29. Isolo Favagnana

July 19, 2023

29. Isolo Favagnana

29. Isola Favignana

Our favourite island was Favignana. It had everything you would want on an Island.

Beautiful bays with aquamarine water, large hills and a castle on the top which is floodlit at night and of course a small town with all the expectant buzz of a tourist town. We took a mooring in a bay on the South side of the Island, Punta Longa which was where the island is narrow and a short walk to the town on the North West side. The bay was quiet and peaceful. We walked to the town which is where it all happened in the evenings with the shops, restaurants, bars and the inevitable Gelateria with 60 or more different flavours of Ice cream. It had an air of holiday sophistication without being formal or laid back. This is where Norman ordered Swordfish Favifganese cooked in olives, capers, tomato, garlic, parsley, olive oil and origan served in a frying pan. I was green with envy! I promised after we drop Norman and Judy back to Trapani to catch their airport bus we will go back to the islands and I will have that dish. Which is what we did and it was superb. Favignana was our favourite island and the most popular with the Italians.

Carla Rossa was the most beautiful bay with this superb aquamarine clear water and rugged edges to the bay and only a small beach but come Sunday the bay was flooded with these small highly powered ribs (inflatable boats). So much so that I believe you could walk from one side of the bay to the other without getting your feet wet! Every different variety of inflatable boat was in the bay from small to large highly sophisticated even with a cabin and at least 3 engines on the back. Powerful machines which usually swept into the bay with no consideration for other boats already anchored, zooming in at speed with the accompanying wash causing boats to sway side to side at formidable angles. This was all accompanied by a cacophony of blaring music, singing and shouting and of course no peace and quiet. Sadly on Sundays this piece of paradise was lost to the hordes of people jostling to get their boat as near as possible to the shore and then row upon row enjoying the close and intimate contact with so many other boats. I have to add that Lesley disagrees with me and says this was one of the most beautiful places and she is happy to share the beauty and is not a cantankerous Victor Meldrew. I gather that meant me however I do agree with her but not on Sundays. As for Italians they are beautiful warm friendly people but they do not have the gene for peace and quiet.

But Carla Rossa was not the only beautiful bay. There were many more with the proverbial white sand which with the clear blue sky were the ingredients for the clear aquamarine water.

If you have read the page " It is not all plain sailing" you will understand that like any earthly paradise there are always some factors which can bring you down to earth. The mooring buoys were not designed to be easy to catch. You would have to have someone in the bow with the gaffe or boat hook ready to hook the small ring at the top of the buoy and then thread the rope through and attach to the front of the boat. Simple yes, but not if there's a strong wind blowing and there are only two of you on the boat. This means that one is at the wheel driving the boat forward and the other has to hook the ring and thread the rope and attach the rope to the boat all in a few seconds because any delay will see the boat hook attached to the ring on the buoy disappearing into the distance. You must always have more than one boathook!

I now have four, two of which have been badly damaged by the battle with a buoy in a strong wind.

Likewise be careful accepting help from some eager carefree holiday makers as I describe in the page "It is not all plain sailing".