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Lat. 42° 20.09'N Long. 9° 08.7'E August 2000
The trip across to Calvi was straightforward, even uneventful, except for the hawk.. Dolphins we see most crossings, whales often and migratory birds at Easter, but never a hawk before. Clearly it was tired and distressed and made repeated attempts to land on the cross trees but on each approach the genoa fluttered and scared it off. “Roll in the genoa,” said Liz and Saskia. “What?” said Jonathan and Rudi. “It’s not difficult! Roll in the genoa,” repeated Saskia and Liz. We did. The hawk landed on the next pass and we motored the rest of the way.
“On the night of the full moon Compromis was nestled in a narrow gorge in the Scandola National Park named Dragon’s SnoutBay. The steep surrounding rocks glowed red when the sun rose and Saskia and Jonathan explored the area by snorkel and foot. Saskia, ace geologist, was in her element here. We dined that evening on duck à l’orange and after the usual excesses of beer and wine, Jonathan hurled the ever ineffectual spare anchor over the side to bring the evening to its traditional end.”
In fact we had dropped the bow anchor, motored in and taken a stern line ashore to the head of the cove. Held fore and aft in this narrow slit in the rocks we seemed safe but the depth alarm went off at midnight. We rushed up on deck with torches and started the engine but nothing seemed wrong. As Compromis swung gently to port over what I had taken to be a patch of sand, off went the alarm again. Not sand but a large rock with 4m clearance. Looking up at the steep sides of the cove in the morning, it was clear that the large rock underneath us had started out up there! What you need for four people. 3 duck breasts. Cut through the fat in a diamond pattern making certain to cut slightly into the meat. 1 orange, sliced with the peel on. We have used peaches, nectarines or apricots. 4 dessertspoons of apricot jam. 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 100ml of hot water. Green beans, topped and tailed. What you have to do. Prepare all the ingredients. Put a very little oil in the frying pan and fry the breasts fat side down for 8/10 mins. Pour away most of the fat, turn the breasts over and add the mushrooms. Keep turning them until they have absorbed most of the rest of the fat and fry for 5 mins. Half cover the green beans with salted water and cook for 6 mins. Drain when ready. Now add the jam, orange slices and stock to the duck. Bring to the boil and cook for another 5 mins. Carve the breasts and serve with the green beans and sauce from the pan. We drank a bottle of Beaujolais Villages with this main course. Variations. Hungry people could have boiled potatoes or even roast ones if there is enough gas in the bottle. Liz and I have had it without the beans and just some crusty bread to mop up the sauce. It is also very good with cherry jam and fresh cherries.
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Jonathan has sailed with us since the Brandy Bottle days. Never one to shirk a challenge he did the Round Britain and Ireland Race in 1992 and the Fastnet the following year. He and his partner Saskia now live and work in Germany and flew down for two weeks’ sailing.
After Calvi we sailed very gently down the coast and found ourselves a cove on the north shore of the Golfe de Girolata. What follows is Jonathan’s entry in the Visitor’s Log.