A weekend in Ragusa, southern Sicily. A marina wintering community beyond belief. Smiley. Open. Friendly. Tight-knit. Supportive. Knowledgeable. Diverse… the list goes on.

Seeing bike seats, netting, and pontoon chaos unique to kids-boats upon arrival already brightened our hearts. It took less than a few minutes to find new life-long friends right opposite us on the pontoon – the family crew on SY Maya. Later that night, we’d be sharing wine and chats until the wee morning hours – from boat parent to boat parent. So heart-warming. Unforgettable. Invaluable. Sharing the highs and the lows. Putting things into perspective. Reassuring. Hilarious. Fun. Love. Can’t wait to welcome them in Malta as they are starting their sailing season.

More to that. At least fifty life-aboard boats. BBQs. Dance parties. Regular radio nets where events are organized, give-always exchanged, advice given… Invaluable. On the pontoon, everyone smiles. We are equipped with a new manual washing machine. Another invaluable and BIG thanks to Maggie and Charlie. Little excursions here and there followed. Sicily never stops to embrace and hug – whether it’s the incredible hospitality of the locals, or the beautiful landscape and picturesque towns. Heart-warming. The 33 Euro per night marina fees aside, it was with a heavy heart we commenced our nine hour motor-sail back to Malta. As if the winds were telling us that sailing back to the same place is not quite right, the fore-casted North-Easterlies to take us South remained nowhere to be felt. But we got there, safe and sounds, just before midnight and snuggled up in our cozy beds for a good nights sleep after a beautiful long weekend.