Windy Sardinia

This time it was supposed to be a leisurely cruise, admiring the breathtaking views of Costa Smeralda and planning to call at the port of Bonifacio on the southern tip of Corsica. Thanks to our cooperation with Charter.pl , We had two seaworthy, luxurious, and comfortable yachts at our disposal – the Oceanis 46.1 "Persefone" and the Dufour 520GL "Passerine," which, upon arrival in Olbia, were quickly reflagged with the Windstory flag. For the next seven days, Njord was supposed to ensure smooth sailing and favorable winds. However, something seemed to have gone wrong for him (and us), and hours spent analyzing forecasts with our friends on two other yachts proved there would be more than enough wind.

And so, from the plan to sail north, on Sunday morning the decision was made to change direction to S and dynamically search for a marina that would accommodate two of our yachts for a day or two.

To everyone's delight, a positive response arrived from the Porto Ottiolu marina, and we, along with our brave crew, took advantage of the weather window to cast off our lines and, with the Windstory playlist playing, angled our boats' bows toward the sea. However, the sea, with its blueness and warmth and the glow of the Sardinian sun, quickly tempted our crews to negotiate a swimming stop with the skippers in the cove off Isola dei Porri.

The saltiness of the water caused the loss of valuable minerals, and the crew suffered from the notorious "gastroenteritis."

And so, in the cockpits of both yachts, delicious delicacies prepared by the crew, featuring fresh, fragrant, and tempting Italian delicacies, appeared. Without wasting any time, we set sail and, indulging in blissful consumption, set course for Ottiolu. We sailed beautifully, drawing various shapes with our courses, but the shifting and increasing wind finally forced us to lower the sails and switch to the sailboat's primary propulsion: the engine. After several hours, in rather unfavorable conditions, with an increasingly silent but incredibly brave crew, and being drenched in waves of seawater, we safely arrived and moored in Ottiolu. There, after the storm and downpour had passed, and with the wind still gathering speed, we spent the next two days safely moored at the quay, next to the beautiful Hallberg-Rassy, christened after our patron saint :). Coincidence?

Of course, we wouldn't be ourselves if we didn't decide to indulge in various culinary, intellectual, sporting, integration and musical pleasures - because that's what the project was about.

Tuesday morning, the now-traditional "weather conference" for this trip brought a wave of optimism...at least until Thursday. After consulting with local sailors, which is always a good idea for any trip, we chose a destination for the next night. We already knew we'd have to return to Olbia on Wednesday afternoon, as Thursday and Friday were beautifully purple on the weather maps, meaning winds above 40 knots again. So the decision was made to spend Tuesday sailing as long as possible, then anchor for the night in the picturesque bay of Cala Brandinchi.

And it was a very good sailing Tuesday - both yachts under sail, wind gusting up to 26 knots, waves crashing beautifully against the sides and coming on board, drenching the unsuspecting crew with cool sea water.

Perfect for sailing!

The cove at Cala Brandinchi proved to be a very good location for overnight anchorage.

The sandy bottom held the anchor well despite wind gusts of up to 24 knots. So the anchor watches didn't have much work to do, although they did, of course, have to keep an eye on the anchor .

One of the principles of our cruises is to eat locally and enjoy the culinary delights. So Wednesday began with a delicious breakfast and the aroma of coffee wafting from the cafes.

Here's a little tip for future crews: Windstory skippers hold true to the maxim that the morning must begin with good coffee. This is all to honor Njord, to bring favorable winds, and, of course, to stimulate the senses. Therefore, coffee is essential. We don't leave without it.

After leaving the anchorage, we set sail and sailed towards our next destination – the Tavolara anchorage. Before returning to Olbia, we wanted to see this smallest kingdom in the world, with its incredibly interesting history and equally beautiful views – from below and above. We were not disappointed by this kingdom, and some of the crew bravely decided to climb Tavolara's peak, which rises 565 meters above sea level, while others opted for sunbathing and swimming in the warm sea.

After all this fun, we dropped anchor and briefly set sail back to Olbia. There, at the quayside, we met the crews of two friendly catamarans and decided to celebrate this miraculous rescue with an evening of music and food, also filled with sea stories.

Around midnight, the forecast began to come true, with the wind picking up by the hour and the temperature dropping uncomfortably. Despite the rain and gloomy weather, we spent Thursday exploring Olbia, exploring its culinary scene, and finding a great place that served excellent drinks and equally delicious pizza.

Friday, meanwhile, was a day of excursions and sightseeing. While one crew rented cars and scooters to explore the island, the other, thanks to the excellent organization of crew member Ania, had the opportunity to visit one of the local vineyards and sample the wines produced there.

In the evening, there was a ceremonial presentation of the cruise reviews on board, followed by a less ceremonial, but very entertaining, packing ceremony.

We said goodbye to Olbia on Saturday morning, but we feel we need to return there to fulfill our original plan of sailing to La Maddalena National Park and Bonifacio, Corsica. Since we feel this way, it's worth keeping an eye on the cruise schedules...or contact us, as we'd be happy to organize such a cruise for you.