Summer was over

Fano, Italy

The last day of the season is always bittersweet, and this year was no exception. After six months of living, and cruising, on Berkeley East, we are typically ready for a break, but we are never, really, ready to let go of the life completely. It was nearly October and we were on the east coast of Italy. The air and water were getting chilly, so shorts, afternoon swims and balmy evenings looking at the stars, had been replaced by sweaters and quiet nights tucked into the warmth of BE’s cabin. The wind had become more erratic, and there was rain, lots and lots of rain.

So with one last early morning departure from Ravenna, we were off to Fano, Italy, where we would leave Berkeley East for her seventh winter in the Mediterranean. It was an eight-hour sail and we wanted to arrive as close to high tide as possible, as the entrance to the marina in Fano is very shallow. BE had touched bottom in Fano several years before, so we knew first-hand the importance of timing.

A sunrise departure is always beautiful, almost worth enduring a cold dawn in autumn, well almost. We were lucky to have enough wind to sets BE’s sails one last time before removing and storing them from the harsh winter elements. It was sunny, and peaceful, with very few boats on the move. All in all, it was a pleasant end to a fantastic season. From Turkey through Greece to Italy, a few months in Croatia, time in Venice, and even a land trip to San Marino.

As we approached Fano and Marina Dei Cesari, we called on the radio to our winter host, Multinatic. “Bongiorno, was the reply,” what a welcome sound. Soon, a tender was sent out to lead Berkeley East through the narrow, shallow entrance. After much weaving to stay in the deeper areas, we breathed a sigh of relief having seen nothing less than 8.8 feet on the depth sounder, meaning BE had more than a foot of water under her keel all the way to her temporary berth.

It was a strange feeling to be docking in Fano after having spent the past three winters in Turkey. Familiar surroundings and recognizable faces were replaced by newness and uncertainty. But the enthusiasm and friendliness of the Italians was so comforting that we quickly settled into our new home to prepare Berkeley East for hauling.

Marina Dei Cesari is small, and the boatyard there would be considered tiny, in comparison to our previous winter marina in Turkey. Until recently Wally, makers of stylish high-tech, high-performance yachts had a shipyard there for constructing their large composite craft. This facility is now used by Azimut/Benetti to build luxury power yachts that are launched by Multinatic, BE’s winter caretakers. Ferretti/Pershing also launch and commission their high-speed luxury yachts in Fano.

Intimidating company for a little boat like BE, but we quickly realized that while Berkeley East was a small fish in an exclusive pond, she would still be treated like a big catch. Within days of our arrival, barriers were moved to extend the boat yard into the parking lot, and fences were put in place to secure BE’s resting spot during the winter months, a prime position with a gorgeous view.

While the next two weeks were spent doing all our usual winter chores on Berkeley East, we also tried to get reacquainted with Fano. A small town in the Marche region of Italy, Fano is about 200 miles south of Venice. Known as Fanum Fortunae in Roman times, today it is a popular coastal resort and one of the most important fishing ports in the Adriatic. There are many sites to visit in Fano, but it is not your typical tourist town. English is definitely a second language; so Google translate quickly became our best friend. We will spend the winter months polishing our Italian skills.

Walking away from BE at the end of the season is tough, but the cold, rainy weather made it clear that summer was definitely over, and it was time to go home. We had reached our goal of returning to Italy, and we did it without overstaying our Schengen visa, which was a real accomplishment. Next year Spain!

Thanks to Lucia and Matteo for this beautiful Fano sunset picture