June 7 – 11, 2015 –
We kept procrastinating leaving Elba and were now creeping into week two. There are always enough boat projects to justify staying longer in a good anchorage but as Sara would often quip “it’s a boat, move it”. Time to go. We made the transition easy by scheduling one more anchorage on Elba but at least in the direction we were going.
We sailed around the east side of Elba and carefully picked one of the anchorage areas to give us protection based on the current wind and seas. This would prove pointless… We pulled into Porto Azzurro. Surprised at the amount of boating activity, we cruised through three potential areas that met our criteria for protection before settling on the one that had the least amount of jetski traffic! We have been spoiled in the US by having jetskis outlawed in many of the places we like to cruise. We had no more than two hours of feeling good about how well protected we were when, within minutes, the wind shut down and refilled to over 20 knots from the opposite direction. Within minutes the fetch started to build from what was now the wide open sea and the anchor started to drag. It was dark so we decided to re-anchor in the same general location, get a good set, and ride it out. We have had worse.
Anchorage in Elba, Porto Azzuro: 42° 45.85’N by 010° 24.57’ E: Good holding in sand under light grass, exposed from the east. Good swimming except for the occasional filth on the surface of the water.
The next day we had a relaxed morning and left around noon for an anchorage inside the hook of Promontorio Argentario, just south of Orbetello. The weather was clear with a light breeze and just like the day before we observed massive thunder cloud development. It would start along the coast as a row of low cumulus clouds. Then within a couple hours of time one of the small heads would expand into a huge, very high thunder head. Initially during this rapid expansion it would have the typical cumulous look to it, sort of like cauliflower. Then within minutes it would suddenly transform and expand into a soft hazy mushroom looking cloud. Both days, it looked so ominous it really got our attention. Each time we watched it intensely but a storm never ensued. Where’s a meteorologist when you need one? The anchorage was lovely. Flat and not much to look at on land, but perfectly positioned to break up the long run south. We only had a slight ocean roll from the south that night.
Anchorage at Promontorio Argentario: 42° 24.69’N by 011° 13.86’ E: Excellent holding in heavy sand right off the beach.
We left early the next day for the long (85 mile) run to Anzio. Arriving in the dark, we had done over fourteen hours of motor sailing and had finally reached our destination for the night about 2300. While in the middle of anchoring we saw a large boat heading directly toward us with a bright light shining on us and our American flag. We were clearly not locals. It was an Italian Coast Guard boat.
They pulled up beside us and put out their fenders. A suggestion that we might want to do the same! I guess they were planning on staying a while. When they realized we didn’t speak Italian they summoned the only English speaking officer who asked for our boat documentation and passports. Two officers retreated to the inside their boat. Two others were left to watch us. They asked if we were carrying guns. We said no.
For the next hour we stood on our deck while they went through our papers. Through their window we could see one of the officers on the phone with our passports open in front of him. The other was filling out forms.
In the meantime, what do with two Coast Guard officers who speak almost no English while we speak no Italian? We all took the fun approach! It is amazing how much communicating you can do with very little common language. 
By the end of the hour they were showing us pictures on their cell phones. One with the recent fish he had caught; the other his favorite spaghetti dish (with clams). One of them is originally from Sicily where we will be in two weeks. He told us to try the zucchini and spaghetti. The other has an uncle in New York City. By the time the first two officers came back on deck with our paperwork, the four of us on top were doing a photo shoot. Bob told them we are working with 4th and 5th grade classes and he would like to take a picture of the two boats tied together and them in uniform to share with the kids. We are very unsure how much of that they understood, but they said yes.
The English speaking officer explained that they are now stopping all foreign flagged boats. Our paperwork was fine and we were free to go. He said that normally they would board us and do a safety and environmental check but he believed we were ok. Very trusting, but he was right…
We finished getting Quintessa anchored and settled down below. We then laughed ourselves silly reviewing the events, as we enjoyed a glass of port with the end of the stilton we had on board. We then retired for the night after a long day.
Anzio Anchorage: 41° 26.95’N by 012° 38.39’ E: Good holding in mud near the town, just east of the harbor and north of the channel. Poor holding further to the east.
The next day we departed early for a full “day light day” sail to Gaeta to the east. One doesn’t usually think of going east when going down Italy’s coast but actually the coast line is oriented south-east and with the scalloped coastline there are long sections where you do go due east.
We pulled into the marina at Gaeta: Base Nautica Flavio Gioia. Try saying that on the radio three times! The marina is a large family run marina that welcomes cruisers and exudes friendliness and good ol’ hospitality. The marina is not fancy but it has a home style feel to it which we liked. We were charmed by one of the owners, Anna who now run the business together with her brother, Lucca. They are making continual improvements and have recently expanded the number of slips and added room for super yachts. Lucca is also expanding the marina’s reputation on the sail racing circuits by hosting a number of recent race events.