Life on board is relaxing and it provides unforgettable experiences since reaching some of Sicily’s most beautiful cities by yacht does not provide the same sensations as when landing in by aeroplane or driving in by car. The best way to begin a sailing tour around Sicily is from the historical centre on the Island of Ortigia, Syracuse. The base port in Syracuse is situated on the eastern coast of Sicily and is one of Sicily’s main attractions due to its archaeological zone and historical testimony and also being a centre of industry and commerce.

Moreover, the broad waterfront of the Island of Ortigia, is an ideal place from which to appreciate the unique panoramic view of Porto Grande that witnessed great battles and it is ideal for a point of departure for a sailing Sicily tour. Syracuse has two ports to yachting, the main one being Porto Grande and the other one being Porto Piccolo (otherwise known as Porto Marmoreo). The most profitable thing was that the Sleep in Sicily travel agency offered us a 50% discount the night before embarkation and the night of disembarkation for the chosen bed and breakfast in its franchising.

Syracuse and its Province attract tourists for the high quality tourist services, beautiful coasts and historical remains; moreover the area’s scenery and architecture provide a spectacular backdrop. Amongst the most famous marine localities are Noto, Avola, Capo Passero, Fontane Bianche, Arenella, Marzamemi, Brucolii e Angone Bagni.

On the sailing yacht heading south from Syracuse and surpassing Cape Murro di Porco, one will arrive to the outstanding protected marine nature reserve of Plemmirio (Maddalena Peninsula). Plemmirio faces Ortigia and apart from nesting Greek remains, it boasts enchanting caves and a seabed rich in fauna typical of the Mediterranean hence making it ideal for divers. Moreover its landscape is marked by typical Mediterranean vegetation, especially by the dwarf palm tree. Proceeding coastwise, one reaches the beautiful sandy beach of Arenella, then Fonatne Bianche bay, to then proceed to Avola coast, which is the extension of the town Avola where typical prehistoric Sicilian tombs are found. The itinerary continued to Marina di Noto, which is the seaside extension of Noto, otherwise known as the Baroque City and is also listed in UNESCO world heritage. Along the coast south of Siracusa is the superb Vendicari nature reserve, which is southernmost of all Italian reserves made up of marshy areas and various sea outlets; hence it is an area rich in flora and fauna.

Proceeding along the coast, one reaches the charming and quiet seafaring village of Marzamemi (from Arab meaning harbour of doves) equipped with berthing facilities, to then proceed to visit the nearby Pachino with the Cave of Calafarina amongst its natural attractions and to taste the Mediterranean cuisine decorated with the famous Pachino tomatoes. From Pachino one can proceed to the Southeastern end of Sicily, Capo Passero that is a paradise for divers, ideal for a relaxing holiday and excellent for historical sightseeing. In front of Portopalo there is the little Island of Capo Passero and right between the isle and Sicily is the strategic point for tunny fishing and an attraction for bird watching. Furthermore, for those who wish to sail farther, at a distance of 90 km there is the beautiful Island of Malta with its archipelago to wonder about the Islands’ prehistory remains, go back over the footsteps of St Paul and find out where the Knights of St John defended Christendom.

This is only a page of our onboard diary and cannot wait to embark again!

For more details on SICILY CHARTER, SAILING AROUND SICILY, SAILING YACHTS here: http://www.sicilycharter.blogspot.com/

For more details on SICILY TOUR, SICILY HOTELS, SICILY TRAVEL here: http://www.sleepinsicily.com/

Boats are a fine part of any man’s retirement. They give us something to do, offer us new places to see and keep us active mind, body and spirit. We in turn need to care for our boats. Repair and maintenance, proper crewing and proper financing including boat insurance are all things that we need to do to keep our boats safe.

Everyone needs something to do. When we retire far too many of us lose our will to keep striving. All of us, need to feel needed, we need to feel like we are doing something worthwhile. For women, this is often simply the continuation of home life and domestic tranquility that made up most of their lives.

Men on the other hand live their lives with a goal. We work for fifty or more years striving to bring home the bacon. Having a goal in front of us is necessary for our psyche. Many men simply die after retiring because they have nothing to do.

Having a boat gives a man something to do. Keeping it in good repair, learning the skills needed to keep it sailing smoothly and keeping track of the finances including things like boat insurance keeps them sharp.

A boat can take you places you have never been before and no two sunrises are the same at sea. You will travel to new places and meet new people, something that will keep anyone young at heart.

Nearly everywhere even inland states have places for someone to enjoy boating. Even if you are on a small lake you will get a different perspective. If you are on the ocean you will find another whole life. The best parts of life still need financial maintenance like mooring fees, licensing and boat insurance.

When we are active we are happier. A man with something to do, a purpose to life is a man who will live longer. Some men can do little things, reading, golfing, fishing from the dock or making a model. These things are all fine activities; I enjoy them myself.

Some need more to do. A boat is a good step down for some. It does not require too much of your time but just enough. Little things like checking on the lanyards or the boat insurance can keep you young and happy in spirit.

Discover important advice and information about boat insurance. What deals should you look for? And what should you avoid. Click http://www.boat-insurance-comprehensive.com/

Cruise lines are one the most attractive options for vacationers and adventurers. They seem glamorous and attractive to job seekers too. Cruise lines offer a variety of job openings for hundreds of people with varied skills. Managing and running a cruise line is no joke. The jobs are similar to service industries like hotels. Cruise lines jobs are good for adventurous and interactive people.

Apart from work, employees get to travel to many locations which might be unaffordable otherwise. It is fun for people who like to meet new people and committed to please others. Food, accommodation, the journey back to home and many other facilities are provided and one gets to save a lot of money. One can also do it in between other jobs for change and fun as it is based on a contract for a particular time period.

Larger cruise lines have specific positions for specific tasks while smaller ones may have one person doing many things. Since cruise lines are like cities compact with all kinds of services, they require people with all kind of skills. There are many entry level jobs like hairdressers, hostesses, musicians, dance troupes, technicians, therapists, disc jockeys, lifeguards, housekeepers and so on. Higher positions have officers, captain and other management staff who are highly skilled and paid very well.

Health is an important consideration. People prone to sea sickness are wise to avoid taking up a job on a cruise line as the sea can be turbulent any time. Entry level workers may feel confined in shared and small rest places. Most cruise lines demand a contract for few months without any holiday. Physical fitness is very important as work is quite demanding without holidays after the voyage starts. Pay scales vary in different cruise lines. The more advanced the skills required, the higher is the pay. It also depends on quality, size and standards of a cruise line.

Cruise lines are a fast growing industry with increasing demand for manpower. To most people it seems to be a very attractive and glamorous job opportunity. However, one must look at the pros and cons before entering such jobs. Because once you are on sea, whatever may come, you have to be there.

Cruise Lines provides detailed information on Cruise Lines, Cruise Line Jobs, Cruise Line Ratings, Luxury Cruise Lines and more. Cruise Lines is affiliated with Working On Cruise Ships.

So what is a Tall Ship really? Well, I really had a hard time finding that out. If a boat is capable of traveling on the open seas, then it’s generally accepted as a ship. It seems that a Tall Ship needs to have at least two masts. Tall Ships are traditionally rigged sailing vessels that have more than 30-ft. (9.14 m) waterline length. I think that is pretty close to all the defining characteristics.

Over the years, many tall ships from all over the world have visited Victoria. I believe that this is the first time the Tall Ship Festival has been held in Victoria. On Thursday June 23, 2005 approximately 30 Tall Ships started gathering near the entrances to Esquimalt Harbour and Victoria Harbour. I thought I would get an early start to avoid any anticipated crowds. My target was the Victoria Breakwater protecting the Inner Harbour. My grandaughter and I went about an hour and a half early to find that that thousands of people had the idea long before me. I managed to find a parking spot and worked my way out on to the breakwater.

There was an endless stream of people along the half-mile stretch of breakwater that extends into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the end was covered with Tall Ship fans. Soon the boats started sailing toward the breakwater.

The show continued until around 1:00 PM when the first ship entered the Victoria Inner Harbour. The Pacific Swift, a Victoria based Tall Ship was the first. The two largest ships, the Russian vessel Pallada and the Mexican vessel Cuauhtemoc had to wait until the evening high tides to enter because of their large draft.

Victoria’s Inner Harbour was teeming with interesting activity as Sea Planes tried to maintain their commercial schedules, Harbour Ferries scooted around, the Coho Ferry tried to leave on time, kayakers everywhere, all manner of pleasure craft coming and going - and all the while, more than 30 Tall Ships docking. The Victoria harbour master, who was orchestrating all this traffic must have had rock solid nerves.

I did not attend the first full day of the Festival, but heard it did have some big hick-ups. The large crowds that attended created huge line- ups everywhere. The organizers addressed the issues and Saturday, when Linda and I attended, went a lot better. The lines were long in the morning but shrunk in the afternoon. There was a lot to see and do. The biggest line-ups were to see the Pallada and the Cuauhtemoc.

We were standing in line to see the Cuauhtemoc when someone called out to say that they were looking for 30 people to visit the Zodiac. The Zodiac was the 3rd largest vessel and due to the low tide, it was a bit hidden. We walked down and were the first people to go on the Zodiac. It was a beautiful and built for the people who became wealthy in manufacturing. The Zodiac was designed to epitomize the speed and grace of the historic North American fishing schooners and was modeled on the Blue Nose (made famous on the Canadian dime).

The line for the Cuauhtemoc had shrunk some, so we joined it. It moved along reasonably well, but it did take an hour to get to the 2nd largest vessel in the Festival.

The Cuauhtemoc is a training tall ship for the Mexican Navy. It was built in Bilbao, Spain July 29, 1982.The Cuauhtemoc is known as the “Ambassador and Gentleman of the Seas”. Generations of officers have trained on it and it has sailed approximately 400,000 miles so far. It is huge, 90 meters in length, 12 meters wide, with 23 sails. It can move at 9 knots under sail and 17 knots under power.

The 23 sails are supported by a tremendous amount of rigging. The wire cables all are covered with soft material (made from frayed rope) to prevent the cables from tearing the sails in the wind. The sailors call it saggy wrinkles.

Someone asked me why you needed to board the vessels as you can see most of the ship from the street above. The features throughout the ship are truly amazing as demonstrated by the immaculately finished wood shown below. There are lots of displays, rigging, brass, wood and interesting equipment on the ship.

The staff on the ship was decked out in traditional navy whites and all were very friendly and accommodating. Most were young men and trainees.
The Cuauhtemoc - Linda with three of the finest.

In addition to the sites on shore, the harbour was full of activity and the many perches on the ship offered a great view of the harbour activity.

Ron Kirstein is the owner of a Canadian Travel & Tourism Web
site (since 1995). Ron has traveled the length and breadth
of Vancouver Island BC Canada in search of
adventures; see http://tourismmall.victoria.bc.ca/travelmagazine