The circumnavigation of Corsica through storms
The circumnavigation of Corsica through storms
Approaching the Archipelago of Maddalena at rough sea
Approaching the Archipelago of Maddalena at rough sea
The circumnavigation of Corsica through storms
The circumnavigation of Corsica through storms
Approaching the Archipelago of Maddalena at rough sea
Approaching the Archipelago of Maddalena at rough sea
By Thomas P.

Leaving the islet of Razzoli and the archipelago of La Maddalena at our stern, our bow turned northwest. Just 4 nautical miles separated us from the Lavezzi archipelago which is also the southernmost point of Corsica.

The Lavezzi Archipelago is located on the eastern side of the Strait of Bonifacio and is, on average, one nautical mile from the south-eastern tip of Corsica.
This small archipelago consists of two main islands, Lavezzi, from where the name of the archipelago comes, and Cavallo, which is located a little further north.
Between and around these islands are dozens of other islets and countless clusters of scattered rocks, which make this entire sea area one of the most difficult and dangerous in the Mediterranean. It is enough to take a look at the nautical chart and we will find that the entire archipelago is strewn with an incredibly large number of scattered rocks, which carry many dangers. It is a real "minefield" of rocks, dry areas and shallows, among which we must constantly maneuver in order to manage to enter a cove. All this makes navigation very difficult, but they make up an unprecedented, but also particularly impressive scenery.

At the Bonifacio Lighthouse

Before approaching the islet of Lavezzi, we headed a mile and a half further south where the impressive mid-ocean lighthouse protects boats from the shoals around, while also showing the course they should follow. It is a cylindrical lighthouse built on a large dry land and rises about ten meters from the surface of the sea, where painted with red and black parallel lines it says in white vertical letters "Lavezzi". It is located approximately in the middle of the Strait of Bonifacio and seems to emerge from the sea.

A little further down from the lighthouse are the borders of Corsica from Sardinia and, by extension, the borders of France from Italy. South of the lighthouse the depths do not exceed 70 meters, while north of it, in the direction of Lavezzi Island, the seabed becomes significantly shallower and reaches even three meters in some places. It is also characteristic that throughout the width of the Strait of Bonifacio, which extends to a width of approximately 7 nautical miles, but also throughout its length, which does not exceed 7 nautical miles, the depths vary from 40 to 70 meters, while away from the strait, either east or west, they gradually begin to increase.

The prevailing winds in the Strait of Bonifacio during the summer months are westerly and often exceed 5 Beaufort. It's quite rare to hit the strait in peace, so we were perfectly content with the foursome that prevailed that day and allowed us to sail carefree through this famous strait.
After being in the middle of it for some time, bringing rides around the mid-ocean lighthouse, at some point we turned our bow to the north, heading slowly and exploratory towards the islet of Lavezzi.

 

Approaching Lavezzi Island

With a perimeter of less than three nautical miles, Lavezzi islet is a very special and special place for the entire Mediterranean. With completely unspoiled landscapes, since the entire archipelago has been a national park since 1982 and is protected by strict regulations, it is an uninhabited island where we can live for a while like Robinson Crusoe. After all, this is one of the reasons why hundreds of people visit it every day, either with tourist boats or with their own boats.

Of course, the charm of the island is not only due to the moments of isolation it offers you, but mainly stems from its incredible rock formations, between which we find small channels that lead to Lilliputian beaches and unique coasts with amazing waters that remind us of exotic places .

The whole island is a pile of smooth rocks stacked on top of each other, forming low hills. They look as if some human hand has piled them up, but they are one of nature's admirable works.
These rocks, sculpted by the winds and salt, have such a smooth and rounded contour, with large indentations in their "sothics", that they often take fantastic shapes and strange forms.

All of them make up an incredibly charming scene, completely different from what the eye is used to seeing, giving you the feeling of being in another world. A true paradise for walking, swimming and, of course, an incredible diving destination.

If we look at the nautical chart, we will find that there are four bays on the island. Two on the north-east side of the island facing the grego, and two on the south-west side facing the garbi. With a more careful observation, however, we will also distinguish a cove on the northwest side, which is formed by the northern end of the island and by many scattered large and small rocks. This bay is called Cala Chiesa and its large entrance faces the north.

For no particular reason, we started our wander around Lavezzi Island from this cove. Entering its entrance, the first feeling we got was that we were trapped in an area filled with dozens of rocks that sprouted from everywhere. Small and narrow channels are formed between them, which most often lead to dead ends. At one point we saw a mast that stood out among the low rocks. So we started looking for the passage that would lead us to the place where this sailboat was anchored.

We were quite uncomfortable among this ... rocky maze, and there was always one of us in front of the bow of the inflatable to control the situation, as we often scraped through the smooth rocks that jutted out here and there. But we were living an unprecedented experience that really fascinated us. Our speed did not exceed three knots and with eyes wide open we observed everything around our course. Finally, after many zigzags, we emerged into a very narrow channel which led us to where the sailboat was moored.
Our persistence was rewarded in the best way since we found ourselves in a small natural pool with amazing green waters. The depth did not exceed two meters and the bottom was covered with sand, while the scattered low rocks around delimited this hidden and - very limited in area - natural pool. As much as three or four inflatables could fit in this space, which seemed completely unreal.

We anchored at Arodo and all together indulged in an exploratory - more - swim. What really impressed us were the schools of fish that passed indifferently in front of our eyes. Huge bream and sardines of kilos came fearlessly so close to us that we could almost touch them.


We were in a real aquarium and watched in amazement this great movement of fish, which reminded us of very old times in our own seas. Of course, the Lavezzi Islands are a strictly protected marine and terrestrial national park, something that seems to be respected and protected by all Corsicans without exception.

We swam here and there, in the narrow channels created between the rocks that were scattered in the row, some of which even led to very small sandy beaches. But the depths were prohibitive, even for inflatables. Only one channel leading to the larger beach looked like it would allow us to cross, but at some point it was too shallow. Investigating this passage with the mask, we noticed that at that point the bottom was covered with long algae. So, very carefully, we took the inflatable and drove it through this passage, finally coming out onto the very beautiful golden sand beach.

On the western side of the beach, the low scattered rocks completely protect from the maistro, while on the eastern side there is a rather high hill which is also a strange gathering of several separate smooth rocks. With deep crevices, holes and small caves between them, they create strange formations that often take the form of human heads or whole animals. A hill that challenged you to climb to the top, which was very easy anyway.
So, very quickly we found ourselves walking on the smooth rocks and soon we were enjoying from above an impressive sight towards the small pool and the golden sandy beach that we had the inflatable, but also towards the surrounding rocks and islets that overwhelm the wider area.
We returned to our little beach and looked like castaways in a heavenly and mysterious place. We were all alone and there was no way another boat would approach.

We unanimously decided to spend the night here and continue exploring the island on foot. Something for which the island offers itself, since there are paths everywhere that lead to every part of it. Its area is so small, that there is no way we would need more than an hour to reach all its coves and caves.

 

Following his paths

After sorting out the inflatable, we took the sandy path that runs along the west side of the island in a southerly direction. The whole of this side of the island is flat, about the same height as the sea, and looks like a large field. Moving through the rather tall grasses, in a few minutes we reached the south side of the island, Achiarina cove.
At the mouth of the bay, a wonderful wide sandy beach is formed, which is certainly the most beautiful of the island. Equally wonderful and unique is the entire bay, which is surrounded by the characteristic low hills made up of independent smooth rocks. It is a fairly large bay, completely protected from the westerly winds and usually hosts several boats that anchor here.

At the western end of the bay dominates a small pyramid, a monument of sadness, which reminds us of the place where the worst maritime tragedy in the history of the Mediterranean took place. It was here that the wooden frigate Semillante broke and finally sank, on the night of February 15, 1855. The Semillante had set sail 24 hours before, from Toulon, and had a crew of 750 men. She was bound for Sevastopol and was carrying reinforcements for the Crimean War, but was hit by a severe storm in the Straits of Bonifacio. None of the passengers were saved. Several were lost at sea, but most were found and buried in the two cemeteries of the island. One of them is located on the western side of the sandy beach of Achiarina bay, and the other in the adjacent Giunco bay.
We returned to the inflatable and spent the rest of the day cleaning it. After inspecting all the tabukis and arranging things again in their proper places, before night fell we prepared a macaroni, which we enjoyed with white wine, nestled in our secret shelter.

The next morning dawned a gray day, filled with clouds. We set out to get to know the rest of the island, this time taking the path that leads to its eastern side.
This side, unlike the western side, is rocky and characterized by the low and very characteristic hills. Soon we came out into the narrow cove of Greco, so called because its entrance faces the greco. On its western side is an iron wharf, where the tourist boats arriving from Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio catch and bring visitors to the island. For this reason, large wooden lofts have been built on the rocks, which facilitate the disembarking and boarding of visitors. A little further on is a small gazebo, where we found shelter as a short summer storm had broken out.

On the iron floating platform of Greco Bay, we can moor and spend the night in safety, since it is the best shelter of the island from the west and north-west winds that usually prevail in the summer months. It is enough to approach in the afternoon, after the departure of the tourist boats.
A strip of land of a few tens of meters, separates Greco Cove from Giunco Cove, located to the south.

In this lane is also the second cemetery that houses the graves of the unfortunate soldiers from the wreck of the Semillante.

The path continues close to the mouth of Giunco bay and, proceeding to the west side of the island's southeast cape, takes us to its big red lighthouse. In the white two-story building behind the lighthouse live the lighthouse keepers, who are also the only inhabitants of the island.
With our visit to the lighthouse we completed our enjoyable walks on the island and, filled with new and mostly unprecedented images, we returned to the inflatable.

In the island Cavallo

It was still midday and, without haste, we carefully left our shelter to visit Cavallo Island, which is also the largest of the Lavezzi Archipelago. It is only half a mile north of Lavezzi, but this entire sea area is dotted with dozens of clusters of small rocks. Only a narrow channel, only three hundred meters, is "clear" between these two islets, towards which we moved as soon as we spotted it on the map.

The marina and the small settlement of Cavallo Island are to the south, and we could see them clearly from where we were. But in front of the mouth of the marina there are many scattered rocks, which spread over a large area and make its approach impossible. We moved quite east until we found ourselves in a narrow channel, which leads to the entrance of the marina and is located to the southeast of it.
We were now marking the green light of the marina and still going at a very slow speed, observing everything around us. We approached the long and massive breakwater that protects the marina from southerlies, slowly entering through its narrow west-facing entrance.

We were surprised to see a wonderful and huge marina, which would be more suited to a big and famous island. And yet, we were on a very small island. Of course, our question was solved a little later when we were informed that Cavallo is not an ordinary or any islet. It is essentially a private island of billionaires...

Some of the richest people in the world have their summer homes here. In the winter it remains uninhabited, but in the summer its population reaches 2,000 inhabitants, with clearly more Italians. Only 30% are French and of course all very rich, a fact that is immediately noticeable, since all over the island we find ultra-luxurious villas with large wonderful gardens, many of which also have their own private beach.

A true earthly paradise for only a privileged few.
The villas are in perfect harmony with the environment, even though they do not follow specific architectural lines.

Very sparsely built one from the other, made of local stone or painted in earthy colors, they are all one-story and level enough that you can distinguish their roofs among the low and smooth rocks of the island. Walking around the island, admiring the amazing houses and their surroundings, is an incredible experience. This is also the reason why Cavallo is a separate island, a closed society of rich and privileged people. Without any doubt, it is one of the most elegant and exclusive corners of the Mediterranean.

For quite some time we brought rides into the marina, admiring its excellent construction. It occupies a large space and is filled with the luxurious boats of the islanders. It consists of two long wooden piers running from east to west, where three separate floating platforms start from the second one, parallel to each other. All of them are particularly wide and in their center are covered with colored carpets, several tens of meters long.


From the east and south the marina is protected by two massive breakwaters, which form a right angle between them. On the inner side of the breakwaters is the very wide quay, ideal for strolling alongside the beautiful boats. Around the marina stretches the small settlement, consisting of private villas, which are the only two- and three-story buildings on the island.
The most central point of the settlement is a small square located in front of the marina. Here is also the unique cafe that offers a very beautiful view in an absolutely peaceful environment. Two restaurants, a market, the yacht club and a diving center are all unique spaces that serve the needs of the residents mainly.

But it is also worth mentioning the ultra-luxurious hotel complex des Pecheurs, located a few meters east of the marina.
Entering through its impressive entrance you face a huge glass window overlooking the very small cove, surrounded by the low and smooth rocks of the coast, forming a natural pool of unique beauty. Here there is also a small wooden dock, where they can tie up some inflatables or the guests' tenders. On the rocks that define this small natural pool are built the low stone houses of the hotel which, with their overhanging wooden balconies and brown French windows, look like fairytales.

 

Walking around

We decided to first circumnavigate the island and then tie up in a cove to wander around its small hinterland. The perimeter of Cavallo does not exceed four nautical miles, and is characterized by strongly laced coasts that form several and large bays, always compared to its size. The entire island, however, is surrounded by countless clusters of rocks, which often make it impossible to approach its shores. It takes a lot of attention and absolute dedication to be able to enter its bays, entering which is often a real feat.

Coming out of the mouth of the marina, among the scattered rocks, there are two very small sandy beaches with green waters, where only inflatable boats can approach.

We turned a little off the coast and headed to the west side of the island. In the whole of this side, which extends to a distance of a little more than half a mile, four bays are formed, but without particularly beautiful sandy beaches.

The most beautiful parts of the island are on its north and east side, where most of the villas are built.

Turning to the north side, we slowly entered the large cove of Greco. It is a very beautiful bay with green waters, in which several small sandy beaches are formed. We got quite close to its bow when some people on board a workboat informed us that anchoring was prohibited. So we limited ourselves to just a short walk inside the bay, speechless by the unimaginably beautiful villas we saw among the rocks of the low hills. Without having any architectural relation to each other, they are truly a feast for the eyes.
On the eastern side of the island there are still two large bays. We entered the first one we met, named Zeri. Here, too, there are beautiful dwellings all around, whose roofs just protrude from the low vegetation, while anchoring is also permitted. At the mouth of the bay is a very beautiful and long sandy beach, on the south side of which there is a long narrow concrete jetty.

We tied up temporarily and decided to walk to the second cove of Palma, then down to the settlement and marina. After all, the total distances are very short.
A little beyond the pier where we moored is a plain, where an airstrip for small and rather private boats was under construction. Tennis and soccer facilities are also nearby. We took one of the wide dirt roads that lead to the various parts of the island and passed a car park. Of course, do not imagine cars, since they are prohibited on the island. It was a parking lot where there were small electric cars, like the ones you see on golf courses. We found that each residence had one or two such cars, with which their owners move around the island. In fact, each of them carries a small sticker map of the island, on which is written the Greek name "Kallisti" in Latin letters, as well as a two-digit number.

Very soon we went out to Palma bay which is also the most charming spot of the island. A wonderful beach is formed at its mouth, which is paved with pure white sand. The waters are enchanting and the small well-shaped bay looks like a large natural pool. On its eastern side are some of the most beautiful villas of the island, whose small gardens lead to small private sandy beaches. A real oasis of beauty and elegant luxury, where the houses stand out among the smooth rocks and the big bushes.

We climbed onto the large rock located at the western end of the beach and admired for a long time the fabulous scenery that spread around us. After a while, the road brought us in front of the stone house where the settlement's diving center is housed, while ten steps further on dominates the aforementioned hotel, des Pecheurs.
We took another stroll around the elegant marina and ended up at the little cafe for some rest and relaxation. And of course, our conversation revolved around the amazing images that this truly special island gave us, constituting the most beautiful conclusion of our wanderings in the Lavezzi archipelago.

...keep Ribbing!                

In the islands of the Lavezzi Archipelago
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