Today we were able to visit two of the three Egadi Islands that lie just off the west coast of Sicily. We anchored at sunrise off Favignana, famous for its tuna fishing and its annual Mattanza, a traditional community tuna harvest. The small town, which we approached by Zodiac, was preparing for the weekly Saturday market. This was a leisurely morning after our visit to Erice yesterday. There was a choice of hiking, swimming, or simply strolling around the town.
During lunch the Caledonian Star repositioned to the smaller island of Marettimo, where a number of trails have recently been opened into the surrounding countryside. The energetic walkers took a four-mile round trip hike to Case Romane, a well-preserved defensive work dating from Roman times, which stands on a small promontory along the coast. This walk along the cliffs provided spectacular views of the other islands, the port and the Caledonian Star. We also explored the remains of a tiny Byzantine church of the 12th Century along the way. The hike ended, appropriately enough, in the piazza of the small town for cocktails.
A deck barbecue dinner gave everyone the opportunity to view a spectacular Mediterranean sunset as we sailed to our most southerly destination so far, Gozo.
