Brace the yards, unfurl the sails; with a whoosh and a puff of wind we were sailing at 4.1 knots. Not too bad considering we had 12 knots of wind to work with. This morning we awoke among the Aeolian Islands, named for the Greek god of the winds. We could clearly see the volcanic tips of Castello on our port side and Pecorini on our starboard side, poking out of the azure waters.
Our goal for the afternoon: explore Lipari and its fortified city. We took a casual stroll through the town before boarding coaches for a terrestrial circumnavigation of the island. A series of switchbacks brought us high up the flanks of the island to vantage points with breathtaking views. Returning to town, we walked to the cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of the islands, Saint Bartholomew. This stunning cathedral features a series of additions, reflecting the series of peoples that have dominated these islands over time.
The afternoon ended with a dip in the sea. We wrapped up our evening with a full moon illuminating the sporadic eruptions (volcanic hiccups?) of Stromboli. Another full day of sail and exploration.
