We were expecting Malta’s fireworks to be spectacular. We weren’t expecting them to explode directly above Impavidus from morning until after 11 o’clock at night!
The thunder flashes and maroons were so powerful that they shook the boat. By morning, Impavidus was covered in burnt paper, string, firework debris—and even iron filings that had already started leaving rust stains across the deck...We were expecting Malta’s fireworks to be spectacular. We weren’t expecting them to explode directly above Impavidus from morning until after 11 o’clock at night!
The thunder flashes and maroons were so powerful that they shook the boat. By morning, Impavidus was covered in burnt paper, string, firework debris—and even iron filings that had already started leaving rust stains across the deck.
After 7 spectacular—but rather exhausting—days of fireworks, it was time for us to continue our journey, so we set sail with Lady Aquitaine for Porto Palo on the southeastern corner of Sicily.
The passage was relatively uneventful for Impavidus—but Lady Aquitaine suddenly lost her engine around two hours from Sicily. Our inReach track shows the moment we stopped and made a two-mile dogleg to catch up with them and offer assistance.
Ian and Dasha will be showing the full story of their engine failure—and how they used their dinghy to push Lady Aquitaine—in their own video, so please visit their channel to see what happened from aboard their boat:
After six days in the unfinished marina at Porto Palo, we had run out of fresh fruit and vegetables—and Lady Aquitaine had run dangerously low on rum and Coke.
That meant a mile-long uphill expedition in temperatures approaching 40°C, dragging shopping trolleys behind us. By the time we returned, the wind had filled the bay with breaking waves, turning the final dinghy ride back to the boats into a thoroughly soaking—and rather difficult—end to the day.
From deafening Maltese fireworks and an engine stopping at sea to a sweltering Sicilian shopping expedition, this was not quite the peaceful cruising week we had planned.
Thanks for watching and for supporting Sailing SV Impavidus.
#Sailing #Malta #Sicily
Sail Safe Guys, Ant & Cid XX 🇬🇧 ⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️ See less Show more

The Night Malta’s Fireworks Shook Our Boat!

We were expecting Malta’s fireworks to be spectacular. We weren’t expecting them to explode directly above Impavidus from morning until after 11 o’clock at night! The thunder flashes and maroons were so powerful that they shook the boat. By morning, Impavidus was covered in burnt paper, string, firework debris—and even iron filings that had already started leaving rust stains across the deck....