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"Majorca
to Palermo"
(Article from American Cruising- Jun/Jul 2001) |
Modern Sailing Academy's October 2000 Mediterranean "ADVENTURE
SAILING PROGRAM" featured a journey from the Spanish Island
of Majorca to Palermo Sicily with route and stopover locations
subject to wind direction and crew preferences. "No wind
at all or it blows like hell" is the conventional wisdom
regarding wind conditions in the Med. The trip was scheduled
to take advantage of the October winds that frequently blow
from the North Sea across Spain and France and the Med. It was
a good call as we had plenty of wind and spent a lot of time
under reduced sail. I signed on assuming that we would see the
French and Italian Riviera, however, the northerly wind conditions
we were to encounter became an invitation to visit the exotic
lands of North Africa.
Six guys, under the guidance of Modem Sailing's John Connolly
and Jack Majszak, departed Majorca October 2 in a Sun Yacht
Charters Jeanneau 51 with the objective of arriving in Palermo
on October 13. The route was somewhat flexible as several interesting
options were available, depending on wind conditions and there
was the intriguing possibility that we could visit Tunisia on
the north coast of Africa. The trip was a first for a Sun Yacht
Charters boat as Palermo is far beyond the authorized range
of their Majorca base. They agreed to the trip only because
of the relationship established with Modem Sailing Academy in
the Caribbean, the Pacific and in Thailand where they have conducted
Adventure Sailing programs for several years.
Another proviso was that John Connolly return the boat to Majorca
with a fresh group of adventurers on October 27. The 600 mile
route took us from Majorca to Menorca (another of the Balearic
Islands), to Calasetta on the southwest coast of Sardinia, to
Bizerte in Tunisia, to Favignana on the west coast of Sicily
and finally to Palermo Sicily. Majorca is accessible by air
or by ferry from Barcelona. Several of the crew arrived in Majorca
a few days early to explore this highly developed and historic
tourist destination. A couple of us spent sometime in Barcelona
which is an exciting city laid out by the Romans in 144 BC.
Barcelona was home to Gaudi and Picasso and their works are
displayed proudly. Strolling Las Ramblas, the busy broad esplanade
on the edge of the old Roman Quarter, is truly an experience
with its open air flower shops, exotic bird stands, mimes, and
sidewalk restaurants.
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