LOCALITIES 278 MARSALA • SICILY 284 TRAPANI • SICILY 446 Stromboli 290 SAN VITO LO CAPO • SICILY 296 CASTELLAMMARE DEL GOLFO • SICILY 302 PALERMO • SICILY 308 CEFALÙ • SICILY Territory: Tyrrhenian Sea & Ionian Sea 8 302 Palermo 314 CAPO D’ORLANDO • SICILY 320 MILAZZO • SICILY INTRODUCTION 326 MESSINA • SICILY 332 TAORMINA • SICILY 1 BEHIND THE SCENES OF 777 PILOT BOOKS 338 CATANIA • SICILY 3 OUR VALUES 344 SYRACUSE • SICILY 7 THE 777 CREW 350 MARZAMEMI • SICILY 458 Malta 8 TERRITORY: TYRRHENIAN SEA & IONIAN SEA 356 MAZARA DEL VALLO • SICILY SUPPLEMENTS 16 ITALIAN STYLE - NUVOLARI LENARD 362 SCIACCA • SICILY 20 MESSINA: THE CENTRE OF 368 AGRIGENTO • SICILY 24 THE BEST NAUTICAL STYLE 374 LICATA • SICILY MEDITERRANEAN NAVIGATION 34 THE BEST NAUTICAL TOOLS 26 THE SUCCESS OF CATAMARANS IN ITALIAN SEAS 380 RAGUSA • SICILY 44 ETIQUETTE AT SEA 36 MASSIMO TOSI: “THE NEW ERA 386 POZZALLO • SICILY 47 SAFETY ON BOARD: LIFE RAFTS 392 PANTELLERIA • SICILY OF ANTIFOULING FILM” 48 SAFETY ON BOARD: THE IMPORTANCE OF A 398 LAMPEDUSA • SICILY GOOD BATTERY 40 EASY HARBOR: THE APP FOR RENTING AND EXCHANG- Etiquette at sea 404 FAVIGNANA • SICILY ING BOAT MOORINGS AMONG PRIVATE OWNERS 44 410 USTICA • SICILY TECHNICAL SECTION 42 ZP DISSALATORI: THE FRESH WATER YOU ALWAYS WANTED FOR YOUR BOAT 416 FILICUDI • SICILY 504 DISTRESS SIGNALS 422 SALINA • SICILY 505 MARITIME BUOYAGE SYSTEM 428 LIPARI • SICILY 50 Cartography 506 CARDINAL MARKS CARTOGRAPHY 434 VULCANO • SICILY 507 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME SIGNAL FLAGS 440 PANAREA • SICILY 508 DAY AND NIGHT IDENTIFICATION OF VESSELS 510 RULES FOR MANOEUVRING 50 SICILY NORTH COAST 446 STROMBOLI • SICILY 452 GOZO 511 FLAGS OF THE WORLD 512 SOUND SIGNALS 96 SICILY EAST COAST 458 MALTA 514 ESSENTIAL GLOSSARY 130 SICILY SOUTH COAST 516 WEATHER SYSTEMS NSHORE ITINERARIES 524 THE CLOUDS 160 PELAGIE ISLANDS AND PANTELLERIA O 526 NAVIGATION BULLETINS 184 EGADI ISLANDS AND USTICA 530 BRIEF CHECK-LIST FOR CAREFREE SAILING 465 INTRODUCTION 531 SAFETY EQUIPMENT 206 AEOLIAN ISLANDS 466 SICILY 532 HARBOURMASTERS IN ITALY A land of infinite shades 236 MALTA, GOZO AND COMINO 533 SAR ORGANIZATION - SEARCH AND RESCUE 498 MALTA, GOZO AND COMINO 535 DOCUMENTS TO BE CARRIED ON BOARD 540 INDEX AND KEY TO SYMBOLS Islands of immense historical and cultural value 536 FORMALITIES AND INFO: ITALY - MALTA 4 | Pilot Book Pilot Book | 5 777 eruptions are rare. In Vulcano Island it is possible to bathe in the outdoor warm PXGSRROVDQGWDNHDGYDQWDJHRIWKHEHQHoWVRIWKHVXOSKXUPXG Currents Tyrrhenian Sea The western tip of Sicily divides the Atlantic current arriving from Gibraltar into two branches. One of them descends into the Strait of Sicily; the oth- er enters the Tyrrhenian Sea. This northern branch rarely runs along the Sicilian coast. Instead it tends to transit more North, straight from Cape S. Vito to the Italian coast. From there it continues North-West and generates the cyclonic circulation, i.e. anti-clockwise, that characterises the Tyrrhenian & Ionian Sea Sea. The point at which this current reaches Italy can vary: going from the Calabrian coast, where the Gulf of Naples lies, to the Lazio coast. South of this current branch, there remains enough space for a cell of anti-cyclonic current, i.e. clockwise, to generate. This current runs along the southern part of Calabria and westerly along most of the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily. However, this description is purely theoretical, since it does not take into account the action of winds, which always affect the situation. For instance, a Tyrrhenian Sea prolonged period of Mistral (W - NW) can hold the Atlantic current close to WKHQRUWKHUQ6LFLOLDQFRDVWWKXVGLYHUWLQJWKHFRDVWDOpRZWRZDUGVWKH(DVW The Tyrrhenian Sea is the wide basin enclosed by the West coast of Italy, the East coasts of Sardinia and Winds Corsica, and the North coast of Sicily. Among the seas that are part of the Mediterranean, it is the most re- On the northern (Tyrrhenian) side of Sicily, the winds that create the biggest cent one, and as such it is also the most geologically seas near the coast are those from the I and IV quadrants, i.e. mainly Gregale unstable. In the general section about Sicily we have (NE) and Mistral (NW). Conversely, Sirocco (SE) and Libeccio (SW) are seen that the southern stretch of this sea is crossed by those winds that make parents shout if their children are getting lost offshore the Tyrrhenian “Ring of Fire”. This sea extends up to ZLWKWKHLUUDIW'XHWRWKHVSHFLDOFRQoJXUDWLRQRIWKLVFRDVWUDWKHUKLJKRQ 300 miles both in latitude and in longitude. Its central average, winds tend to align with the coastline. As a result, it is common to portion comprises of a wide abyssal plain with an av- come across Levante (E) or Ponente (W). In settled weather, breezes blow erage depth of around 3300m, descending to 3700m from Gregale to Levante (NE and E) in the morning, and stabilise from in some trenches. Unlike the abyssal plain of the Sar- Ponente and Mistral (W and NW) in the afternoon. At night pleasant land GLQLDQ6HDZKLFKLVFRPSOHWHO\pDWWKH7\UUKHQLDQLV breezes blow. The whole area is generally rather windy, but it is not un- dotted with undersea mountains with often very steep common for the wind to abate. This can happen at anytime of the year, but walls that rise from the plain for a few thousand me- especially in winter and spring, or early in the morning in summer. This can ters. A few of these mountains reach the light and form coincide with a mist, sometimes thick. islands; for instance, the island of Ustica, probably one of the oldest, and the Aeolian Islands. Further North, MISTRAL. This wind from North-West is the ` lord `of the western Medi- the contour line reaches a depth of 2000m, as much as terranean. Along the northern coast of Sicily, its effect is mitigated both by between Ustica and Sicily. Next to Capo S.Vito a deep the distance from its natural “source” in the south of France, the Gulf of Lion submarine canyon almost reaches the shores of the and Carcassonne, and by the cumbersome presence of Sardinia. It is hence ridge. Conversely, the nearby Capo Gallo to the East rather rare that the Mistral here is as strong as it can be in the Sardinian Sea extends out into the sea for several miles with a signif- or in the Sea of Corsica. The only exception is the western part of Sicily, icant shoal. Apart from these exceptions, the shore- around the Egadi Islands, where it often blows with real strength. It is sta- line of the island is rather linear, aligned East – West, and, on this side of Sicily, cliffs slope steeply down to tistically more frequent in spring and summer, although I personally have 1000m depth. The Tyrrhenian Sea hides many volca- experienced its fury in late autumn, as I describe below. Only in the case of a noes in its abyss and although sailors may have a hard deep depression with its centre in the Ionian Sea, descending along the Tyr- WLPHLGHQWLI\LQJWKHPWKHWRROVRIVFLHQWLoFXQGHUVHD rhenian, would the Mistral reach this area. Alternatively, it can occur during research bring them to light. The Marsili volcano, for WKHoUVWSKDVHVRIDQDQWLF\FORQHDFURVVWKHHQWUDQFHWRWKHZHVWHUQ0HGL- instance, is a massive seamount which lies around 40 terranean. In this circumstance though, Mistral often gives way to Gregale. miles North of Alicudi. It is the biggest volcanic ridge in Europe. Together with Palinuro (30 miles NE of GREGALE. Like all winds from northerly quadrants, the Gregale is generally Marsili), Vavilov (100 miles SE of the Gulf of Naples) a “good weather wind”, even if sometimes, as for the Mistral, “good weather” and Magnani, it constitutes the underwater part of the Tyrrhenian “Ring of Fire”. In the Aeolian Islands, which are of volcanic origin, Stromboli and Vulcano are still active, and other volcanic phenomena occur, such as underwater fumaroles. Although very close to each other, these volcanos have different features. Mt. Stromboli, one of the most active in Europe, has ex- plosive eruptions occurring at intervals ranging from minutes to hours. These eruptions usually contain vol- canic bombs, ash, and stone blocks. Conversely, Vul- cano is characterised by the emission of gas and steam in the fumaroles and by the presence of sulphur. Real Filicudi Isola di Lipari 8 | Pilot Book Pilot Book | 9 CLIMATE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE MAIN The northern coast has a mild and temperate climate, with limited seasonal excursions PORTS AND MARINAS variations. In the east the climate is influenced by the proximity of the continent and the IN NAUTICAL MILES SICILY steep interior elevations: there is less wind, it rains more and in winter temperatures are Marsala - Petrosino 7 a little lower. In the west, however, the climate is much drier and milder even in the middle Marsala - Trapani 14 of winter, although the winds tend to be stronger and more frequent. Marsala - Favignana 8 NORTH COAST Trapani - San Vito lo Capo 19 WINDS Trapani - Levanzo Centro Storico 7 In summer the prevailing winds come from the west north west but storms are quite rare. San Vito lo Capo - Castellammare del Golfo 12 The sirocco, which often blows in winter and in the intermediate seasons, can be dange- rous although coming from the land. This is because it is accelerated by the contours of Castellammare del Golfo - Terrasini 12 the island and it can arrive quickly and with storm force raising a short and confused sea Terrasini - Isola delle Femmine 11 a short distance from shore. The levante winds are typical in winter and almost comple- Isola delle Femmine - Palermo Mondello 6 tely absent in summer. In the western zone between Capo San Vito and Marsala the Palermo Mondello - Palermo La Cala 6 winds are more often from the west and are generally more intense because of the Palermo La Cala - Santa Flavia 10 bottleneck of the Sicilian Channel (the distance between Marsala and Capo Bon in Palermo La Cala - Ustica Cala Santa Maria 37 Tunisia is only 77 miles).