The humming from the wind generator woke me up before the sun was up at my anchorage outside Noli. Eager to take advantage of the wind I was on my way within 15 minutes. The wind was quite strong and increasing, I had to take in a reef on the genoa not long after I took off, but had to furl it out short time after. This wind was forecasted to last until around twelve, according to Windys AROME model, but after an hour it was not much left of it, and gradually it disappeared almost totally. AROME has not been very accurate for this area the latest days, which is a great backlash since I was sure I at last had found a forecasting model to rely on.

I was heading across the Genoa Bay, toward Rapallo on the eastern side, New territory for me, though I have heard about the nearby village of Portofino. just two miles to northwest. It is said to be one of Italy's most beautiful places, and hence in the whole world one can say. It's famous from movies, novels and poetry, and as a favourite spot for the one percent crowd.

And pretty it was, maybe the most beautiful place I've been to. I tried to find an anchorage but the water was very deep even close up to the steep shores, I had over 30 meters under the keel wherever I went. I guess I would have stayed put from the weight of the anchor and 50 meter of chain as there was no wind, but there was many boats anchored already, and I wouldn't dare to leave Atlantis like that.

So I had to wave goodbye to the rich and famous and continue the short way to Rapallo. I took some pictures from the boat, but don't expect me to put them up here, they are not close to make this place justice. Google Portofino and you find an abundance of photos by much better photographers than me. I promise it is well worth the effort.

Coming around the breakwater to Rapallo, I was brusquely waved away by a man in a RIB. There was going to be fireworks in the evening, so the anchorage was occupied by three big barges full of explosives. I didn't argue with their guard, but called the marina on the VHF and asked if I could come in for a short stay since I needed to go to the supermarket. A grouchy marinero denied me that, and also a 30 min stop at the fuel pontoon. This marina was severely hammered by a storm in October last year, A Scirocco with over 10 meter high freak waves destroyed the breakwaters and damaged more than half of the 400 boats moored there, For the moment I felt they deserved it.

I went out of the port and found me an anchorage outside a fancy hotel, close to their buoyed piece of the beach. I was worried I would be pushed away here as well, since I was quite close to the buoys, but the swimming guests gladly welcomed me and asked if I came alone all the way from Sweden. I didn't want to disappoint them and say it had taken me two years, so I sad yes and tried to look like an old salt.

After a quick and much needed swim (it's now over 30 degrees every day here, and much hotter on the boat since there is no shadow out on the water) I rowed the dinghy ashore and took a stroll in 'Rapallo and did some provisioning at Carrefour. The evening I spent in the cockpit, where I could "enjoy" the fireworks. Of all the fireworks I have seen from the boat now, and there is quite a few, (no fiesta without bonfires in south of Europe!), there is only one I think was worth the effort (and cost!), and that was in Bilbao in August last year.