Update 15

Buona Notte,
We are anchored in Cala di Volpe, a large bay surrounded by 30-40 other boats, small sailboats like us to superyachts. It looks like a small city on the water, The wind is calm and we are glad to get away from Palau after the two day gale force winds. Today we sailed over to the Isola Budelli in the Arcipelago Di Maddalena. It has a pink beach which is now off limits to everyone however we were able to anchor just north of it and take the dinghy ashore, see attached pixs. The water is so clear it is better than the Bahamas. From there we actually sailed down wind for a change to Porto Cervo, playground of the ultra wealthy on the Costa Smeralda. Our guide book told us it was a very expensive marina and we had no inclination to stay there opting instead to pick up a mooring ball in the harbor. We paid 25 Euro to do the same in Calvi and paid nothing in Palau. When we went to the marina office to register, the cost was a staggering 106 Euro ($148). I promptly declined and we departed to where we are now anchored for nothing!
I have attached a picture of a sailboat that was next to us during the gale on Saturday and Sunday to give you a feel of what it looked like in the harbor. The boat was anchored and not on a mooring ball like we were and no one was aboard. It started to drag it's anchor and I thought for sure it would end up on the rocks, however the Coast Guarda came to its rescue and towed it into the marina. Tomorrow we head down the coast to Olbia before we make our crossing back to mainland Italy probably to Anzio.
Paul & Cindy

Slideshow: Palau to Ponza