Storming Milazzo

Calm harbour at Milazzo the morning after the storm

A wild storm

It had to happen sooner or later. And yesterday it happened. We got caught in a storm. Not just a little one. But a great big blow-the-dog-off-the-chain kind of Force 9 kind of storm (40+ gusting to 50 knots). 

The forecast had predicted moderate winds. And apparently most of the region did get just that. Somehow, however, that was not the case where we were. Somehow, the Sicilian news that night would report that we had been on the ‘edge of a cyclone’…

Catamarans provide a lot of living space and have many advantages I’m sure. But they do not track well in swell at all. 

As the wind came up yesterday, it funneled towards us through the Straits of Messina. This provided an uninterrupted, very lengthy stretch for the swell to build unbroken – to 12 to 15 feet high with the waves very close together. 

So close that the length of the catamaran put its pontoons regularly on both the wave ahead and the wave behind at the same time, without a stretch to level out in. This is uncomfortable and put the boat at risk for ‘fish-tailing’ like a car on ice. Very spin-ny. Not a relaxing day.

Had we been in a monohull, we could have cut through the waves on the diagonal and had a whole different experience. But with a cat, you can’t cut diagonally or you risk putting the pontoons one on either side of a (15 foot) wave – which puts the boat at risk for flipping. Not a good result. In a catamaran, if you capsize, there is no recovery.

So we ran before the swell, keeping the pontoons lined up ninety degrees to the waves – taking us directly away from where we wanted to go…

Turning around was not possible for ages because that would have entailed lying parallel to the waves for a moment – broadside – again putting the cat at risk for being flipped.

But – Lo! In the distance we saw a freighter parked downwind – yes parked – waiting to enter the Straits of Messina. 

A freighter so big that it created a wind shadow on its leeward side. A wind shadow with dramatically reduced waves. Even in this blow.

So we aimed for the wind shadow, cuddled in, and were able to turn around 180 degrees to head back upwind. 


The good news was that now at least we were heading in the direction we wanted. The bad news was that instead of surfing away down the backs of waves, we were now pounding (pontoons again lined up ninety degrees again) into the oncoming waves. 

But we persevered and well after darkness fell, we arrived at the marina at Milazzo. Whew.

We sailed (well, drove) from 10am till after dark and in the end only made 37 miles towards our ultimate destination. We had been averaging about 120+ nautical miles per day previously.


I hadn’t been so glad to touch land since the first time I spied Pussy Galore lounging on the binnacle of the yacht next door back at the marina at home. 

Actually, I was even happier to put the paws back on land this time…

Exit from Milazzo the next morning…

Last view: Castello di Milazzo

Milazzo looked beautiful, but after a well-deserved sleep and some more provisioning, we were back on the water the next morning and pressing on. 

We would have liked to explore the town. Milazzo‘s definitely on the Can Opener’s and my list of places to revisit. 

We’ll be back.

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)