Elba to Corsica

As we approach the point, ripples on the water race towards us like a shoal of fish as the wind is deflected around the headland and whips up the sea. Once clear of the protection of the cliffs, Juno heels in the gusts that blow off the hills and white capped waves smack against the hull throwing a fine spray over the bows. We are entering the Golfo di Campo, a large bay on the south side of Elba where we plan to anchor, sheltered from the northerlies. There is a large natural harbour on the western side of the bay and yachts are anchored all around, while on the shoreline is a wide beach with a swimming area cordoned off by a string of red buoys.
We go ashore in the rib and tie up to the town quay among twenty other tenders, bobbing and tugging at their painters, all tied to a large stainless steel ring on the concrete wall. It is curious that every harbour has its own distinctive character and the moment we step ashore we like the feel of this working port. Although primarily a tourist destination it has a working fleet of trawlers which gives it an honest charm. On the dock a band is setting up a lighting rig and a huge sound system and we discover that it is a Pink Floyd tribute band doing a concert at 10pm tonight - how exciting is that? We book a table in the restaurant overlooking the port and go back to the boat to change.

The Kontiki restaurant is a family run affair at the chic end of the scale. Up a flight of wooden stairs to a deck with full height sliding glass windows, it looks over the harbour and we can see Juno's distinctive double headed rig in the distance with the white anchor light shining at the mast head. At around 10pm there is a commotion on the dock as stage crew in black T shirts switch on the sound system and the hum of high powered amplifiers fills the air. By 10.30 a large crowd has gathered on the dock. A few drum beats, 'one two, one two' (why not 'uno due'?), a short riff from the keyboard , the lights go out and silence falls, broken only by the gusting wind. Then with a single unmistakeable synthesised guitar chord, this fishing harbour in Elba becomes the setting for Pink Floyd, complete with flashing lights, stage smoke and video projected onto a circular screen erected behind the stage. The quality of the music is amazing and we stand on the balcony in the warm evening breeze surrounded by hundreds of other yachties as the sound of Shine on You Crazy Diamond washes over us.

The following morning we leave our anchorage early and head south. We are aiming for Porto Vechio, 75 miles away on the south eastern tip of Corsica and from there across the Bonifaccio Straights to the Magdalena Islands. Last time we were there was in April with Paul and Consuelo when it was blowing 35 knots and a big following sea chased us across the Straights into cover behind the islands.