We leave Vulcano at 10am for the 35 mile ride to Stromboli. The plan was to arrive just after sunset on the west side of the island, where eruptions occur every 20/30 minutes. So on the way, we stop for a few hours at Isola de Panarea in the Nonna Malfada anchorage for a good lunch, a swim and to clean the bow thruster blades that I forgot to do when I refitted the boat in April.
Then we leave the anchorage at 17:30 to reach the Stromboli at sunset. And we were not disappointed by the show!
Stepping back... The day started with shopping from the fishing boat returning from harvesting its nets. We got our sea bream meal cleaned in a minute, fresh like never and delivered at the boat.
On the way, we pass many small fishing boats along the fog-shrouded islands en route to Stromboli.
Passing along Lipari on the way to Stromboli
From time to time, smoke could be seen rising from the crater of Stromboli, on its west flank.
Passing along Isola di Panarea on the way to Stromboli
The island of Panarea seems to be a lovely island with beautiful architecture. Unfortunately, we were just passing through on our way.
A church in the island Panarea
The Datillo rock, off the Panarea island
On the way to Stromboli, passing the Panarea island
Closer as ever to Stromboli, having passed Isola di Panarea
Unexpectedly, we ended up being quite a number of boats having had the same idea to go around Stromboli on the westside of the Island. And we got rewarded for it as, at night, the burst of lava are quite spectacular indeed.
Stromboli at night, view from the West
On our way back to the anchorage for the night, we pass a flotilla of aliens who had come to enjoy the spectacle of Stromboli. Well, actually it was a constellation of Starlink satellites just before it disperses after being dropped into orbit. And nothing exceptional in fact, because there are more than 4,000 such satellites already in orbit, with an average of one release every 4 days! This was my second encounter with a Starlink constellation at launch.
Startlink satellite constellation release (amazing iPhone picture as it was really taken at the darkest part of the night!)
Overall, after 4 weeks of sailing, we've covered 675 miles in the Mediterranean en route to Croatia. See below for our route so far before crossing the Strait of Messina in a few days.
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