Hey there,
Hope you’re enjoying the summer vibes. Since my last update, summer hit Elba with a blast. It’s super hot, and it is much busier with everyone on vacation.
And not just Elba, also Tanzania is in vacation mode. Funny how summertime turns into the high season, not so much because of the local weather, but because the rich countries are on holiday. Like the whole world has to celebrate the summer vacation.
At my Kilimanjaro Guesthouse, we’ve had some guests recently, and managing them was quite a task. Everything turned out well, but I won’t lie, it was a bit nerve-wracking and stressful to deal with some things going on.
Some time in the future, I’ll write a “Patron Only” post to share the struggles I faced in more detail. And believe it or not, there are again some legal matters pending. So, I’m waiting to see how those turn out.
For the last weeks I was sailing around a stunning island, all the while dealing with worries on the other side of the globe. That drained my creative energy, and focusing became a real challenge. I even started and postponed this update a couple of times.
Thankfully, I had some friends on board, and I’ve spent most of July with their company. I’ll be sharing a few beautiful photos I took along with this article. Their presence really helped distract me from the pressures and stress in Tanzania.
And now the exciting news? I finally made it to Corsica! Left Elba behind, at least temporarily. It wasn’t the smoothest sailing conditions, but Santana’s got a reliable engine for moments like that.
The journey to Corsica went pretty well. Did some sailing for the first couple of hours, and then I used the engine to get to Cap Corse. Spent a night just north of Magginaggio before an early morning departure to cross back to the mainland. Headed for Lagueglia, where I joined a friend’s birthday celebration the following day. Quite the journey, covering 84 nautical miles (about 155km) in one day. My strategy was to balance wind and engine power for a steady pace, and it worked out great. I reached Lagueglia just before sunset, with only a seagull incident to slow me down—a hook snagged its foot. Managed to free it and found a safe spot to anchor for the night.
It was a pleasure to spend time with friends and their families, all in vacation mode. After a 2-day stay, I headed for Nice the following week.
Being back in the waters of Liguria, Monaco, and France was a bit surreal after leaving in my small wooden boat four years ago. In Nice, I picked up a friend and continued westward, passing by Cannes, St Tropez, and Porquerolles in recent days.
Looking ahead, my next boat project is getting a windvane, a device that uses wind power alone to steer the boat. No electronics needed, it’s easy to set up, and works quietly. Right now, I have an electric autopilot that’s great under engine power but struggles with sails, especially in windy conditions. With all the solo sailing I’ve done and the luxury of motorsailing, I’ve realized a windvane is essential for those long distances.
Take care and all thebest from Bandol, Floh
