tightline

Almost a grand!!

2008-08-10T00:22:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2008

I know I have been extremely lazy in posting....no excuses...it is difficult to post, as I need to borrow the hotel's computer....anyway, here is the latest catch. This was a great fish that cooperated and let us get lots of video and pics....about 950.....this makes 52 bites since we have been here....we have released 22 (the pitch remains very difficult), and the average size is over 600 lbs!! Bill and Suzie Evans were with us, matter of fact, Bill took these shots.

I know I have said it before, but this is an incredible place. The island is beautiful, the people could not be nicer, and of course the fishing is.....well, I have never been anywhere close! This week alone, we have pulled hooks on 3 fish that were over 800, can't beat that!!!

We are winding down, I expect we will have to leave around August 20 to catch the Dockwise boat in Mallorca in early Sept. We need to go back about 1100 miles into the Med.

Finally pics and videos coming!!!!!

2008-07-19T00:29:00.000-07:00

Finally Ihave found a way to post pics and videos.....here is a sampling. More to come hopefully tomorrow!!!

3 big fish today!!

2008-06-30T15:52:00.001-07:00

June 30, 2008

It just keeps getting better! Today we released 3 fish in about 1 hour and 15 minutes! Our friends Rocky and Judy Franich were fishing with us for their first day, and what a day it was. I caught the first fish on a lure that was 500+. Rocky caught the second, again on a lure, that was 700+. A little while later we raised a fish on the bridge teaser that I was able to pitch a mackerel to with a circle hook. This fish jumped all over the ocean, and was a good 600+! It was certainly a day to remember.
I have terrific video and stills, and I believe that I have found a way to post the pictures using the hotel's office computer...I will try and get them on tomorrow.

Pictures and vides won't post!!!

2008-06-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

June 28, 2008
Today we had a no fish day......it happens. There wasn't much happening, I don't believe that anyone had a bite today.
I am having trouble posting pictures and videos on the blog....we have some great ones, and will solve this problem somehow!!! Hopefully soon!.
We have fished 15 days, and had 18 bites...all but 2 fish over 600 lbs.!! We have caught 10, and I believe that we have solved our pitch bait issues. The last 2 fish we have pitched to have eaten no problem....fresh local mackerel...that is the solution.
We caught a nice fish yesterday, about 900, and raised a fish that was a monster...maybe 1400...or so Jeremiah and Nick (a local charter boat guy that was riding along) claimed. He did not bite.....I am confident that we will get a shot at a huge animal sometime this summer.
I will get pictures soon, I promise.....

2008-06-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2008
Day started out badly as our port engine appeared to be overheating and the engine load appeared to be increasing for no reason. I had nightmares about another blown engine, as these are similar to what happened on the old boat before we blew the engine in Cosa Rica. Of course, while we were in the ER trying to figure out what was going on…we raised 2 fish that we didn’t hook!!! As it turned out, I was pretty confident that our problem was a bad temperature sensor, as our mechanical gauges looked good, and the engine was running perfectly….fished the rest of the day, and plan to change the sensor tomorrow.
Finally got a fish to eat a pitch in the PM….we tried leaving the rod in the holder and using a loop in the water for a dropback. A little tricky keeping all from tangling, but it worked like a charm. We are thinking that the combination of the big rod, heavy line, and big leaders are causing the fish to drop the bait…..We’ll see how this new idea works out. David got in the chair on a fish about 600+, but we pulled the circle hook about 10 minutes into the fight. So, we have yet to catch a fish on the pitch.

June 25, 2008
Changed the sensor, and all is perfect….going fishing. Very slow day on the rip….I don’t think a fish was seen today. Go figure…tomorrow is another day!

June 26, 2008
Another flat calm day….we started heading to the west end of the island for a change, but seeing nothing, we came back down towards Funchal where we have been seeing our fish. Saw a tailer, and got her interested, but again she picked up the pitch, and dropped it. This wasn’t a very aggressive fish…maybe the moon phase (declining moon)..maybe must a shy fish! Anyway, about a 500+ and off she went. Raised a second fish about 4:00 which we hooked on a lure, and David caught it in about 15 minutes…another rat…about 350…but jumped all over the ocean, and looked good at the boat. This makes 16 bites in 11 days…..not bad!!!!

June 27, 2008
Got fresh local mackerel today from Eduardo!!! And it worked….we finally pitched a mack to a big fish, and he ate no problem!!! I guess they like what they are eating. David had a great pitch, and we released a 900+. Great fight, and Cory got to pull on a big one! Can’t wait until tomorrow. It is David’s last day, and we will hate to see him go back to SF.

2008-06-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2008
Left the dock at 9:30, another typical beautiful, flat calm day in Madeira. By 10:00 we had raised a fish that again dropped our pitch baits….why, we don’t know!! Another bite came about 10 minutes later, probably the same fish, we figured, and he didn’t hang around to let us get the pitch bait in. 10 minutes later, we raised a double!!!! Hooked the first one, about 500+ and kept trying to bait the 2nd one with the pitch bait, while the first one was ripping line. I got the bite, but again, he dropped it…..twice the same thing happened. This time a Spanish mackerel was used…..we really need to figure out why the pitches aren’t working. By the way, same lure that Cory jumped in to save yesterday, caught this one for David!!!!

June 21, 2008
Flatest day yet…not a breath of wind, and like a bathtub! Pretty slow day for the fleet, but at 4:30, we had a small fish hit a long rigger and not get hooked….next thing we know, our little 20 lb. dink rod goes off….the one we keep out there for a stray Mahi, and up jumps a 300 lb. blue….oh boy…..20 minutes later we released her in great shape….everyone was thrilled, especially me, that she wasn’t an 800 lb. monster…I would still be there!
We went into Funchal to see the fireworks. Ate at Quinto Palmeira, who are old friends of the Campbells. On the way back, we were unable to get back to the boat due to a huge festival that was in progress in Calheta. Finally, after much discussion, the police let us pass the roadblocks with our rental car and get home….1:30 in the AM! Past all of our bedtimes.

June 22, 2008
Some sea out of the west….no fish today…one small dorado that will be dinner! The guys want a maintenance day tomorrow…change oils, wax, etc…..we’ll fish Tuesday.

June 23, 208
A maintenance day…guys changed oil, cleaned, etc. Ellen, David, Lois, and I took a car and went to Porto Muniz for lunch and toured the North side of the island.

The GRANDER is caught!!!!!

2008-06-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2008
We are finally in Madeira. The crossing was very easy…downhill the whole way! We travelled 520 miles in 36 hours. The guys left on Wednesday the 11th, chugged at 8 knots for 24 hours, and then at 28 knots for the last 12 hours. We burned 1800 gallons, or a little over 3 gallons per mile. Not bad if you say it fast. The guys arrived about 6:00 PM, cleaned the boat, and hit the sack.
The boat is in Calheta, about 20 miles from the capitol of Funchal. We are in a very well protected little harbor that has a very nice little hotel and about 6 little restaurants. There is a grocery store right across the street (which has Ellen very happy), and the only beach on the island is here…of course the sand was brought in from Africa!! Can’t wait to fish tomorrow!
We have a little power problem…this marina only has 32 amp stations, and I can not hook up 2 in tandem as I have done in other locations…so…..we have gotten creative and are taking 32 amp into our converter for the 60 cycle items, and I am running the other side of the boat directly to the dock with 50 cycles….our A/C and water heater will run on 50 cycle, so we are all set!!!

June 13, 2008
Time for tackle. The guys have just about got it all ready to go…2 weeks in Vilamura waiting to come across left plenty of time for tackle work! We went fishing at 1:00, put the lines in at 1:05, literally, and had a 800+ fish come up about an hour later! It ate 3 teasers, and but ignored my pitch bait!! Oh well, but what a way to start. The sea is flat calm, and we are 1 mile from shore….truly an incredible place to fish. We came back to the dock at 6:00, and can’t wait till tomorrow!!

June 14th, 2008
Left the dock about 9:00, and again were fishing by 9:05….I love this place! The seas are again flat calm…..the prevailing winds here are NE, and we are on the SW side of the island…it is a beautiful thing. The water is 76 degrees, there is bait everywhere. There are only about 6 other boats that fish here….plenty of water for everyone!
Unfortunately, we did not see a fish today. Back at the dock by 5:00, and ready for tomorrow.

June 15th, 2008
Out about 10:00….hooked up by 12:00 with a sea monster....I released a 800+ 20 minutes later….in, again, flat calm seas….this is truly Jurassic park.

June 16th, 2008
Got fuel this AM, 1000 litres….1.30 per litre, but using only about 60 gallons a day! Left a little later today, but by 11:00 David released a 900+ , again in flat calm seas!! The only miscue was my pitch…I pitched a split tail mullet to this monster….after a spectacular bite about 10 feet off the transom, he dropped it! Fortunately for us, he went back and piled on a long rigger that did have a hook in it.

June 17, 2008
Off the dock about 10:00 there is a little wind out of the south…we would rather see NE. No bites today…looking forward to a scotch and a grilled something on the boat tonight. Jeremiah and Cory have an apartment about 5 mins. walk from the dock…..they are very satisfied, as it has TV, 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a washer…..good set up.

June 18, 008
Today takes the cake so far….we left the dock at the gentlemen’s time of 9:30. By 11:00 we had raised a double, and released a 400+….a rat here. At 12:00, we hooked a monster that went crazy, and David was in the chair…..we ended up chafing the leader off….600 lb. mono chafed like nothing! The fish jumped all over the ocean….easily 900+, maybe the first grander…..in this place we will get another chance.
Tomorrow our dear friend Lois Davis shows up, and Web leaves…..great to have him here.

June 19, 2008
Caught the GRANDER today!!! Went out for a half day so we could be back to pick up Lois, and we hooked the mother of all marlin!! I got it to the boat in about 12 minutes, and when Cory grabbed the leader, it went nuts! We got the leader 10 times in the next 1.5 hours (we wanted our lure back), and finally, Cory broke the 600 lb leader.....he then jumped in to get back the lure...which, unbelievably, he did! The fish was well over 1ooo lbs....an incredible experience.

Finally, we are in Madeira!! But no boat.....yet!

2008-06-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

June 4, 2008
Ellen and I are getting ready to jump ship. We are not going to ride the 500 miles to Madeira, so we are on our way to Madeira by plane! We treated all to a typical Portuguese dinner tonight cooked with Cataplanas, which are copper containers that have a hinged top….you place fish, pork, vegetables, etc. etc. into the bottom, close the top, and let it all simmer in its own juices….truly a culinary delight!

June 5, 2008
Ellen and I are flying to Lisbon for one night on our way to Madeira. We are staying right downtown, and had the afternoon to tour around the city. It is a beautiful city, and another great Portuguese dinner gets us ready to head to Madeira tomorrow.

June 6, 2008
Finally back to Madeira…..it is truly a magical place. I will try and post some pictures that will due this island justice. Ellen and I are going to spend a few days in Funchal, before we head up to Calheta where the boat will be docked. Every Saturday in June there is a huge fireworks display in Funchal. It is apparently a competition to see who will supply the fireworks for a really huge New Year’s celebration that is billed as the largest in Europe! This Saturday it is an Italian company competing. Next Sat. it is a Polish entry, then a Swiss entry, and on the last weekend, the Portuguese get their turn.
We are very anxious to get the boat here, and set up shop for the next 2 months. I met my old friend Peter Bristow when we arrived, and he released a 650 lb. blue marlin on Friday, and a 850 on Saturday. The fish are here, all I need is my boat!!!! It looks like the guys will bring her over on Tuesday/Wednesday, and the weather looks good for the crossing. We have added a third crew, Claudio, who is a local guy living in Madeira. Jeremiah, Cory, and Claudio will be a great group, now all we need are the fish!! I am hoping to start posting great blue marline pics very soon!! David comes back on Tuesday, my friend Web and his grandson come in Wednesday, and we should be fishing by Thursday.

2008-06-08T09:54:00.001-07:00

June 3, 2008
This morning we are off the 100 miles to Vilamaura, our final destination on the mainland. This is a town very close to Faro, and a large tourist destination among Brits and Spaniards. A beautiful marina that has over 1000 slips. Fuel, unfortunately for us, is very expensive in Portugal. They at least do quite a lot of fishing here, both for bluefin tuna and blue marlin in August and September. We had many local fisherman come down to see TIGHTLINE, and for a change, knew what they were looking at! We are back in the land of tides (there were none in the MED) and back to floating docks….a much easier way to dock.

Jeremiah and Cory are pouring over tackle, getting all ready for the monster blues we are hoping to find in Madeira. Brian is still scratching his head, but is a great help cranking on line. It will be sad to see Brian go…he has been a huge asset and a pleasure to have on the boat. If anyone wants to charter a sailboat in the MED or Caribbean next year, let me know, and we’ll get in touch with him!

Gibraltar and the "Matanza"

2008-06-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2008
David left for Barcelona today, and we headed out towards Gibraltar to get some cheap fuel and start our way up to the Algarve coast of Portugal. Gibraltar is truly awesome. Not only is it physically striking, but you can’t help but appreciate the history it has seen as you approach. Africa seems a stone’s throw away, and in reality, it is but a mere 5 miles. We have been warned of the potential seas, but today is not one of those days…thankfully!
The Rock itself is controlled by Great Britain, which the Spanish apparently hate! The fuel did turn out to be cheap. The price of .86 Euro per liter is by far the cheapest fuel we have seen. There is no tax, hence the cheap rate. I tried to fill up everything in sight!! The harbor is a huge port for oil tankers. This part of Spain is all refineries and literally 50 tankers were unloading or waiting to unload. Quite a sight. We left about 1:00 PM and started our way down the Spanish coast, not quite knowing our destination.
Along the way, we were very excited to see 3 huge tuna nets that were getting ready for the Matanza!! We have read and heard enough about these huge tuna traps, and it was very cool to see them in person. Also, on the way down the coast, we must have seen 1000 wind mills….huge wind farms like none we have ever seen. Very impressive.
We were going to try for Vilamaura, Portugal, which would be our stepping off point for Madeira. But, as a good head wind picked up, we decided to put in to Cadiz, which also happened to be the same marina that the boat Brian will Captain starting June 15 is moored. He is thrilled, as he has only seen pictures, and he had a chance to see what he was getting into. We are not in a great hurry, as the weather does not look good for a crossing for awhile.

Marbella..the Monaco of Spain!!

2008-06-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

May 30, 2008

We started on our way to Almeria, but as we approached, the weather looked good, so we continued on directly to Marbella, a 266 mile day. This leaves us in sight, literally, of Gibraltar. We were somewhat fortunate to get a slip….Brian comes through again, smoothing the way with his friendly way and Spanish!

This is quite a town, compared often to Spain’s version of Monte Carlo. An incredible amount of bars and nightclubs and restaurants! We are backed up to a quay with all of the above, along with all the fancy shops found in Monte Carlo. We have had some terrific dinners in these little places, watching the goings on…..lots of Ferrari’s, Bentley’s, Lamborghini’s, and the such, along with many young women strutting their “stuff”. The action does not get going until close to midnight (which lets Ellen and I out), and people don’t even start eating until 10:00PM. There is a vast majority of Brits here, which seems strange, but it certainly helps the language barrier.

The Old Towne of Marbella is about 7 km east of the marina in Puerto Banus where the boat is. This old town is a gem. Ellen, David, and I spent Sunday PM strolling around, and you can see from the pictures how interesting it is. Fortunately, or unfortunately, most of the shops were closed (Sunday), but the restaurants and bars were open….so it wasn’t a complete loss!!
Tomorrow we will head thru Gibraltar and start our way up to Portugal and across to Madeira. The weather does not look very good this week for a crossing, but we will just have to be patient, and wait for a weather window.

Alicante

2008-06-01T02:39:00.000-07:00

May 29, 2008
Off to Alicante, a trip of only 90 miles. We spent some time walking around the city, which is the 4th largest city in Spain. The area around the harbor is certainly not fancy, but “old Spanish”, with wide boulevards, and a very impressive tiled walk in front of the port. We took on some fuel, and stayed at the fuel dock for the night. It gets quite windy in the afternoon in this part of the MED, but dies quickly. We were sort of tired of restaurants, so Ellen stayed on board and finished her left over paea from the night before, and David and I hit a small pizza joint!

Barcelona

2008-05-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

We are finally back to the MED from an exciting sojurn to Mexico...the Master's was a good tournament with about 250 fish released. We came back with Megan and David, and spent a week touring Barcelona. The marina was the dirtiest place I have ever seen. Not only was it raining Sahara sand, but we were docked next to an incinerator electric plant that also rained God knows what....the guys had to soap every day!!

Barcelona is known for its art and grandiose architectural displays. As you can see from the pictures, the cathedral designed by Gaudi was over the top. We ate and drank as usual, and we found another candidate for a new TIGHTLINE, one that Phil Marks will appreciate. We are off to Valencia, and on our way thru Gibraltar.

The best yet!!! BONIFACIO, CORSICA

2008-05-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

May 8, 2008
41.23.1 N 009.08.8 E
Black day!!! I had to fuel the boat up….6,700ltrs (1770 gls)…Even my AMEX groaned!!!! After that horrible ordeal, we made the short 20 mile trip to Bonifacio on the island of Corsica. Reeling from my morning agony, we actually chugged (8 knots) our way through the Magdalena Islands and the Costa Esmeralda….one of the most picturesque areas we have ever seen. Truly unbelievable. We then crossed the Bonifacio Strait (5 miles) to approach, without a doubt , the most breathtaking site we have seen yet, as you can see from the pictures. The harbor is a 1 mile long fjord like harbor, with towering walls and castles on both sides. The village hangs on the precipice overlooking the strait, and welcomes you into the harbor. France is challenging…none of us speaks any French, but it is a hoot trying.

May 9, 2008
Today we toured Bonifacio, and had lunch in the walled city above the harbor. Unfortunately for me, I mis-read the French menu, and ended up with a huge plate of black boar pate…..and I hate pate!!! Oh well, the wine tasted good. Tomorrow we are flying to Barcelona and on to Mexico for the Masters. We really truly hate to leave, but we are coming back on May 22nd with Megan and David for the last charge to Madeira. I will start to update the blog again at that point. Jeremiah’s girlfriend is coming over while we are away. Cory Gillespie, our Madeira mate, will arrive on May 13th, and he and Brian will babysit the boat until we all return. I hope I haven’t bored you all too much with our blog, but there have been some terrific locations to document………

Porto Cervo, Sardinia

2008-05-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

May 7, 2008
41.08.19 N 009.32.35 E
Left Ponza at 9:00….flat calm seas, and not a bird or a fish seen for 150 miles!! I don’t know where all the tunas they catch hide out! We approached Porto Cervo in Sardinia about 2:00…..like most of the places we have seen, this is a beautiful harbor. It is, however, very nouveau……lots of new high end condos and shops…kind of looks like Scarsdale, AZ! As nice as this is, we miss the old Italy, so we are cutting our 2 day stop here short and heading over to Corsica, France tomorrow. One bonus, the Porsche Club of Europe is having a big rally with over 300 participants. Wal races Porche, and is in seventh heaven!

The island of PONZA

2008-05-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

May 6, 2008
40.53.69 N 012.57.73 E
We have travelled 50 miles to the island of Ponza. As you can see from the pictures, it is a very small island with a nice little commercial fishing fleet. We have stopped here, as it is the closest point to Porto Cervo, Sardinia, where we will go tomorrow. I have finally gotten a wifi, so I can post these entries. Hopefully we will have a connection in Sardinia. No power here, so we are on our generator….good thing as Phil and Myles are gone!!!
Ellen’s hairdressing appt. was a huge success….I think she may want to come back to Amalfi to get her hair done all the time! We are hoping the weather is good tomorrow….150 mile to Sardinia. The boat is running great, and no issues!!!

Back to mainland Itlay....AMALFI

2008-05-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

May 4, 2008
We travelled to Amalfi today, a huge trip of about 18 miles…..but, back to the mainland! Now that the holidays are over, the crowds are much less of a problem, and as you can see, we only had one boat in the marina with us. The piazza here is very famous, and has every kind of shop you can imagine. We had dinner in a castle on the bluff overlooking the harbor, under a flat calm sea. We actually had a 64 amp electrical service, so we were styling with power! Phil and Kim leave tomorrow, and Wal and Hedy Jarvis come in.
Ellen is going to get her hair done….she is very anxious….at an Italian hairdresser who speaks no English! She has commandeered Brian to come with her for translating…the pressure is on!!!

Beautiful CAPRI

2008-05-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

May 2, 2008
40.33.367N 14.14.758E
Went to Friend’s WIFI this AM and got caught up…thought I lost the VISA, but Kim reminded me that I had left it on the bridge! Left about 10:00 and cruised around Ischia to see St. Angelo from the water, and then on to Capri. Beautiful weather…light SW. Came the easy 18 miles to Capri, and went around the island….unbelievable rock formations and grottos. Came into Marina Grande about 1:30 and had a quick lunch. We only had a 32 amp/400V plug, but Phil came thru again….we can actually get 12 KVA from a 32 amp plug if it is 400 volts (not 220V)….so, again with a trip to the marine store, we got a 32 amp plug and some cable!!! Phil can’t go home!! Quick pizza for dinner (we needed a food break) and an early bed.

May 3, 2008
Still in Capri….sightseeing. Truly a beautiful island filled with beautiful people! Very crowded, but we were still able to get around. We shopped, had a great lunch at a small winery (where else??), and came back to the boat for a well deserved rest.
Jeremiah changed oil in the generators today, and found a bad fuel pump in the stb. gen. He took our spare one, and replaced it….all works great. Tomorrow we are off to Amalfi. You can see from the pictures why Capri is so famous!

NO INTERNET!!!

2008-05-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

We are now in Amalfi, and regrettably have not had an internet connection for 3 days. I can not post pictures from this internet cafe.....anyway, I will catch up ASAP. We were in Capri for 2 days, and now in Amalfi for 2 days. Off to the island of Ponza tomorrow, and then on to Sardinia on Wednesday. I will try and post from Ponza tomorrow!! Caio.

A second day in Ischia

2008-05-02T01:29:00.000-07:00

May 1, 2008

40.44.701N 13.56.553E
Toured Ischia today…hired a car and driver to show us the island….truly an incredible place…there are 6 villages on this island, which is the size of Nantucket. 60,000 people live year round, with over 6 million visitors per year….see, Nantucket could be worse!!
We had lunch in San Angelo, a beautiful small peninsula which is pictured here. More wine and food….we will have to diet for months after this trip!! Ischia is a huge tourist island, but the charm and warmth have not been lost. Tonight we had fresh local fish, oysters, mussels, shrimp…and of course Grappa!! Tomorrow we are off to Capri…it is only 18 miles away, I think we might make it by mid afternoon…..

The incredible island of ISCHIA

2008-05-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

April 30, 2008
I have been admonished by all for the lack of detail and description of our daily voyage…so, thanks to Phil Marks, I will try and be a little more specific. Starting with Lat/Lon….enter into Google Earth and see our locations.
41.44.349N 12.14.576E…..Ostia, near Rome. Left at 0930 for our trip to the Island of Ischia. Followed Caesar’s path down the coast….thru the Gulf of Gaeta in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Passed volcanic islands with commercial draggers throughout. They say no fish, and you can see why! Ischia is a volcanic island, and the harbor we are in is a crater with an extremely small opening……ferries in and out all day from Naples, Capri, Amalfi, and Procida. A great mooring along the quay that must be 100’s of years old…restaurants and bars within a stone’s throw. Phil was able to join 2 32 amp shore plugs to get us the 63 amps we need….The converter is a godsend! We are here for 2 days, and then off to Capri.

Stuck in Roma!!

2008-04-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Rome on Monday to drop off Myles and Roberta and the Franiches, and to pick up Phil and Kim Marks. We had intended on heading to Gaeta today, Tuesday, but the weather did not cooperate! So, tomorrow we are off to Ischia....the one stop Ellen has been coveting!

Jeremiah and Brian traveled into the city yesterday to see Rome, and had a great time...the enclosed pictures are compliments of Phil and Kim. The wind is dying as I write this, so we are hopeful for tomorrow. Ischia, Capri, and Amalfi are next on the list....it should be exciting! I must admit I am getting abit anxious for Madeira....Jeremiah is counting the days!!! It is only 1500 miles from here! I filled the boat with fuel this AM....not a good subject!!!!

2 Days on the island of Elba

2008-04-28T13:13:00.001-07:00

This is a beautiful island.....we would have liked to spend a couple of more days, but time is running a little short.....we are off to Ischia, Capri, and Amalfi in the next week!!! Lots of good pictures on the way!!

Portifino at night

2008-04-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Words can not do justice t0 this nightime sight......

FINALLY!!! Tightline in Portofino!

2008-04-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

What luck to have Portofino practically all to ourselves...This is truly a magical place....and we have great weather to enjoy it. Today we travelled from San Remo to Portofino, about 85 miles in perfect weather. One night here, and then on to Elba.

Here we are in a great little restaurant in San Remo called Da Vittorio....notice the empty wine bottles....if wine is a healthy drink, then we are all going to live to be 100!

Monte Carlo and San Remo

2008-04-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

We are still fighting the weather ...its not so bad, but the places we want to go have a big surge, and we are waiting for better conditions....San Remo is a terrific place to wait....there is a casino!!! and the restaurants are the best.....we are anxious to continue to the south, where we will be in Portofino, Elba, Amalfi, and Capri......keep watching, and we will hopefully get going!!!

St. Paul de Vence

2008-04-18T02:13:00.000-07:00

St. Paul de Vence

2008-04-18T02:10:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful little walled town near Cannes......really a picturesque spot!!! Ellen and Roberta are shopping up a storm. I got a call from VISA this AM asking if the Fuel charge was authentic....unfortunately, it was!!!!

The new French designed "gangplank"

2008-04-18T02:04:00.000-07:00

TIGHTLINE TOO SMALL!!!!

2008-04-18T01:54:00.000-07:00

We are in Monte Carlo, and we have decided that the Tightline is too small.....so.....what do you think??? Jeremiah is going to need some help!! We have been stuck in Genoa for a few days with weather, but we finally headed the 80 miles to Monte Carlo on Wednesday. Myles and Roberta are with us, and we have taken a small side trip to a beautiful little walled town called St. Paul De Vence for an overnight.

You can also see our latest addition....a finally sculpted wooden gangplank that was designed by a famous Welsch designer....Brian!!! It worked, what can I say. Internet access has been spotty, so I will try and update more often. I am hoping to contine on to Antibbes tomorrow......

UNLOADING....finally afloat in the MED

2008-04-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Portofino, Italy

2008-04-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

Bon Giorno!!

We are getting closer. The boat will arrive tomorrow, and be delivered here on Friday! This is the most incredible location we have ever seen. This picture is from our balcony overlooking Portofino! More pasta and more wine makes this place even better! The food in Italy is truly incredible, and the people could not be friendlier! We are hoping to bring our boat here early next week and anchor in this idylic harbor. Hopefully we will have a picture of the unloading on Friday. Jeremiah and Brian are chomping at the bit to get their hands back on TIGHTLINE!

Ciao!!!

slight delay

2008-04-07T05:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Milan. Ellen and I are still landbound, as Dockwise is delayed until Friday, April 11. We will hopefully take her off the freighter unharmed and ready to go, albeit somewhat dirty, I am sure.

Jeremiah arrived yesterday in Santa Margherita, where he met Brian, our MED Capt/guide. All is well, Italy is a beautiful country, and the wine and pasta are excellent. Hopefully we will start our trip next Saturday!!!

Tightline loaded on Dockwise

2008-04-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

We are one step closer! Here is the TIGHTLINE loaded on the Dockwise Express SS4. As of today, she is about half way to Genoa. She is expected to dock on April 8th. Ellen and I have arrived in Milan, and are awaiting her arrival. Jeremiah and Brian will be here on April 6th.

2008-03-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

The TIGHTLINE is loaded and on its way to Genoa. We expect to pick her up around April 5th, and start our journey through the western Med and out to Madeira by June 1. We will post pictures and any interesting tidbits as we go.....hopefully there will be lots of shots of very large Blue Marlins.....we'll wait and see.

Wayne and Ellen

Capt. Jeremiah Nachtigal at the helm

Capt. Brian Spark as Med Crew

Capt. Cory Gillespie as wire man supreme! What a TEAM!!!