The Ride of Your Life

Here we are in Marina di Olbia, a newish marina in Sardinia. A very swish Marina- clean and modern but not Porto Cervo prices.  Very nicely laid out with stainless bollards, beautiful warm showers, Auchan (supermarket) right down the street and our favourite houseboat cafe just 50 yards away. Also bike paths and a free shuttle to Olbia city,.  A great place by all accounts to winter your boat.  Just last night we took our passegiata at sunset overlooking islands. mussel farms and a myriad of granite outcroppings around the full expanse of Marina di Olbia.

Part of Our Paesagiata
Part of Our Paesagiata

Here’s the thing, it has been too cool until yesterday to sit outside and just enjoy a coffee on the deck. Anywhere you turn people in are speaking In Italian, German, Dutch, French and English about the unseasonable weather.  “Froid, bagnato, troppo vento, ijskoud and damn cold, what!”, you get the idea.

Great name, just missing the prefix 'Dis' from the home port
Great name, just missing the prefix ‘Dis’ from the home port

It was so windy, you walk into the wind head down, to create a smaller profile and quickly to get out of the wind.  I was surprised to see a boat’s name catch my eye – The Ride of Your Life beside me on the pontoon.  It stopped me in my tracks, we do have the ride of our lives on our boats.  We love the feeling of a beam reach on a fair wind. We enjoy running downwind on a fresh breeze or being heeled over in 20 knots while rounding a mark. So even if it is blowing 25 knots, there is plenty to smile about.  I think about Bill Gilbert who can always pull the positive from any weather.  Davo will always say let’s do the Friday twilight,” because by 6PM, the rain will be gone.” I think about Bill Merrington who sailed as much as he could in his 98 years, rarely leaving Eventide on her mooring.  How do you enjoy “the ride of your life”?

The Houseboat Restaurant
The Houseboat Restaurant

Yesterday, the sun came out and Kate and Mike Rider came over from their yacht Voyager of Noosa on bike & by foot from Olbia.  It is hard to explain how lovely it is to talk to someone from home especially since we were able to have coffee in the cockpit and sunshine. We really appreciated former Beneteau dealer, Mike’s expert advice and helpful suggestions.

Today is the second sunny day in a row, the sun is out and so is the bike.  The Swannos are coming tonight, so we are looking towards going to the La Maddalenas tomorrow after the six of us enjoy a nice dinner in a quiet Sunday night Olbia

Ciao Bella.

One thought on “The Ride of Your Life”

  1. After being inside all day, thanks to another East Coast Low I have done much needed work. So what a wonderful way to end this drab day by catching up on your wonderful adventures. xxxxxxxxxx

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