We are off early to 'Ischia' about a four hour cruise from Ponza, we arrived around lunch time. Paul went into the shore to see the Harbour master in the small village of 'San Angelo'. He agreed we could anchor outside the Harbour at no cost.
Janet was here with her friend Trish last year, it is a beautiful small village. It is a predominantly white village with dabs of color. There are narrow walkways nice shops and restaurants. There are also many thermal spa gardens here.
We booked dinner at the famous and fun restaurant 'Nettuno' ( Neptune ). We also booked massages at the thermal garden spa 'Aphrodite'.
MB's cousin Ann Ahern is joining us she is very excited after a prolonged trip from Rome. We had dinner onboard and the weather is stunning.
Saturday, Paul is confronted by the Harbour master who now says we cannot anchor in the area we are now in, which makes Paul furious. We suggest he goes back to see the man with Anne as interpreter as she has lived here 50 years and speaks fluent Italian. She gets them to change their mind, which really showed us the importance of knowing a language well and how countries work in some situations. MB is excited that sardines have jumped onto the Duckboard and tender, which he believes means a bigger fish was chasing them. However, we are not supposed to fish this area unless you are a local or use a fill net, what a joke.
We pull out the sun lounges and sun bake having great discussions with cousin Anne until lunch.
We are off to Aphrodite for thermal baths and massage. We visit a magnificent ceramic shop and stock up with tiles and plates made on the island.
We go to mass at a lovely little church devoted to St. Michel, then dinner at 'Nettuno', with the crew. What an amazing night. This place is wild it has good food and wine but the singing and dancing is the highlight where we all joined in with playing instruments including pots and pans. Eventually all the restaurant staff join in and MB dances with the pretty waitress. A group of Italian doctors go wild and MB and Janet finish off with a version of swing. This place is unique in the world!
Back on board quiet late we have yellowtail and sardines swimming at the back of the boat. Paul and MB decide to fish, and BINGO! MB lands his first Mediterranean fish, a mackerel. Between the two of them they land 21 fish that night albeit small ones, ( in the pacific we would use these fish for bait, but here they become dinner tomorrow night).
JB and Mick