay of Biscay west of Portugal.
It is great fun to follow the people that check in day after day as they cruise in a particular sea either along the Turkish coast or on their way to Venice or wherever.  The purpose of the net is to to share information with other cruisers and to find out where your friends are.  This has been moderately successful because people are generally careful with their advice over the air however this year the netcontrollers decided to change the format and drop the formal reading of the weather and ask for more information to be shared.  I am the Netcontroller on Tuesday.  The fellow who does Monday has been able to get people to share such a lot of information that we are now starting to reach our goal. Some days it is good other not so good but we all listen even if the noise from the radio drowns out the people talking. (only one at a time)

The other benefit of the Mednet is that one comes to know the peoples' voices that checkin each day to such an extent that you feel you actually know them.  We have cruised the length and breadth of the Med over the last four years and have only actually crossed paths and met four vessel that check in to the Mednet.  Last week we cruised into a anchorage on the south coast of Elba and there right in the middle of the bay was the yacht Threshold.  The crew had checked-in this summer and I had come to recognize their voices.  It was an absolute delight to actually meet the crew of this great vessel. The conversation started as if we had last seen then that morning on the Mednet. In fact we have now sailed together for almost a week, enjoying their company more than somewhat.  The great advantage of the Mednet.

Blue water, White Sand, Hot Sun

What more could a cruiser want than the above.  Some would say a bit of wind.  Well it came through yesterday as we deceided to leave the great anchorage of Plage de Saleccia and sail the short distance to Saint Florent.  This beach is a wide open white sanded beach which is not accessable by road so those on the beach have either come by boat, which most do or have walked a few kilometers to get to the beach.  It has some history in that it was the site for the shooting of one of the first great war movies The Longest Day with Robert Mitchem.  I remember it well for it set the standard for blood and guts and relistic beach scenes of the Normandy coast.  The only problem for me is in the movie the real water must have been 10 degrees - well yesterday the water temperaturee was 28 degrees C.  Almost too hot to swim.

We anchored off the beach in three meters of water and a big yacht came and anchored right in front of us.  A good ditance off.  Later in the day two fellow came swimming by speaking english.  They stoped to say hi and we found out that the owner of the yacht is an art dealer who had done quite a lot of business with the Australian National museum in Canberra.
The water colour over the white sand is indiscribable so I have just included a picture.  The sunset beautiful as the water settles to a mirror for the night.  The one thing is the humididt which reaches well over 75% during the evening and morning.  I sit here down below dripping persperation.  The only releaf is to swim and then take a fresh water shower or you just sit in a pool of water.

Back to the wind.  We upped anchor and motored off to the wide deep bay of Golfe de Saint Florent and noticed some small waves in the distance.  As always the wind was on the nose but before one could say "up sails"  the wind was blowing 25 knots.  At that seep we sail faster than we can motor so up sail with one reef and the small stay sail.  We set off accross the bay at more than 7 knots to wards the mountains.  We were about two miles off when then the wind appeared to change direction and we fell into a hole.  No wind.  It had completely disappeared.  on with the motor but leave the sails up because we saw other yachts heeling over in the distance.
We were soon back in the breeze and cruising along at a nice pace.  Oh how great it is to sail onece in a while.
We arrived at Saint Florent with just 8 knots of wind and down went the anchor in a large bay - mud so no moving is the wind came up.  The off to town to get a bottle of the local Rose wine to go with the chicken.
Sunset and a calm hot night.  Just another beautiful day.