PART 5: SICILY TO MANFREDONIA, VIA THE GULF OF TARANTO
We leave Messina, Sicily in a good mood on the 99th day of our Italian adventure. From now on we will be cruising along the mainland of Italy, around the toe of the boot, through the Gulf of Taranto, past the heel and up through the Adriatic Sea towards Venice. We have already put a good 2,000nm behind us and just under 1,000nm now lie ahead.
Our problem with the oil pressure sensor has not yet been resolved. We now have the spare part but it hasn’t been fitted, meaning we have to cruise on one engine. More annoying, however, is the leaking steering oil cooler because I have to empty the bucket which the cooling water is spraying into every 45mins or so.
And then it happens: full bucket in hand I lose my balance. The bucket flies through the air and I fall heavily on my side. I am struggling to breathe and my first thought is that our adventure is over. Since everyone else is on the flybridge and I’m in the engine room, no one can hear my cries for help.
After a while I manage to catch my breath and slowly start to get up. My back is in agony, as is my right elbow. I struggle back up to the flybridge and report what happened. I can barely move, even sitting hurts, so any activity other than driving is out of the question. Our guests have to step in and take on the thankless task of emptying the bucket. I still don’t know whether I have broken anything or if I am just severely bruised.
This story is from the July 2021 edition of Motor Boat & Yachting.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2021 edition of Motor Boat & Yachting.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
HOW TO NAVIGATE OVERFALLS
Overfalls are areas of broken or rougher water caused by tidal currents flowing past or over geographic features.
SLEIPNER'S NEW FINS
If you're looking for extra comfort at sea Sleipner's electric-powered radically curved Vector Fins could be a game-changer
SIRENA 48
The Sirena 68 won last year's award for flybridges over 60ft. Can its new entry-level 48 repeat that success?
24-YEAR ITCH
It took 14 years to find one, and another 10 to rebuild, but when boatbuilder Will Squibb first fell in love with a Levi Corsair, he knew he had to have one
WALLYWHY 150
A new launch from Wally is always going to cause a splash, but will the latest addition to the Wally why range create the same ripples as its larger predecessor?
THE TRUE COST OF RUNNING A SUPERYACHT
Everyone loves the idea of owning a superyacht but what does it actually cost to run one? The owners of a Sunseeker 105 charter yacht reveal all...
SUNSEEKER 100 YACHT BOAT TEST
A breezy delivery trip from Southampton to Poole provided the perfect conditions for sea trialling Sunseeker's latest big boat sensation
AZIMUT 48
Is it a party platform? A sportsboat? A weekender? Whatever it is, this American-style Azimut has plenty to recommend it...
BIG TRIP SMALL BOAT [PART 2]
Having made it from Runswick Bay, Yorkshire, to Harwich, Essex, in just one day, Ian Furby continues his attempt to circumnavigate Britain in his 18ft Nordkapp speedboat
AQUADOR 300 НТ
Alex Smith tests one of the most exciting new compact cruisers money can buy