Photograph: Michaela City
Chances are you’ll know Corsica because the island simply north of Sardinia within the Mediterranean the place, in August 2022, a violent derecho swept by way of with 140-mile-per-hour winds, tossing boats onto seashores like a lot kindling and wreaking havoc throughout the island. The climate was unprecedented, however you might argue that it someway match the character of this place, whose wild edges—each geographic and historic—make it one of the vital mesmerizing islands within the Med.
Luckily, after I visited final yr for a weeklong constitution, the derecho’s devastation was largely within the rear-view mirror, the climate was pretty, and the cerulean waters, native markets, and full of life tradition—reasonably a mashup of Italian and French—revealed the yin to the island’s yang of wildness. It’s this mixture of the 2 that makes Corsica such an intriguing place to go to by boat.
Wild is one of the simplest ways to explain it. The fourth-largest island within the Mediterranean, Corsica can be probably the most mountainous, with its highest summit at just below 9,000 toes and greater than 100 peaks at almost 7,000 toes. With this jagged backbone of massifs hovering skyward, its edges are fringed with greater than 200 seashores. Its historical past, too, has been jagged and harsh. Corsica has been fought over for hundreds of years, a fierce nature that’s evident in its flag, which depicts a Moor’s severed head. There are numerous legends, however probably the most chilling speaks to the previous customized in Corsica of beheading and impaling Moor heads on spikes to discourage different would-be invaders. In more moderen occasions, the island’s want for independence from France reached its peak within the Corsican battle—an armed nationalist wrestle within the Seventies towards the French authorities.
Photograph by Michaela City
Think about my shock when, on day 4 of our constitution, my crew and I awoke in Cala di Palu on the west coast to the sound of ferocious barking canines and gunfire. One of many extra fashionable pastimes right here is looking wild boar, and listening to what was clearly such a hunt so shut in what was an in any other case bucolic, dreamy setting was a reminder of the untamed nature nonetheless a lot part of this island.
We began in Ajaccio on Corsica’s west coast, the place Dream Yacht Constitution has its base. After the Dream Yacht workforce launched us to our boat, we explored a little bit of Ajaccio, spending the afternoon provisioning at Marché Ajaccio, a stone’s throw from the marina. Like so lots of the markets on this island, it was wealthy with native cheeses, cured meats, recent fish, produce, baked items, and wine, making provisioning for the week a pleasure. Within the night, we roamed Ajaccio’s slender, historic streets thick with the scrumptious aroma of Mediterranean dishes wafting from its many eating places and outside cafes. One of many issues I like about crusing in international locations with a French affect is that the meals is all the time good.
For those who’re concerned about European historical past, you’ll take pleasure in studying that Ajaccio is the birthplace and closing resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte. Ajaccio Cathedral, constructed on the finish of the sixteenth century, is the place Napoleon was baptized, and La Chapelle Impériale incorporates the tombs the place he and his household are buried. You may also stroll Place Foch, Place Général-de-Gaulle, and Place d’Austerlitz and examine the numerous statues celebrating this famed conqueror.
Photograph by Michaela City
In fact, the historical past of this island goes far deeper than the 18th and nineteenth centuries. One archeological website right here, Filitosa, has produced arrow heads and pottery relationship again to 3300 BC, and it consists of wonderful, intact, 6- to 9-foot-high menhir (stone sculptures depicting warriors and their weapons) relationship to 1500 BC.
From Ajaccio, the exhausting half is selecting the place to go, since there are a large number of nice crusing locations, bays, and different points of interest whether or not you head north or south. The Dream Yacht base informed us the vast majority of sailors head south to see Bonifacio, certainly one of Corsica’s most spectacular historic seaside cities. Nevertheless, since I favor to discover the highway much less travelled seeking tranquil and empty anchorages and a extra pure expertise, we headed north.
Leaving port, we rounded our first headlands and handed by way of the Iles Sanguinaires. This supplied a exceptional first glimpse of this rugged, rocky shoreline’s beautiful magnificence. We additionally had our first encounter with one of many famed Genovese towers, on this case, Tour de la Parata, strategically positioned on excessive promontories alongside the coast. These had been constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem assaults by Barbary pirates.
The wind was comparatively gentle and on our nostril, which made for gradual going, however our Nautitech 40 Open did remarkably effectively given the situations. Most significantly, we had been in a position to sail, which is nice as a result of I hate working the motor. Fortunately, we didn’t have any main agenda, besides that we wished to go to Cala di Palu and hike to a different certainly one of these Genovese towers referred to as Torra di Turghju.
Photograph by Michaela City
I’ve discovered that usually it’s finest to not get locked right into a strict crusing schedule in an effort to see every little thing. On certainly one of my first charters within the Greek Cyclades a few years in the past, I attempted to see each island within the chain. Because of this, I noticed largely water and never a lot of the islands, as a result of we had been crusing backward and forward the entire time. I’ve since discovered to focus extra on the expertise than the vacation spot—though it’s exhausting when there’s a lot to see.
Given the wind velocity and path, we made Anse de Fica our first cease, a straightforward 11 nautical miles north of Ajaccio. One among many stunning, protected coves we encountered, the water right here was a crystal-clear, deep cerulean blue that brightened to a ravishing radiant inexperienced on the foot of the tall cliffs defending a tiny white sand seaside. The holding was wonderful, we simply needed to be cautious to keep away from the ocean grass and avoid some sharp rocks on the southern finish of the anchorage.
As quickly as we secured the anchor, we donned our snorkel gear and jumped in to discover. Marine life was restricted to sea urchins, scattered coral, colleges of small black and white fish, and some sea cucumbers. However that’s what we’ve come to count on within the Mediterranean, because it’s been fished for 1000’s of years. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable to get our toes (and heads) moist and discover.
Virtually all of those bays have networks of path methods inviting you to do some trekking. Anse de Fica is not any exception. After a post-swim snack of cheese, meat, olives, and recent baguette, we launched the dinghy and got down to discover the environs. The path main up from the seaside took us to a excessive lookout with stellar views. And as we continued on, we found a second equally wonderful seaside referred to as Plage de Vaccaja.
After this good baptism into the wonders of Corsica, we determined to go to Baie de Sagone. This relaxed seaside city has a few wonderful French eating places, a totally stocked grocery retailer, and an extended, expansive seaside—good for a morning jog. Extra importantly, it had what we would have liked to resolve two small issues. One, we would have liked extra recent baguettes. But in addition, Air France had misplaced my baggage, so I wanted to replenish on some gear. Fortunately, I’d saved some necessities in my carry-on—classes discovered from having misplaced my gear as soon as whereas heading to a regatta in Charleston, South Carolina—so I solely wanted a number of issues to tide me over.
At a store referred to as Sarl Le Discussion board I discovered a big collection of just about every little thing I’d want—fishing deal with, wetsuits, snorkel gear, sun shades, swim shorts, T-shirts, you identify it. The proprietor was very good and gave me a complete Corsican historical past lesson, though my highschool French was a bit rusty.
Photograph by Michaela City
Sagone additionally has a big grocery retailer with recent baked items and a variety of cheese, meats, recent fish, produce, wines, olives, all at good costs (simply in case you forgot one thing whereas provisioning). A handy dinghy dock on the southern finish of the seaside is a three-minute stroll to the grocery retailer.
We bought a particular deal with within the morning whereas anchored in Bay of Sagone. Two Canadair CL-415 “waterbomber” amphibious plane carried out numerous follow sorties within the bay, choosing up seawater after which dropping it time and again. Typically it regarded like they had been going to run us down, however the educated pilots had been in a position to get airborne with their heavy load of water earlier than crashing by way of our catamaran. For sure it was an awesome present to entertain us as we had espresso on deck.
As we continued north alongside the west coast, all of us marveled on the unending show of craggy rock formations and sheer cliffs alongside the shore. Fishing with the brand new deal with I had picked up in Sagone, I took us fairly shut to those rocks, and it was like touring a rock sculpture backyard.
Our subsequent goal (and our solely actual major vacation spot) was Cala di Palu—one other beguiling pure bay tucked proper towards large rock partitions. There’s an apparent reduce within the rocks at Cala di Palu the place you’ll be able to land a dinghy. The path to Torra di Turghju begins proper there, so it was all simple.
One factor you study straight away while you hike in Corsica is that this island isn’t for the faint of coronary heart. That’s not stunning, since this island is residence to the famed GR20, a 136-mile-long mountain climbing path that crosses Corsica diagonally, following the vary of mountains that successfully divides the island in two. The path takes you as much as 6,561 toes above sea degree and is reportedly probably the most rigorous mountain climbing path in Europe.
Photograph by Michaela City
The hike to Torra di Turghju was nothing just like the GR20, however it was nonetheless sweaty and heart-pumping, particularly within the dry warmth ubiquitous in Corsica. This tower can be accessible by land, and we bumped into fairly a number of hikers throughout our journey. The path begins out pretty simple and broad, with some good previous stone buildings to discover, however the closing push to the tower is single observe and steep. It’s all uncovered, and the solar was intense, so I used to be glad we had been effectively ready with water, hats, and sunscreen. The spectacular views from this tower spoke extra to the savage and delightful nature of this island; hikes like these, whereas strenuous, are effectively value it, as they supply a view of Corsica you’ll be able to’t get from sea degree.
Slightly farther north alongside the coast we discovered one other fantastic and curious cove and seaside that had a group of eclectic makeshift “non-public trip huts.” The locals we encountered right here had been as attention-grabbing because the dwellings. It had all of the appearances of some sort of hippy artist commune. I couldn’t discover the identify of this cove on the charts, however one of many pleasant individuals there informed me it was referred to as Ruisseau de Mezzanu.
With just one extra evening left on our constitution (the place does the time go?), we determined to move south and spend our final night at Iles Sanguinaires, which we had sailed by way of originally of our journey. It is a small group of islands off the Pointe de Parata, and we discovered a superb anchorage simply south of the islands. There’s a brief simple hike to Tour de la Parata that gives a wonderful view of the archipelago. In case you have a superb dinghy and the ocean is comparatively calm, you might additionally head out and discover the islands.
I used to spend most of my time crusing within the Caribbean. And I nonetheless have a particular place in my coronary heart for these islands. But I’m equally drawn to the various historical past and tradition one finds in these historic Mediterranean islands, every with its personal story and distinctive taste. Corsica is just 300 miles from my final crusing vacation spot, Mallorca—a distance that will not even get you throughout the state of Colorado. And but, the variations in tradition, historical past, panorama, language, structure, individuals, and delicacies are exceptional, which is strictly why I hold coming again right here.
Photograph by Michaela City
Additional Credit score
Our constitution had solely whet my urge for food, and I wished to see what lay south of Ajaccio, so my associate and our daughter returned a number of weeks later. Following are a number of of the highlights.
In Ajaccio, we had a few fantastic nights at Sofitel Golfe d’Ajaccio Thalassa Sea and Spa. An oasis of leisure and stress launch, the non-public seaside is as fairly as any I encountered on my sail.
South of Ajaccio, Bonifacio—which faces Sardinia about 7 miles south throughout the Strait of Bonifacio—is the primary attraction. It’s a 40-nautical-mile sail from Dream Yacht Constitution’s base; there are various doubtlessly nice coves on the west coast south of Ajaccio to interrupt up the journey. One we appreciated was Plage de Cupabia, an expansive pure bay with scattered rock formations and tidal pool. The bay had a superb sandy backside with a variety of room for boats. There’s an awesome little restaurant proper on the seaside referred to as Waikiki Seashore that we very a lot loved.
Perched atop 230-foot-high chalk-white limestone cliffs, Bonifacio is nothing lower than extraordinary. Excessive winds, sturdy currents, and landslides have led to extreme erosion on the cliffs’ base, putting the buildings of this metropolis perilously near the sting, giving the phantasm that they’re about to tumble into the ocean.
Right here you’ll discover the southern coast’s finest and solely main harbor, the Bay of Bonifacio. This exceptional bay is a deep fjord framed between towering rock cliffs, separated from the ocean by a 5,000-foot-long, slender, rock promontory. There’s a marina right here, in addition to 90 moorings with metallic rings imbedded within the rock for stern traces and lazy traces for the bow.
Bonifacio wants at the very least one full day for exploring. The previous city is a labyrinth of slender streets and historic buildings with fantastic open-air eating places and retailers. A must-do for “lively” varieties is The King of Aragon’s Stairway—a 1,890-step stairway that hugs a cliff and leads from the town all the way down to sea degree. It was constructed within the fifteenth century to entry a freshwater effectively that’s now not used. It is a considerably perilous hike down and a rigorous hike again up, however it’s doable, even with a child in tow. The views of the savage sea crashing on the rocks under and Sardinia to the south are fantastic.
Simply across the southern tip of the island and up the east coast are few extra anchorages that I’ve already placed on my record for our subsequent constitution right here. One among these is Plage de Rondinara, a pure, well-protected bay with loads of house and good holding for a lot of boats. On a peninsula with seashores on each side, the water right here is calm and crystal blue and excellent for splashing round with my 2-year-old.
The second spot on the southeast coast is Golfe de Santa Giulia, the place we stayed on the pretty Resort Moby Dick. There’s no anchoring on this stunning, protected bay, however mooring balls can be found. The seaside is lengthy and pretty empty (at the very least it was throughout our end-of-season go to). Shallow sufficient to wade very far out, on the seaside’s southern finish a group of sea- and wind-worn rocks and caves jogged my memory of the Seychelles—all in waist-deep water.
April 2024
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