Seven Summits Sailing

Sicily In December? Why Not?

Laura, Enrique, Aizea, and their dog Bandit set off on a round-the-world trip in September 2024 aboard their catamaran, Aitayama. On their way to Greece, they left Sardinia and headed for Sicily.

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Published 01/08/2025

By Julie Echelle

Issue: 203

Published: oct. / nov. 2025

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Who : Laura, Enrique, Aizea (4 years old) & Bandit (4 legs)
Where: Sicily
Multihull: Bali 4.2
Instagram: @seven_summits_sailing

We left Sardinia behind, accompanied by a 17-knot tailwind and 1.5- to 2-meter (5 to 6-foot) waves pushing us along. We surfed at speeds of up to 10 knots and the night went well, even though in the early morning we discovered that the first reef had broken! We finally arrived faster than expected; dolphins and islands greeted us before we arrived at the port of Trapani, in western Sicily. Another stage of the journey was over, and I was proud of our progress and our achievements.
We sheltered from the bad weather in Trapani for several days, until the storm passed. We also took advantage of our stay to visit the medieval hilltop village of Erice, northeast of the city.
We then spent two wonderful days in Mondello, ideally located as it is possible to travel to Palermo by bus. The water was crystal blue, and we were the only boat in the anchorage. Between swims, I tried fishing, but nothing was biting! We then continued on our journey to the charming village of Cefalù. It was certainly one of nicest surprises in Sicily with its old stone buildings, narrow streets, the rock overlooking the village, and its inhabitants enjoying the last rays of sunshine on the beach.
On December 1st, we rounded Capo d’Orlando. On the port side, we could observe the Aeolian Islands in the distance. Suddenly, the weather changed: a strong gust of wind accompanied by icy rain took us by surprise. We went out to stow the sails, the rain whipping our faces. We got soaked, so we had to get out our foul weather jackets. Winter was well and truly here. It was cold in our catamaran and the windows were covered with condensation... in short, it was time to put away the swimsuits. On that same day, we crossed the Strait of Messina. Sicily and the tip of the Italian boot are so close to each other! The narrowest point of the strait is 1.7 nautical miles (3.3 km) wide, and it’s an impressive channel because the strong current creates visible eddies on the surface of the water. The sea was choppy, but the current was in our favor and carried us swiftly towards Taormina. It’s the most spectacular winter anchorage we’ve seen. We were at the foot of the restaurant featured in the movie The Big Blue, and Aitayama floated on transparent, chilly water facing the snow-covered Mount Etna. The fresh snow on Europe’s most active volcano creates a striking contrast! Taormina is the ancient capital of Sicily, perched like a balcony overlooking the sea. This exceptional setting has made it a favorite spot for artists and writers. The ancient Greco-Roman theater offers a view that’s not to be missed, and we discovered its ancient palace and the swanky hotels... What a pleasure to see all of this in December, and to be practically alone!