We don't often get a photo of Serenity in full sail so I have included this one that Chris took from Skylark 2.
We anchored in Marsaxlokk, in Pretty Bay. On one side was a very nice little seaside town and on the other side of us was this huge container port. It was actually very interesting watching them come and go, load and unload. They handle 3 million containers a year here.
Hypogeum
Thanks to David and Lindsay's advice we booked to go to the Hypogeum on Malta several weeks beforehand. Because of carbon dioxide levels, they only allow 80 people a day to go in so we were lucky to get tickets. It is a subterranean structure dating back to 3300BC. It was originally a sanctuary but then became a necropolis in prehistoric times and the remains of more than 7,000 individuals have been found here. It is the only known underground prehistoric temple in the world.
Tarxien Temples
The Tarxien Temples date back to 3150BC. This shows the skirt and legs of one of the statues.
Our first onboard BBQ!! Thank you to Chris and Desi - it will be well used!
Anchored in St Julian's Bay on the east coast of Malta. The tall blue tower is the Hilton Hotel - quite a landmark as you approach Malta.
Lovely to have John come and join us and of course he had to sample the amazing ice creams!
Fort Rinella
The 100 ton gun at Fort Rinella outside Valletta.
Built in Woolwich, it was shipped to Malta and sat in the dockyard before 100 men spent 3 months manhandling it to its current position. Each shell weighed one ton, was accurate to eight miles and could pierce 21 inches of armour plating. A shell cost as much as the wages for 2600 men for a day and so practice firing was restricted to once every 3 months. The gun was in active service for 20 years but was never fired in anger.
Dave in costume having a go at firing a Martini Henry rifle.
Two of the rescued polo ponies that the fort uses in their reenactments. Ganga, above, also featured in the film Gladiator and Benny, right, was in Troy.
Skipper and First Mate relaxing on board.
Sunset over Mgarr on Gozo taken from Blue Lagoon on Comino.
Beautiful Blue Lagoon - as you can see the other tourists think so too! But a lovely spot when they all left in the evening.
A very relaxed dog, but they just don't make deck chairs big enough!
We walked up to the look out tower on Comino island, looking back over our anchorage to Mgarr on Gozo in the distance.
Gozo
A lovely "Licata" meet up for breakfast on Serenity in Mgarr marina. We met Lynn and John on Tumbleweed as we arrived and then Lindsay and David arrived on Rosa Di Venti early the next morning. The following day Guy and Ginny on Kisti 2 came in from Sicily.
Ggantija Temples, Xaghra 3600BC
The Ggantija Temples are two prehistoric temples
on Gozo, the second-largest island in Malta. One of them is the oldest
stone structure in the world, predating Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids
by hundreds of years. Round in shape and containing statues of
full-figured goddesses, the Ggantija temples were dedicated to the Great
Earth Mother and probably included an oracle. The site was a place of
pilgrimage for the ancient inhabitants of Malta.
The entrance to one of the temples
Tiny figures found at the site, carved out of cows' toe bones
Examples of the many figurines found here.
While we were on Gozo it was great to meet up with Susie and Fred who moved out here about two years ago from Sturry, Canterbury.
Skylark 2 anchored in St Maria's bay, Comino before our overnight sail back to Sicily.
I just had to include these photos of the 6 dolphins that came and swam with the boat as we approached Sicily in the early morning.
Dolphins just having fun!
They played in our bow wave for quite a while - always very special when we see them!
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