Wednesday 3 September 2014 - Rome

We had a leisurely morning.  The idea is to leave at about midday when the seas will have gone down.  It is a lovely bright day.  We go over to the office and finally find the one man who speaks any English.  We offer to pay for the two extra nights we have been here, but he says it is not necessary, which is very kind.  We are also concerned about the thin line which goes to the forward holding rope.  The men on the next boat pointed out to us yesterday that it appears to be snagged and it may be that it is wrapped around our propeller.  We don’t want to damage the prop, or more likely cut their rope with our rope cutter on the prop.  The man at the office says they will come over and push us out without our having to use the engine, so as to protect lines and prop.  And that is what they did.  First they moved the huge log lodged at the back of the boat.  They said something about there having been bad weather.  We guessed that.  One of their ropes, which they put on the boat, snapped while we were away and two fenders seem to have gone missing- washed away?

Anyway off we go.  After a very slow start we are on the sea and very nice it is.  However, as we are only going three miles back to the main port for Rome, we do not sail.  I go to take the fenders off and Richard suggests that I just put then on deck!  That is saying something.

So we get into the marina with no problem.  The only thing is that I make a mess of my nice clean white tee shirt when taking up the forward line.  Those ropes are always so muddy!  I decide to break one of my rules (no hand washing) and I wash the shirt to try to get the mud out before it is fully absorbed into the material.

After a light lunch, Richard insists on getting me out on the bicycle.  We know that there is a cycle path all the way along the marina (which is very large) and it goes on up through the town along the sea front.  So I screw my courage up and get on the bike.  I still feel very wobbly and I lack any confidence in my riding.  But we go along the cycle route and so it is fairly relaxed.  I manage to make it all around the marina and along the beach and back with no mishaps.  Perhaps I will get used to the cycling business one of these days.

After domestic chores and showers we relax in the cockpit and then it starts to rain!  This isn’t what I had in mind.  But it is only a shower, so we are fine.  In fact we were able to stay in the cockpit the whole time as the bimini makes an excellent rain guard!

Supper on the boat and soon to bed.  Tomorrow we are going to really start the cruise going to a new place!