Berkeley East Adventures
Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Larry & Mary
    • Berkeley East
  • Trips
    • 2025
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
    • 2009
    • 2008
    • 2007
    • 2006
    Cruising to the End of the World
    Mar 19, 2025
    Cruising to the End of the World
    Multiple Ways to Fall
    Mar 5, 2025
    Multiple Ways to Fall
    The Matterhorn was Calling
    Jul 3, 2024
    The Matterhorn was Calling
    It All Started with a Glass of Wine
    Jun 23, 2024
    It All Started with a Glass of Wine
    A Different Type of Exercise
    Jun 15, 2024
    A Different Type of Exercise
    Back In The Saddle
    Jun 9, 2024
    Back In The Saddle
    Paradise with an Ocean View
    Sep 8, 2023
    Paradise with an Ocean View
    The Business Trip
    Apr 30, 2023
    The Business Trip
    An Unexpected Adventure
    Feb 28, 2023
    An Unexpected Adventure
    Life After Cruising
    Jan 21, 2023
    Life After Cruising
    Thanks for the Memories
    Jun 4, 2022
    Thanks for the Memories
    The End of an Era
    Jan 30, 2022
    The End of an Era
    Time to retire
    Nov 16, 2021
    Time to retire
    The Homecoming
    Oct 21, 2021
    The Homecoming
    Our ship came in!
    Oct 5, 2021
    Our ship came in!
    The Final Farewell
    Sep 15, 2021
    The Final Farewell
    2020 Hindsight
    Aug 20, 2020
    2020 Hindsight
    Navigating a Pandemic
    Aug 4, 2020
    Navigating a Pandemic
    The new normal
    Oct 31, 2019
    The new normal
    Vessels of Freedom
    Sep 30, 2019
    Vessels of Freedom
    Out of Africa
    Sep 15, 2019
    Out of Africa
    Storm Watch
    Sep 8, 2019
    Storm Watch
    Full circle
    Sep 12, 2018
    Full circle
    The need for speed
    Aug 22, 2018
    The need for speed
    The road less traveled
    Aug 13, 2018
    The road less traveled
    Gunkholing the Maddalenas
    Aug 10, 2018
    Gunkholing the Maddalenas
    Last sail 2017
    Oct 1, 2017
    Last sail 2017
    The movie set
    Sep 21, 2017
    The movie set
    Ciao Bella!
    Sep 20, 2017
    Ciao Bella!
    And the sun sets on another great season in the Med
    Sep 20, 2017
    And the sun sets on another great season in the Med
    Summer was over
    Oct 15, 2016
    Summer was over
    The “Cool” Aunt
    Sep 28, 2016
    The “Cool” Aunt
    Flying in Venice
    Sep 21, 2016
    Flying in Venice
    Living in the hood
    Sep 21, 2016
    Living in the hood
    Change of plan
    Sep 24, 2015
    Change of plan
    Is this the Caribbean?
    Aug 24, 2015
    Is this the Caribbean?
    Hylas Rendezvous
    Jul 16, 2015
    Hylas Rendezvous
    You know you’re relaxed when…
    Jul 14, 2015
    You know you’re relaxed when…
    Land of ouzo and zucchini fritters
    Sep 11, 2015
    Land of ouzo and zucchini fritters
    Cocktails, sunsets and other stuff
    Sep 7, 2015
    Cocktails, sunsets and other stuff
    One more island
    Oct 2, 2014
    One more island
    From rubble to ruins
    Sep 9, 2014
    From rubble to ruins
    A country of contrasts
    Oct 1, 2013
    A country of contrasts
    Learning to live in Turkey
    Sep 1, 2013
    Learning to live in Turkey
    Saving the best for last
    Aug 28, 2013
    Saving the best for last
    When a plan comes together
    Aug 24, 2013
    When a plan comes together
    Reaching a Goal
    Aug 29, 2013
    Reaching a Goal
    Anchors Away
    Jul 29, 2013
    Anchors Away
    May 14, 2013
    A recap of 2012 cruising season and plan for 2013
    Greece, Finally.
    Oct 10, 2012
    Greece, Finally.
    A recap of 2011 cruising season and plan for 2012.
    Mar 24, 2012
    A recap of 2011 cruising season and plan for 2012.
    The End of the Season.
    Oct 9, 2011
    The End of the Season.
    Sorpresas (Surprises) in Sicily.
    Sep 12, 2011
    Sorpresas (Surprises) in Sicily.
    August in Italy
    Sep 4, 2011
    August in Italy
    2010 Recap – Our Third Year of Cruising.
    Mar 11, 2011
    2010 Recap – Our Third Year of Cruising.
    Finally, An Update.
    Dec 16, 2010
    Finally, An Update.
    Learning to Love Sangria
    Sep 1, 2010
    Learning to Love Sangria
    Festivals in Menorca
    Sep 1, 2010
    Festivals in Menorca
    LAND LOCKED
    Nov 1, 2009
    LAND LOCKED
    Summer in North Carolina and a New Plan For 2009 / 2010
    Sep 7, 2009
    Summer in North Carolina and a New Plan For 2009 / 2010
    Bluewater Marina
    Jun 1, 2009
    Bluewater Marina
    Back in Civilization
    May 25, 2009
    Back in Civilization
    Thanksgiving in the Caribbean
    Dec 1, 2008
    Thanksgiving in the Caribbean
    Caribbean Bound – Again
    Nov 17, 2008
    Caribbean Bound – Again
    Aug 11, 2008
    Back to Annapolis
    Flying through the Gulf Stream
    Jun 2, 2008
    Flying through the Gulf Stream
    Christmas in the Caribbean
    Dec 25, 2007
    Christmas in the Caribbean
    St. Thomas, Olga and the Bitter End
    Dec 19, 2007
    St. Thomas, Olga and the Bitter End
    St. John by Land and Sea
    Dec 10, 2007
    St. John by Land and Sea
    More of the British Virgin Islands
    Dec 3, 2007
    More of the British Virgin Islands
    Berkeley East Arrives
    Dec 15, 2006
    Berkeley East Arrives
    Visit to Queen Long
    Jul 6, 2006
    Visit to Queen Long
  • FAQs
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Countries
    • Antartica
    • Bermuda
    • Caribbean Sea
      • Bahamas
      • Bonaire
      • Caribbean Netherlands
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Saint Barts
      • Saint Vincent
    • Gibraltar
    • Mediterranean Sea
      • Croatia
      • France
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Montenegro
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Tunisia
    • Morocco
    • Norway
    • Portugal
      • Azores
    • SE ASIA
      • Cambodia
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bazil
      • Panama/Ecuador
      • Venezuela
    • Switzerland
    • Taiwan
    • Turkey
    • USA
  • Contact US
Berkeley East Adventures
  • Home
  • About
    • Larry & Mary
    • Berkeley East
  • Trips
    • 2025
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
    • 2009
    • 2008
    • 2007
    • 2006
  • FAQs
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Countries
    • Antartica
    • Bermuda
    • Caribbean Sea
      • Bahamas
      • Bonaire
      • Caribbean Netherlands
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Saint Barts
      • Saint Vincent
    • Gibraltar
    • Mediterranean Sea
      • Croatia
      • France
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Montenegro
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Tunisia
    • Morocco
    • Norway
    • Portugal
      • Azores
    • SE ASIA
      • Cambodia
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bazil
      • Panama/Ecuador
      • Venezuela
    • Switzerland
    • Taiwan
    • Turkey
    • USA
  • Contact US
Blog

From rocky horror to dead calm

posted by berkeleyeast
May 12, 2018 122 0 0
Share
From rocky horror to dead calm

Ponza, Italy

During our college days, we were fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Actually, we still are. We own the DVD and soundtrack of this musical-comedy about transvestites from Transylvania. We know the words to all the songs and can’t help but jump to our feet to dance “The Time Warp,” which is what we were doing seven years ago on Berkeley East when our peaceful anchorage in Ponza turned into a true rocky horror.

That dark August night, a violent, unexpected swell developed so quickly that we could not move BE out of the anchorage away from the crashing waves. Instead, we had to endure constant pounding that would have been more comfortable at sea than at anchor just a few yards from land. All we could do was hang on, hope that the anchor chain didn’t break, and distract ourselves with the quirky songs of the cult classic film. Later, we would learn that this is a common occurrence in Ponza, so much so that coastal restaurants close and boats are removed from the harbor at the first inkling of trouble.

So one might wonder why, after spending one of the worst nights of our cruising life in Ponza, would we risk a return to the island? There really was some logic to the madness. First, Ponza was the perfect distance and direction for our initial shakedown move of the season. Over the winter, a lot of work had been done on Berkeley East’s engine, and adjustments had been made to her sails. Ponza offered the opportunity to test everything without getting too far away in the event of a problem. The weather was also forecast to be mild, plus we were armed with local knowledge that we didn’t have that fateful night seven years ago, so we were smarter. Lastly, Ponza is one of the most beautiful islands we have ever seen and we wanted to visit in the offseason, with fewer boats and fewer people.

With our fears dissuaded, off we went to the Pontine Islands. BE performed beautifully on the passage; her engine purred, the sails looked great, a new coat of bottom paint increased her speed and we were in Ponza in record time. The forecast was accurate; conditions were calm, dead calm, giving us three days of relaxation. While the temperature was cold (no swimming) the skies were clear and unlike our last visit during the peak of summer, there were very few boats.

Ponza is the largest of the Pontine Island archipelago just three hours west of Rome. A cluster of former prison islands, the five volcanic Pontine islands are shrouded in history and encircled by pristine water. Dramatic rock cliffs, secluded white beaches and hidden sea grottos make it a popular Italian tourist destination; when Romans need a break, they sail to the Pontines.

We took the dinghy around the coast, hiked the interior, had leisurely lunches ashore, and sailed to neighboring Palmarola. And we constantly, religiously, incessantly, checked the weather. Nights were so still; it was eerie. But we still slept with one foot on the floor, ready to move, just in case.


PREVIOUS COMMENTS

28 Jun 2018

Vanessa

Well…you knew about it and all. Is too, twice. I have spent 3 nights at anchor there and slept one. And will likely go again.Add A CommentNewerOlderContents

2018Italy
Share

Previous

Our little town

Next

When in Rome…

You Might Also Like

Blog
Feb 24, 2009

Carnival

Carriacou, Grenada We got wind of carnival starting in Carriacou, so we checked out of the Grenadines and headed...

Read More
0 0
Blog
Sep 15, 2019

Out of Africa

Sardinia, Italy After a stormy night in Pantelleria, we pulled the dock lines just as the sky began to brighten,...

Read More
0 0

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Copyrights © 2021 Voyager. All Rights Reserved
Back top