Hi all Sue here
Winter is over once again and Nimrod is on the move. After yet another amazing winter with our cruising friends old and new. It has been a hectic winter with Chris completing many jobs and getting Nimrod ready for our next BIG adventure.
I went back to the UK for 3 weeks in December to spend time with my family and have a wonderful Christmas with them all. That left Chris free to get on with some messy jobs and no little person tidying up behind him!! I took my Grandaughter, Courtney, to see Elf the musical and we did get a little obsessed with it all as you can see from the photos!!
When I returned to Roccella we then went to visit our friends up the Guadiana Claire and Eddie and Jana and James. had a lovely week with them and it’s great to see what both couples are achieving in their new lifestyles on land. we will visit them again in September but along with Nimrod this time. It has been 7 years since we were last there with Nimrod.
Then it was back to work and of course a few BBQs and parties along the way. We celebated Ladies day in style on the beach by the Marina and I also took a little trip to Bologna with my sister and friends as an early start to my 60th Birthday celebrations.
I can assure you that Chris has worked etremely hard on Nimrod this winter and I have done my bit and partied very hard!! Well you ae only 60 once and it was great fun. I had one small party onboard Nimrod and a larger party which my wonderful Marina friends organised for me.
The theme was Hats On for Sues 60th and my present was 60 bottles of Bubbly!! they obviously know me too well. Storing it all was a bit of a challenge, good job Chris had replaced our big old batteries with Lithium ones!! Don’t think that’s quite what he had in mind for the extra space created!!
Anyway enough of all that frivolity it was time to knuckle down and do some polishing, waxing, sorting lockers out and supply shopping as time was fast approaching for us to leave. 15th May we cast off those Marina lines said goodbye to friends, always the hardest part, and headed for the Aeolian Islands. Vulcano Island was our stop after negotiating the Messina Straits. There are 7 Volcanic Islands all very different to each other. A hike up to the Volcano Crator on Vulcano was a very smelly but beautiful experience!! Especially walking through the Fumaroles, couldnt get rid of the smell of sulpher on me for ages, I could even taste it!!
The next Island was Panarea, a lot smaller and very quiet. It didnt take us long to explore!! then we crossed to Stromboli where we did a night sail past as it was meant to be awesome at night. Think we picked a quiet night and it was difficult to try and capture the flames coming out of the top from so far down below. We were rewarded for our effort by waking up to a boat covered in gritty black volcanic dust!! had to get power washer out to remove it all.
Time to move on again and we have 70 miles to do to coast of Sicily. Motoring at the moment as no wind at all but we have been accompanied by our favourite playful friends. Never tire of seeing them. Thats it for now, next blog we will hopefully be in Sardinia
Winter is over once again and Nimrod is on the move. After yet another amazing winter with our cruising friends old and new. It has been a hectic winter with Chris completing many jobs and getting Nimrod ready for our next BIG adventure.
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| Vikki, Sue and Courtney on the way to see Elf |
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| Christmas Eve and Elf pyjamas!! |
When I returned to Roccella we then went to visit our friends up the Guadiana Claire and Eddie and Jana and James. had a lovely week with them and it’s great to see what both couples are achieving in their new lifestyles on land. we will visit them again in September but along with Nimrod this time. It has been 7 years since we were last there with Nimrod.
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| Day Out Hiking |
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| Jana, Claire and Sue |
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| Sisters in Bologna |
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| Bubbly is out for the Ladies |
I can assure you that Chris has worked etremely hard on Nimrod this winter and I have done my bit and partied very hard!! Well you ae only 60 once and it was great fun. I had one small party onboard Nimrod and a larger party which my wonderful Marina friends organised for me.
 |
| Party Night on Nimrod |
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| Lovely Ladies Who Organised Parties |
The theme was Hats On for Sues 60th and my present was 60 bottles of Bubbly!! they obviously know me too well. Storing it all was a bit of a challenge, good job Chris had replaced our big old batteries with Lithium ones!! Don’t think that’s quite what he had in mind for the extra space created!!
 |
| Even The Men Wore Hats |
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| 60 Bottles of Bubbly |
Anyway enough of all that frivolity it was time to knuckle down and do some polishing, waxing, sorting lockers out and supply shopping as time was fast approaching for us to leave. 15th May we cast off those Marina lines said goodbye to friends, always the hardest part, and headed for the Aeolian Islands. Vulcano Island was our stop after negotiating the Messina Straits. There are 7 Volcanic Islands all very different to each other. A hike up to the Volcano Crator on Vulcano was a very smelly but beautiful experience!! Especially walking through the Fumaroles, couldnt get rid of the smell of sulpher on me for ages, I could even taste it!!
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| view of the other islands from top of Crater |
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| Chris in front of the Fumaroles |
The next Island was Panarea, a lot smaller and very quiet. It didnt take us long to explore!! then we crossed to Stromboli where we did a night sail past as it was meant to be awesome at night. Think we picked a quiet night and it was difficult to try and capture the flames coming out of the top from so far down below. We were rewarded for our effort by waking up to a boat covered in gritty black volcanic dust!! had to get power washer out to remove it all.
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| Approaching Stromboli |
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| Life on Panarea |
Time to move on again and we have 70 miles to do to coast of Sicily. Motoring at the moment as no wind at all but we have been accompanied by our favourite playful friends. Never tire of seeing them. Thats it for now, next blog we will hopefully be in Sardinia
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| More Dolphins |
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| Dolphins Swimming With Nimrod |
