Writer: Anki Palerby Hjelmqwist
Part 1: About farewell, friendship, the sea – and the constant movement of life.
Mid-April. Those were the days before departure – full of laughter, fixations and a touch of melancholy. We had farewell dinners, bunkered the boat and was named “Pirate of the Year” in the harbor gang, after a padel injury that has become somewhat legendary. When Janne’s son joined us, we made a final turn on land around our winter port at Marina di Ragusa in Sicily – Scicli, Modica, Punta Secca – and of course our favorite pizzeria in the square.
A departure with emotions
But when the day of departure arrived and the moorings had to be loosened, the farewell became difficult. I couldn’t even manage to walk around and say goodbye, the tears came just thinking about all the people we met and now call friends, and who would now stay on land for a while and soon sail on to new destinations – and (eventually) new winter ports.
Leaving people who I’ve certainly only just met, but who already feel like old friends – that’s one of the hardest things about sailing, after missing “my people” back home.
On course for new destinations
A chocolate cake, a book and a lot of hugs later we threw ourselves away. Sun, light wind and sparkling sea: the perfect start, with the aim of sailing the circuit around Sicily counterclockwise. Beloved Sicily; our island and the largest in the Mediterranean. The first stop was Marzamemi, a village as charming as its name suggests.
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From there we sailed on to Syracuse and anchored in the large and well-protected bay on the island of Ortygia, where the old city center is located. We took the dinghy into town for dinner in a pleasantly lit backyard with Italian 60s tunes on the speakers, and the next day we sailed on to Catania. The evening ended with tacos, movies and laughter on board – and with a growing sense that life was on the cusp of something great.
A new little person – and a new kind of happiness
In the middle of my sailing days, the biggest news reached me: I had become a grandmother! A little star, a new beginning. Everything suddenly felt both quiet and surreal – as if the world took a deep breath and smiled. Life really does happen all the time – sometimes in the midst of waves, wind and saltwater – and I was endlessly grateful that everything went well after an insanely difficult birth that ended with an emergency C-section.
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Sea encounters and volcanic views
The sailing continued north: from Catania to the admirably beautiful Taormina – the city high on a cliff with an indescribable view of the sea for miles. We sailed through the currents of the Strait of Messina and up to Milazzo. There we met the long-sailing Häll på boat family Emma – a Swedish meeting at sea! We shared the anchor, the wine and the laughter in the sunset.
The next day we set sail together for the fabulously beautiful island of Vulcano. Black beaches, smoking mountains and the quiet feeling of being on another planet, especially as we were the only two boats in the bay.
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But after a hike of 255 meters altitude and an hour of constant uphill towards the crater, my body gave up. I had to turn around, supported by Janne and with my legs like spaghetti. Sometimes the will doesn’t win – sometimes the body decides – and that has to be okay. The afternoon ended with a visit to a restaurant and laughter with our new friends. The adventure continued, in a slightly quieter way.
A break, a departure – and the way home
Then we stayed at Vulcano to catch our breath. I dipped my feet in the hot, bubbling volcanic water and slid around on the volcanic floor. The days were calm and easy – just what the body needed. Then I took the bus to Catania and flew to Stockholm for an intense, heartwarming few days. Family, friends and the new life that I now met for the first time – and I felt a deep gratitude for everything that life has to offer.
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When I returned to Frogan the sea was mirror-like, the sun danced in the water and Janne was waiting at the dock.
Because that’s what life is: an alternation between storm and calm, between farewell and reunion. And in the middle of it all: the gratitude that you were part of the journey.
Last words
Sailing life is never just a journey between or to places. It’s a journey inward – to people, memories and moments that last long after the sails have been hoisted. And sometimes, in the middle of a new sea, you realize that you are already home.
Anki is a freelance writer, author and digital life coach who loves to travel. She has lived in several countries such as Lebanon, Poland, Egypt and Morocco, and later in life became a full-time long-distance sailor (despite her recurring seasickness!), after meeting her husband Janne. With the boat Lazy Frog they sailed from Sweden along the Atlantic coast to the Canary Islands and Madeira and are currently in the Mediterranean Sea, in Sicily. Join her on adventures, both on land and at sea!
#Sailing #adventures #Sicily