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Lat. 42° 26.5'N Long. 8° 36.0'E August 2002. We shouldn’t have been in the Anse de Focalara in the first place. A pleasant northerly breeze had us beating north from Cargèse along the west coast of Corsica. The Scandola National Park was only 15nM away and as there was no need to hurry we put in a series of short tacks to Capu Rossu. On starboard tack we stood about 4nM out to sea and the wind started to freshen. Nothing dramatic but we took in a little sail to bring Compromis more upright. On port tack Punta Muchilla was on the bow and the wind continued to freshen to the extent that we were starting to look around for a sheltered anchorage. Girolata was under the starboard bow and a little bear away would have us there within the hour but we did want to anchor in one of the rocky inlets of the National Park and south of the Ile Gargula should give us good shelter. Liz and Anne had read the pilot and liked the description of Marina D’Elbo - a rocky cove round the corner from the Ile Gargula open to the north. “It will be a lee shore,” I explained “and it will be choppy giving us an unpleasant night.”
What you need for four people. 500g gnocchi 2 courgettes chopped in 4 cm long batonnes 30 large cooked prawns ( 2 large packets ). Thaw frozen ones. 1 crushed clove of garlic 1 chopped small onion 150g Emmenthal cheese, grated Large handful of torn basil leaves. Pepper. What you have to do. Half fill a large saucepan with salted water, put the lid on and bring to the boil. When the water is boiling add the gnocchi and one minute later the courgette. The gnocchi is done when it bubbles to the top. While the gnocchi is cooking add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for about five minutes. Strain the gnocchi and courgette when ready but keep a mug of the cooking water for the sauce. If necessary keep the gnocchi and courgette warm in the pan by keeping the lid on. When the onions are ready add the gnocchi, courgette, cooking juice, prawns and grated cheese to the frying pan. Cook until the cheese has melted and everything is hot. Add half the basil and stir, season to taste, garnish with the rest of the basil and serve immediately. Anne chose a white Corsican wine for this dish.
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On port tack Compromis crept into Baie de Solana as we looked for that perfect rocky cove with no wind, flat water and good holding. The water was flat but there was enough breeze to ruffle the water hiding the rocks that lurk below and we tacked away to go around the outside of the island and saw a lovely bay on its west side but again the chop hid the bottom. On its steep northern slopes Liz and Anne spotted sheep clambering over the steep rocks while I worried about the night’s anchorage. Then, quite mysteriously, as we turned east the wind died away to nothing, the sun came out and but for the fact that Marina D’Elbo was full of yachts Anne and Liz would have had their way. After they consulted the pilot again I was given new sailing instructions which were to motor another 1.5nM further east to the next bay - Anse de Focalara.
Behind the sandy beach at the head of the bay maschia covered mountains reached up in all directions. There were no roads, there was no signal on the mobile phone, just three other yachts and Compromis. After an early evening swim in crystal clear water followed by gin and tonics for happy hour, Colin (the chef) and Anne (the commis chef) went below and eventually served this meal as an almost full moon rose above the mountains astern.