11 August 2013
Twelve blissful days in Cala Gonone, on the east coast of Sardinia. It couldn’t have been more perfect, all that was missing was my eldest son holidaying in Australia with his girlfriend – but that’s how it’s supposed to be isn’t it? I was just 15 and my sister 18 when we wrecked the family holidays by winning a travel bursary to go back-packing together in Europe, the next year we won again and then the next my sister was working in Switzerland so I earned enough from part time jobs while in 6th form to travel out to and join her. So although our party seemed small I had expected it to happen. Just me, my 16 year old son and my 14 year old daughter.
Why Sardinia? Easy, we agreed either we would find somewhere to canoe or to scuba and snorkel. I put snorkeling and scuba-diving into google and diving-school Argonauta in Cala Gonone appeared, owner Maurizio provided us with a beautiful apartment overlooking the village and the sea and took us on his boat to snorkel and scuba. Fabulous. I had one rule, when we arrived I said “While we’re here I’m not Mummy, I don’t want to make decisions, I don’t want to do all the cooking and I absolutely don’t want to be clearing up after you” “That’s fine Mum,” said daughter immediately “you can be our sister”. And that’s how it was.
Here is our holiday in pictures. Kids took quite a lot of photos beneath the surface of the water which will come later. Thank you to the wonderful team at Argonauta: Maurizio, Cinzia, Aurora, Bernd, Andy and Dario, truly they never stop smiling.
The local beach in Cala Gonone, my daughter snorkeling.
On the boat, spent wonderful days diving off and snorkeling. Son passed his Open Water Padi. 40 degrees – draped towels over us until we got used to it. Love the beautiful world beneath the surface of the water, saw octopus, lots of fish, star fish – large bright purple and little blue ones and jelly fish (not so keen on them)
Left. Gola Su Gorrupa is a gorge. There were 2 ways to reach it and as my son was map reading he took us to the start of the “most dramatic route”. A 2 hour hike down the mountain, it began though trees with goats wearing tinkling bells round their necks ambling around but soon became increasingly more rugged and barren and saw a snake. Maurizio had told us we’d find a pool when we reached the bottom, after the hike in the heat it was the most wonderful sight, and we spent ages in the cool water.
Right. Cala Fuili. Furthest beach south of the town accessible by car, all others can only be reached by boat. We spent day snorkeling, reading and drawing, we also did some climbing
This was the view from the boat as we passed by, earlier we had snorkeled though the dark caves by torch light; when the light was pointed towards the ceiling we could see stalagmites.