Update From Triumph

May 21, Happy Birthday Brian!
We are about 30 NM from Stromboli, a volcano/island about 50 NM off the coast of Italy. I think there are about 400 residents. We have been told by cruisers the the water is acidic and will clean everything encrusting the the boat. The steam vents under the water there may be some bubbles of SO2 released as well. In a few hours we will know first hand. I have been able to swim the last two days, but I think I will skip today. One of the islands in the chain has therapeutic mud baths for 1.5E (Euro). That is on our to-do list, but the main attraction is an archeological museum on Lipari with finds dating back to the 11 century BC.

Tapestry and Triumph have covered 280 NM since leaving Rome. We stopped in Anzio, Ischia, Amalfi, Palinuro, and Cetraro. From Amalfi we took a train to Pompeii, and a ferry to Capri. Pompeii was interesting, but all the good artifacts have been moved to a museum in Naples. Capri was crowded and mostly a tourist trap with a couple of natural sites thrown in to keep it honest; well some what honest. It is not their busy season yet. August is supposed to be impossible to move, eat, sit down. It is reported that in Aug. and Sept. the police make you leave the restaurants after 20 minutes to make room for more tourist. We found a walkway to the top of the mountain in Capri and had a pleasant picnic without the crowds. It was a good day.

It feels good to be able to swim again. the water is still cool (about 70F) , but refreshing. I cleaned the Roman mud off Triumph bottom in Palinuro. Triumph was wintered in the water in the Fiumicino canal which is fresh water, but a lot of silt comes down from the Tyber river in Rome. I'll send more frequent up dates once I know that they are being promptly posted. Dick