2016-06-06 Carla Nord, Isola Budelli, La Maddalena Islands, Sardinia to Bonifacio, via Carla Lazarina, Ile Lavezzi, Corsica
We had a comfortable night in Carla Nord in Deadman’s Passage on Isola BudelliWe leave the La Maddelena Islands and motor just a few miles north to Ile Lavezzi, a Corsican islandIle Lavezzi lies just south east of the Corsica on few kms from the coastWe approach Carla Lazarina which is a stunningly beautiful bay on the southern side of Ile LavezziCarla Lazarina is very popular with yachts and the day tripper boats however space is limited, as the bay is shallow in parts and there are many rocks that hinder navigationDaytripper boats bring many tourists and visitors to the beautiful unspoilt bay which has a fabulous sandy beach, and wonderful walking tracks, where many visitors spend the day
We take the dinghy ashore in order to go for a walk to the monument which overlooks the bayThe pyramid shaped memorial was erected in honour of the loss of life from the shipwreck of the Semillante many years agoTangaroa in Carla LazarinaWhat a stunning view of the bay from the memorialRic and I do a rare “selfie”
Around Ile Lavezzi are some incredibly unusual shaped rocksWe return to the boat and have a swim in the very cool turquoise waterAs the bay was very crowded with boats we decided that we would not stay here overnightWhile departing Ile Lavezzi, in the distance we see a rather huge ship pass by the southern coast of CorsicaAs Bonifacio was less than 10km from Ile Lavezzi we decided to try and get a berth for the nightOnce again we approach the windswept limestone cliffs on southern CorsicaIt is John and Angela’s first visit to both Sardinia and CorsicaThe dwellings clinging to the clifftops are surely the most photographed buildings in Bonifacio
Escalier du Roi d’Aragon, the 187 step stairway carved into the limesone cliffs is believed to have been done in the 1400’s, however some believe it may have been much earlier
Approaching the hidden entrance to the ancient port of BonifacioThe entrance to the stunning port was difficult to see however with the large navigation lights nowadays there is not a such a problemAs we enter Bonifacio, the enormous luxury motor yacht the”Pelorus” seems to engulf the small portOur guests are overwhelmed with the sheer beauty of this incredible Corsican portThe Citadel high on the cliffs overlooking the harbour was built in the 9th CenturyThe port these days is a hive of activity with boats of all shapes and sizes coming and going, not to mention the flood of tourists all year aroundAs on past visits, the harbour seems to be extremely busy with very few available spaces for visiting yachtsOur friend from past visits arrives and leads us to a berth for the nightHe gives us a fabulous spot in the centre of the port in space no “1”By the time Ric and I cleaned up the boat and our guests had a couple of hours of sightseeing, it was time to freshen up and go out for dinnerOnly a few steps from the boat is our favourite restaurant in Bonifacio called L’An FaimWe order some YL red wine….and a bottle of white tooThe duck entree was a wonderful start to the eveningJohn and Angela order an unusual entree presented under a glass dome filled with dry iceWhat a wonderful refreshing start to the dinnerBoth John and Ric order the perfectly cooked lambAngela and I both decide to try the fishDinner once again at L’an Faim, definitely the best food, service and friendliness in Bonifacio !!!The dessert with many tastes and coffee was certainly a favourite at our tableThe chocolate dessert was also at the top of the list in flavourJohn’s delicious dessert was beautifully presented on a mirror on a white stoneThe very talented L’An Faim teamAfter another wonderful gourmet experience we return to the Tangaroa
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