We´ve been in Malta for two weeks and we have circumnavigate the island , family have been visited and now it's time for us to move on. The only thing holding us back is the weather.
For the last few days we´ve been moored in Marsaxlokk on one of the fish farm service boat mooring buoys. They have been too busy feeding their fish to use their buoys and for us it´s a convenient place to be for visiting family. We also knew that Malta was going to be hit with an NW gale on Sunday night and this is as sheltered a place as any.
Malta hosts one of its biggest street markets in Marsaxlokk on Sundays. It transfers the quiet fishing village with stalls lining the sea front. Maltese as well as tourists travel from all around the island to Marsaxlokk for this Sunday event. We have also visitors of our own; each morning horses are brought here for their daily swim, swimming around the boats, making happy noises as they enjoy their exercises . It can be very strange to lie in bed and hear a horse swimming by.
Last night we checked our mooring line as the wind started to pick up and a display of fireworks lit the sky, while music and singing could be heard as a ‘festa’ was in full swing . It wasn't long before midnight that the wind was howling through the rigging and Isabelle shook as each gust hit us. Throughout the night the gale raged on. This we expect to continue the whole day and not to ease till late this evening . The long range forecast is for the wind to swing SW and drop to force 4 by Tuesday, so if all goes according to plan sometime on Wednesday - once we’re happy the seas have calmed down enough - we will be able to set sail for Siracusa, some 85 miles north of Malta.
In the meantime, although there is a raging gale on the go, the sun is shining and being behind the spray hood away from the wind, it's warm. Other than the odd big wave the sea around us is mostly flat. Since we’re so sheltered here, we enjoy out day doing a few job around the boat or just resting.
For the last few days we´ve been moored in Marsaxlokk on one of the fish farm service boat mooring buoys. They have been too busy feeding their fish to use their buoys and for us it´s a convenient place to be for visiting family. We also knew that Malta was going to be hit with an NW gale on Sunday night and this is as sheltered a place as any.
Malta hosts one of its biggest street markets in Marsaxlokk on Sundays. It transfers the quiet fishing village with stalls lining the sea front. Maltese as well as tourists travel from all around the island to Marsaxlokk for this Sunday event. We have also visitors of our own; each morning horses are brought here for their daily swim, swimming around the boats, making happy noises as they enjoy their exercises . It can be very strange to lie in bed and hear a horse swimming by.
Last night we checked our mooring line as the wind started to pick up and a display of fireworks lit the sky, while music and singing could be heard as a ‘festa’ was in full swing . It wasn't long before midnight that the wind was howling through the rigging and Isabelle shook as each gust hit us. Throughout the night the gale raged on. This we expect to continue the whole day and not to ease till late this evening . The long range forecast is for the wind to swing SW and drop to force 4 by Tuesday, so if all goes according to plan sometime on Wednesday - once we’re happy the seas have calmed down enough - we will be able to set sail for Siracusa, some 85 miles north of Malta.
In the meantime, although there is a raging gale on the go, the sun is shining and being behind the spray hood away from the wind, it's warm. Other than the odd big wave the sea around us is mostly flat. Since we’re so sheltered here, we enjoy out day doing a few job around the boat or just resting.