25 Aug – Past Cinque Terre to Portfino

We left Portovenere early in glorious sunshine. The plan was to sail past the Cinque Terre – five colourful villages clinging to the cliffs – to Portofino. Mooring fees were indicated to be very high, but it had to be done.

In the event there was little wind and we motored close inshore. The villages were spectacular. At La Venazza we picked up a visitor’s buoy off the town for lunch. It was very hot and Alistair swam before we continued on our way.

Arriving at Portofino we had to wait for a 200ft long motorboat, Wedge Too, to moor. Unable to turn in the port she reversed in, filling the channel at times. Once moored she dwarfed everything in the harbour. Although not normally a fan of motor yachts she was pleasing to look at. A Feadship styled by Phillips Starck with a traditional look. Read more here.

We moored and paid the 85 Euro fee! (But it did include excellent showers!) We watched the harbour masters whizzing around in their dories, standing up, shepherding boats. A walk into town failed to yield a restaurant we wanted to eat in so we returned and ate aboard.

The next day we walked past the artisitic gardens and down the promontory protecting Portofino from the West.