Went from Palinuro at 0750 to try and anchor on the sourhern coast of Capri. No wind and it was a long day of motoring all the way. The southern coast of Capri was very crowded. Didn’t expect to find any spot to anchor. 19 super yachts counted in the small area south of Capri along with small day tripper boats. All of the places we thought we could anchor were restricted by long lines of buoys, and a boat could get in only if they paid. And. paid large. So a very small, crowded area under a cliff was our target area.
Approaching Capri, the chart plotter all looked green signifying that there was plenty of room to avoid collision with any boat, but the closer we got, all boats turned red showing that there was little space between them and each should be treated as a potential collision hazard.
We beelined to the spot under the cliffs as quickly as possible. Arrived at 1530 and had just enough depth to anchor there . . Went for a swim and then Karin made excellent cream cheese tomato sausage pasta for dinner. Wind started building. Over half of a super yachts had disappeared. The wind kept building, and building and building. A big storm was approaching. See the next blog for details!
Coming to Capri
- Port of Marina Grande:Â This is the main commercial port of Capri that welcomes travelers arriving on all forms of vessels. It has two quays either side that faces the Gulf of Naples.
- Funicolar: This is a type of inclined cable car that was built in 1907 connecting the port at the bottom to the pizzetta at the top. Make sure you get ticket sin advance and have your camera ready as the trip lasts only a few minutes but has some spectacular views of the surrounding vineyards, citrus groves and valleys with the Bay of Naples in the distance.
- V. Vittorio Emanuele III:Â Full of designer stores, luxury hotels and exclusive boutiques this street is designed to separate dollars from sense for the big spenders.
- La Piazzetta: This square lies on top of the island at the end of the Funicolor. ‘Piazza’ means square in Italian and adding an ‘etta’ make it a small square. Originally it was a fish market, but now is the main meeting point to visit the bars and restaurants that surround it.
- Faraglioni: This is the name given to the 3 rock formation on the south eastern side of the island. that are teh home for rare plants and wildlife. Each has its own name Stella (Star), Faraglione di Mezzo (in between) and Scopolo. Scopolo, the rock closest to the sea is famous for its unique blue lizards, found nowhere else on Earth.
- Gardens of Augustus: At the top of the island are the Gardens of Augustus. Quiet and serene, it has beautiful views.
- Blue Grotto:Â The Blue Grotto is a cave discovered long ago by Roman emperors that is partially submerged The reflected sunlight through the water casts off a blue glow giving the cave its name. Though evidence no longer exists, it has been said that Emperor Tiberius built a passage connecting his house to the cave. Close to the entrance are the remains of a roman harbor.
