2017

Procida, Italy One of the things we enjoy most about Italy is the architecture. At first glance, towns often look like drab, unappealing boxes but at sunset, the dull and dreary come to life creating beautiful pastel paintings. But the island of Procida was a surprise. Its architecture is alive all the time with a […]

Naples, Italy We had been anchored off Naples for four days, thinking about how many times we had heard it described as grimy, gritty and tattered. Just the week before, friends from home said it was too rough for their taste. Yet, there we were, in Italy’s third-largest city, and its beauty mesmerized us. Ciao […]

Ischia, Italy October was quickly approaching, time to take Berkeley East into her winter marina. One more week afloat, what should we do? We have been known to cross oceans in just a weeks’ time, and from our position in Procida, Italy, we could easily sail to many places in seven days, and seven nights. […]

Capri, Italy The Isle of Capri is one of the most visited places in Italy. Its breathtaking landscapes, sheer cliffs, rocky caves and deep blue water have been an inspiration to poets, lovers and travelers throughout the centuries. We were looking forward to seeing the island again, but this time in the “off season” rather […]

Galli Islands, Italy We don’t typically go somewhere just for a photo op, but after seeing a picture of Italy’s Dolphin Island, Li Galli, we couldn’t resist. Off the Amalfi Coast, Li Galli is a small, private archipelago made up of three atolls between Capri and Positano. The island is also known as Le Sirenuse, […]

Amafi Coast, Italy We’ve cruised the Amalfi Coast on Berkeley East. It is stunning from the water, but we have always heard that one must drive the Amalfi Coast Road and see the spectacular views from the land. So that’s what we did. We decided to get a driver/tour guide so we could both enjoy […]

Salerno, Italy Bad weather often leads us to places we would not ordinarily go, and when a storm was brewing near Italy’s famed Amalfi Coast, we ducked Berkeley East into a marina south of Salerno for cover. So what is there to do near Salerno? Visit a buffalo mozzarella farm of course. Lately, we have […]

Palinuro, Italy It seemed like August of 2017 would never end. The heat, the crowds, there was no relief. Then came a stop in Capo Palinuro, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy where the Cilento National Park meets the sea. The cruising guide said “only in settled weather.” The seas were calm, as was the […]

Cetraro, Italy As we were moving Berkeley East north, we saw smoke in the distance. It looked as though our destination was north of the fire, and the wind was blowing south, so we figured we were clear. Hours later, we could see flames, fire on the mountain behind our planned anchorage. And as we […]