Monday 20 May 2019

Leaving Sliema on our trip to Comino and Gozo.



Serving lunch on the good ship Fernandes.



Passing Balluta Bay and our hotel - note the tall Portomaso Business Tower.....



.... and the Casino.



Starboard lookout yer.



Northern Malta coastline.



First glimpse of Comino.



Sailing past Comino.



Gozo in the distance.



Gozo skyline hoving into view.



Hotel complex on Comino.



Teach a man to fish........



Gozo ferry terminal.



Passing the good ship Hera.



Passing the ferry port........



... and into a small bay......



Ferry leaving Gozo.



Entering the bay....



... where we dropped anchor.



The side gangplank was lowered....



... and the show-offs went swimming.



I would have gone in myself - but I had no swimwear.



Lunch is served.....



It was at this point that we discovered that the beer was free! - So we had some catching up to do.



Relaxing after lunch.



After weighing anchor we set off for Comino and the Blue Lagoon.



Approaching the lagoon.





Going astern into our mooring.



This is why it is called the Blue Lagoon.



Insurance policy?



Some of our passengers had signed up to visit the caves - here they are boarding their boat.



The large number of tourist boats...



... including ours.



Lots of activity in the lagoon.



It all looks very nice and peaceful......



The Fernandes at her moorings.



... and still they come!



'Left a bit, back a bit...'



Gozo ferry and the first hint of the crowds.





The commercial side of things.....



Catch 22 ?



Looking across to Gozo.



There was even a drone spying on us!



Local wildlife.



Stalls selling Pina Colada's, Pizza, Ice Cream...... (we did buy an ice cream each)



Walking back to the Fernandes.



Another local - this one has lost half his tail.



Back on board - get the beers in!



On our way back to Malta.



  Malta coastline.



There's that tower again..



Overtaking traffic...



Looking astern.



Show offs!



Approaching Balutta bay......



.... and our hotel.....



... zoomed in.



Everything was faster than us...



Approaching Valletta.



Rounding the headland.....



... and back to our berth next to sister ship Fernandes II.



Last photo of the day.