Aeolian Islands dreaming...

With a lovely couple from Rome I paddled around three of the Mediterranean seven pearls.

Four unforgettable days paddling from Vulcano to Lipari to Salina along the west coast and back, along the east coast, admiring beautiful sunsets. All the tour presented increasing difficulties becoming the perfect sea kayaking school. At the end of the trip an afternoon walking to the rim of the Vulcano Big Crater and a delicious dinner under the porch of dear friends' house.

The pictures will tell you the story...

Rope Gymnastics

Between an olive tree and a carob tree I finally tied a long rope to try some exercises... They really aren't nordic trees (probably in Greenland there are no trees) but after giving olives and carrubbas they are very good and strong enough also for this use.

I think it is great to become very fit and to increase the strength and the balance... above all on the arms!

Very, very tired at the end of the first attempts!!!

My daughter wanted to try too the rope gym, but with some help from daddy. I guess that very soon she will be better than me...

Aeolian Islands Short Tour

Only three days to check some locations and talk with people for the organization of the Vulcanoa Symposium of next october 2009. The excuse was good to go paddling a little bit around Vulcano, Lipari and Salina. Stuffed in my Land Rover there were gear and kayaks for 5 people. We arrived late in the evening at the Milazzo harbour and with horror we discovered there were no more room for us in the ferry! Luckily, only 5 minutes before the departure time a place was empty and we rolled into the ship.
First night in the beach near the Vulcano harbour, joining a couple of friends coming from a crossing from Stromboli and Panarea islands. Early in the morning we dismantled the tents to fill up the kayaks with water and food, to launch only after have a ferry ticket for the way back...
Temperature: 35° C in the morning, increasing...
A pause for a granita in Lipari, than a second stop in Canneto, close to the campsite, swimming around, and a lunch break under an ancient pumice quarry. Two amberjack fishes goes into the cooking pots and after a peaceful nap and a coffe we start to paddle again.




The 4 km crossing to Salina is difficult only for the tremendous heat and another 4 km after the Lingua lighthouse we spot a beautiful cove for a bath. For the evening a pizza is waiting for us in Rinella.The following day about 18 miles under a cooking sun are on the roadbook. Circumnavigation of Salina, crossing back to Lipari and paddling down along the west coast. In the afternoon a group of caves offer us shadow, even darkness and fresh air. We finally land in front of the camping site of Vulcano just before the sunset and quickly eat something and go to sleep.