We entered the port of Mahón around 11PM after 65 hours sailing/motoring from Isla Marettimo. Our passage took us within 15nm of Sardinia, but we elected to push on given the excellent weather and nearly full moon.

The anchorage at Teulera is crowded, but secure and serene. We anchored just inside, probably encroaching into the channel and went to sleep. Next morning we re-anchored on the northern edge where we stayed for another two nights.

We made the trek to Mahón in the dinghy. Fortunately conditions were favourable and we got the Zodiac on the plane with the 5hp Black Death! We had, of course, not factored in the Siesta, and arrived in town at 2PM to find everything shut.

Eventually, at 4:30 we managed to procure a 140GB pre-paid SIM from a very friendly chap at Movistar, but not before we had a couple of cerveza Estrella, only to pass the time, you see.

We had a bit of time to walk around Mahón. It is a beautiful old city but in excellent state. Thought one would be happy living here!

We chose to check out from Italy at Porto Empedocle so we wouldn’t have to go around to Trepani. Another day of motoring into headwinds with only a few hours of sailing was ahead. Conditions were better than the day before and we arrived in Porto Empedocle at 1700 where Giuseppe helped us into a berth.

Bit of a tough day. We had 59 miles to make and knew it was going to be motoring into it. Choppy wind over current conditions with late afternoon thunderstorms made for an uncomfortable ride and gusty conditions.

Our day was peachy by comparison to the German boat that ran over fishing nets some ways before Ragusa, in the middle of a thunderstorm. We could not understand why they were slowly tacking into 25 knots and rain until they got to the harbour entrance. We were well impressed by these “real sailors”!

Finally, after five days of “fixing your boat in exotic places”, we did a bit of touristing this afternoon.

We knew there were thunderstorms coming but still procrastinated getting back to the boat so got a bit damp as the rain started just before we made it back.