Cala Volpe - More Toys than you can Shake a Stick at!

We observed a terrible anchor tangle as we left Cervo. The mega yachts have to drop their own anchors in line with their allocated berth and then reverse stern to the quay. Sometimes they get crossed and depending on who leaves first a real muddle can ensue. In attempting to leave, one yacht had hauled up another's anchor and we reckoned it would take some time to sort out. We left them to it as we were heading for Volpe, a popular anchorage, much frequented by the jet set from Porto Cervo, situated a little further south along the Costa Smeralda. Having been on anchor for some time we used the engine to get there, charging the batteries as we went. We had heard tales of vast private yachts there and the anchorage is described as exquisite in the pilot book so we were keen to see.

It certainly was quite a pretty place and the architects had clearly worked hard in some places to disguise the villas as part of the rocky landscape. Unfortunately, buildings are starting to sprawl around the whole area and it cannot be described as unspoilt. We were entertained by a strange water-ski contraption shortly after our arrival. It was a "sit-on" ski with some sort of clever hydrofoil gadget that allowed the skier to rise out of the water and do a complete somersault, landing (only once successfully!) back on the water and continuing on his way. Weird.

At the end of the bay a hotel complex has been developed and so the best anchorage, about 3 or 4 meters depth over sand, has become a "mega-yacht tender highway" with RIBs zooming to and fro the hotel and beaches. Along with the jet-ski toys, water ski area and general coming and going it turned out to be one of the most noisy, uncomfortable days we have ever had on anchor. We didn't even dare go in for a swim for fear of being run over.

To make up for this, however, we were treated to a helicopter arrival onto a private yacht! WOW! It was quite a feat, landing safely on the deck between various hazards and to get a closer look we joined the melee of tender terrors and dinghied over to have a closer look. One of the other boats on anchor looked like a converted tug, and it was carrying a trimaran as one of its "toys"!  We also had the opportunity to see the beautiful schooner (see Porto Cervo photo) sailing round the anchorage.

We decided it wasn't a place to dwell for long and the next day set off to return to the Maddalenas.