Mediterranean Navigation Day 4

Day 04 - Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – Sail to Tunis, Tunisia; Visit Sidi Bou Said

A change of our itinerary, no Sicily – Mother Nature always prevails!

At dinner last night, the Captain informed us that there was a severe storm off the coast of Sicily and that in the interest of safety, we would be leaving Malta at 7:00 pm to sail directly to Tunis, Tunisia. He warned us of high seas and turbulent weather.

The night was a little rough, but we slept well. After breakfast we were welcomed to the bridge to observe the captain and his crew in the navigation procedures of the ship. The captain was very welcoming and gave us information about the maps and the electronic safety equipment.

We docked in Tunis at 2:00. The port crew was amazingly fast at securing our lines, and in no time, buses were available to take us to our destination for the afternoon. OAT is so organized and Plan B was in full swing.

We received our passports and boarding cards and then got on the buses by color groups. While we waited for the Red Team to leave the ship, we had time to watch the happenings at the port.

We met our local guide, Anais, and our driver, Atrir, who drove us through the busy streets of Tunis to our afternoon adventure. At 3:30, most of the shops were closed because of Ramadan.

Sidi Bou Said is a small village overlooking the Bay of Tunis. It is quaint, with blue and white homes and incredible views of the valleys and sea below. The afternoon was cloudy, with temperatures in the high 60s.

Anais walked with us, pointing out several of the main sites of the small village. The blue doors and window frames were reminders of our time in Greece. We had about 30 minutes for walking about on our own and then we met the group at the bus at 5:00.

On the way back to the port, Anais told us more about the mixed cultures of the Arabs, Berbers, Muslims, Mediterraneans, and Africans. We have a lot to learn about North Africa.

We were invited to have dinner at the Captain's table for the Welcome Dinner. Along with a group of seven people, we had a lively conversation and wonderful meal. The Captain is from Croatia and had many stories to tell about his time at sea.

Back in our cabin we finished sorting photos and completed the day's journal. As we are in port, there won't be the sea to rock us to sleep.

Accommodations: M/V Clio

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Was that boat ride anything like the one in Galapagos? I always say that was my worst. Glad you are both out and about and thrilling fellow travelers with your journals.

I've always loved pictures of Sidi Bou Said, and of course, some of the Greek Islands as well. Those are still on my bucket list. Too bad about missing the stop in Sicily, but always safety first, and then Plan B. Good luck on the rest of your trip.

Hi! Saw the comment about your captain being from Croatia. I have been on the Clio and our captain was the same one that was on our trip to Antarctica - he was the ice captain! Wonder if it is the same one? I also had dinner with him on that trip (not remembering which one it was right now but his wife is a nurse and they live in Florida!)

Great informative journal and pictures

So fun to read about your adventures!

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Day 10: Mediterranean Navigation

Day 10 - Tuesday, March 11, 2025 –Ship Docked in Málaga, Spain; Costa del Sol; Andalusia

The Clio docked at the Port of Malaga just before midnight enabling us to have a very calm night’s sleep. The alarm went off at 7:15 and we had...

Continue Reading Day 10