Around the Aeolian Islands

DAY 01 · 16 October 2026

Flight to Palermo canceled and journey via Bratislava

We were wrapping up our trip in the Křivoklát region with Vítek and Dad before heading to Prague Airport, where our trip was supposed to begin. But as we got closer to the airport, we found out our flight had been canceled.

So we met up at the airport with everyone on the trip and sat down in a pub to talk about what to do. In the end, we decided together to take the train to Bratislava and fly from there to Palermo. Apparently, the flight was canceled because of an air traffic controllers’ strike in Palermo.

We headed to Holešovice station and waited for the train to Bratislava. In the dining car, we had a few drinks, as they say: a beer, some wine, and a meal. By chance, we were sitting in the kids’ corner, which led to some interesting situations. We tried to be gallant. The more we had to drink, of course, the harder that got, but it mostly drew amused reactions rather than outrage.

When we arrived in Bratislava, we took a taxi to the airport. There we found out our plane was delayed by three hours: instead of leaving at ten in the evening, it wasn’t due to depart until one in the morning. So we camped out by the gate again and waited. Eventually, the plane arrived, we boarded, and made it to Palermo. It was sometime around four in the morning.

All that remained was to get to our boat. Jirka had arranged accommodation with Julie, who was pressing him to pay at least part of the amount he’d promised. So they agreed we’d at least stop by for breakfast, since we wouldn’t be staying there, to make some kind of financial amends.

From the airport, we took a bus, then a train, which got us to where our boat was. We had breakfast at Julie’s. It was really brutal. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. We’d basically been traveling all night and into the morning. There were always two to three hours of waiting between transfers, so we never got a proper chance to sleep. Sleeping while traveling is awful, but I think everyone enjoyed it and that it was an interesting start to our vacation.

Then it was the second day, and we arrived at the marina, which was great.

DAY 02 · 17 October 2026

Waiting to board and shopping for supplies at the marina

It’s eleven o’clock, Saturday. We had the option of boarding early, sometime between one and two, for 180 euros. The crew didn’t think it was worth it, so we were supposed to get the boat at six in the evening, maybe earlier—we’d see. In the end, it turned out to be the right decision: we could board early because our boat was first to be checked in. That was because we were the first to arrive.

We’re at the marina now. It’s nice here, a small, secluded marina. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s rounded, with really nice cobblestone paving. Just a tiny little marina. We’re sitting in the Sunsail company garden, figuring out what we need to buy.

Honza is using AI to put together a meal plan that we’ll use as the basis for our shopping list.

Dad, Jirka, Honza, and I are going to the store. Honza is doing the lion’s share of the shopping. I’m like a zombie—more of an extra than someone capable of any cognitive activity.

We stow the groceries on the boat and go out to eat. Martin found a lovely restaurant with crisp white tablecloths. Everyone enjoys the excellent food and drink. Well deserved.

DAY 03 · 18 October 2026

Sailing to Vulcano and climbing the volcano

It's 7:11. There was no duvet in our cabin, so I slept under a towel. That was no problem, since I’d taken a sleeping pill. But I need to investigate how it was possible that we had no duvet while the neighbors had two. I don’t know how much I should get involved or how much of a nuisance I should be, but it’s pretty outrageous. That is, if it turns out someone was behind it. As it happens, our duvet was in the locker, so I hope I wasn’t too much of a nuisance.

There’s talk of setting off early in the morning. We’ll see. Yesterday, I woke up at midnight—or rather, one in the morning—and heard a disco nearby, so I went to check it out. There was some kind of club on the first floor. Lots of people, dressed in black suits, around fifteen to twenty years old. I wondered whether to have a drink or go back to bed. I chose the latter. I was a bit like a startled mouse, after all, and my clothes didn’t exactly fit in either.

As for today’s plan, we’re supposed to head to the island of Vulcano, the nearest one from here. Tomáš Janovský is with us; I invited him along. It changes the dynamic a bit. He’s probably the best sailor among us. I hoisted the Splice the Mainbrace flag, so we have to keep drinking rum. Nobody here knew what it meant, which is to be expected, since it’s a bit of an English tidbit.

My wife Madina wrote to me yesterday that Oliver is sick and that I need to come back. That’s always a bit of a damp squib, so I asked AI how I should respond, and came up with some kind of reply. Fortunately, there’s a big time difference between us. She’s asleep now, and once I’m out on the water, I won’t have a signal. Oliver probably has a middle-ear infection. It lasts about three or four days, so even if I went home, I wouldn’t be much help by the time I packed, got some sleep, and so on.

I like how enthusiastic Tomáš Janovský is about all this. He has the knowledge and various pieces of equipment, too. He’s speculating about which way to go—actually, which way we should sail, since our goal is to reach Stromboli, the volcanic island, as quickly as possible so we can have a calm passage back.

We set off early in the morning, with the volcanic island of Vulcano, off the coast of Sicily, as our first destination.

On the way, some fishermen offered us fish for a price. We didn’t turn them down. Ten fish for 70 euros.

When we arrived, we anchored in a bay with volcanic sand on the western side of the island. We lowered the dinghy from the deck, and the outboard started practically straight away.
In the early evening, before sunset, we set off to climb the smoking volcano, Vulcano. We didn’t return to the boat until after dark.
The evening was free time.

DAY 04 · 19 October 2026

Sailing to Stromboli and watching eruptions from anchor

When we set sail in the morning for the passage to Stromboli, things were a little wild. There was no wind, and for a while it was completely calm. The mainsail flapped back and forth, but then the wind picked up nicely. We’re sailing on a beam reach, gliding beautifully over the waves, and it’s wonderful. The wind is blowing 12 knots and we’re making 6.

We approached Stromboli under motor. We anchored for a while, but we were out in the open sea and were rolling terribly. Beside us was a huge boat that delivers drinking water to the island of Stromboli. From there, we moved northwest and kept looking for a better place to anchor.

The plan is to take the boat out later, watch the eruptions from the sea at night, then come back and spend the night at anchor. Tomorrow we want to go trekking on Stromboli. In the end, we anchored right next to the restricted zone on the north side, where we can watch volcanic eruptions right from our “bedroom.”

DAY 05 · 20 October 2026

Hiking beneath an active volcano and sailing to the marina

We woke up in the morning beneath the volcano where we had seen volcanic activity yesterday. We spent the night at anchor on the leeward side, but still out in the open sea. It was rolling quite a bit.

We hiked up to an elevation of 290 m above sea level; beyond that, we could only continue with a guide. From there, we could still see volcanic activity above the horizon from relatively close by. We bought pizza for lunch. Tomáš Janovský and I are on duty today.

On the way back, the wind was blowing 22 kn and we were making 8 kn. We had half the jib out and the mainsail full.

At 10 p.m. we anchored at Marin do Šalina. We cooked carbonara for dinner. The wind was excellent, blowing 22 kn, and we were making 10 kn.

The night in the marina was pretty good. We were the first to take the waves, but it was quite comfortable overall.

DAY 06 · 21 October 2026

Rest stops and overnight stays near Panarea

We have a workday this morning. We’re already on our way back and have reached the volcano on Stromboli. We’ll have a meeting this morning and decide on today’s destination based on the forecast wind.

We spent half the day here on the island. We had a lovely coffee, a drink, and lunch. A lovely stretch of doing nothing—and now we’re setting sail.

We arrived in a bay where two catamarans were already anchored. We debated whether to go ashore. Apparently, there was supposed to be an open restaurant and a few shops, but we decided against it. After sunset, we made dinner, and then both catamarans started freaking out. They moved to different spots about eight times. There are two underwater cables here, so we wondered if they might have caught one on an anchor, but it doesn’t seem so. Dinner was buttery mashed potatoes and sausages. Dad and Jiří were on duty. We’re in for a quiet night tonight—we’ve run out of hard liquor.

DAY 07 · 22 October 2026

Trip to Lipari, sailing through the waves, and a hike up Monte Mazuni

This morning Dad and I took the dinghy out for a ride. We wanted to do some shopping, but the stores were closed, so we just had a pastry and coffee before heading back to the dinghy. It was about a mile and a half each way.

On the way into town, we anchored halfway because we were worried there might be big waves on the return trip. We went for a quick swim and split up: Dad went overland, while I took the dinghy into town. Then we made it back to the boat safely in the dinghy. It was a stupid idea, but it gave me a chance to see how the dinghy flies over the waves with just one person aboard. It was an absolute blast. This would be a perfectly easy way to send someone ashore to shop—if only the stores weren’t closed. A lesson for next time.

Shortly after we got back to the boat, a beautiful vessel, Spirit of Aura, sailed in, and during our departure maneuver we nearly hit her broadside. In the end, we avoided her, so nothing happened. But just after we passed her, a huge gust came through that would have pushed us into her if we’d been thirty seconds slower. It all worked out, and we’re heading off. The wind is blowing at 16.1 knots.

We anchored at the Lipari Islands. The waves on the way were enormous, about five meters high. Getting into the marina was dry and problem-free.

On Lipari, we went for a hike up Monte Mazuni. We walked five kilometers, with an elevation gain of about a thousand meters. Excellent, just great. Then we returned to the boat. Now we’ll think about what to do next. We’ll find a restaurant around here and get something to eat.

A free evening. We found the perfect bar and even managed to persuade the whole crew to have a round of Aperol. On the way back, we restocked our supplies, especially the alcohol.

DAY 08 · 23 October 2026

Sailing from Lipari to the mainland and a White Lady cocktail

We’re leaving Lipari for the mainland this morning.

The crossing was incredibly relaxed. We listened to reggae, Martin was at the helm, and you could say we caught glimpses of extreme happiness. Touches of God. That’s probably why we go sailing. I’d been drinking beer since morning. I skipped breakfast because my body was tired from the day before and wasn’t in the mood to eat or drink. Dad, though, slept through most of that time. Actually, that was probably for the best, since he rarely lets himself rest otherwise. So in a way, it was time well spent. Just a shame he wasn’t spending it with us.

The trip took less time than we expected, so we stopped for a swim just before the marina. It was incredibly refreshing. We’ll anchor, and the journey home is slowly getting underway.

Since I’d been the biggest consumer of alcohol, I decided to buy a little treat: gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, and a bucket of ice. I mixed a drink called a White Lady. It must have been a hit, because nobody complained.

DAY 09 · 24 October 2026

Canceled flight, change of route, and a reunion in Chicago

It’s 7:55 a.m. now. At Jiří’s prompting, I took a shower, and I feel good.

We took a taxi to the station and are waiting. We have about an hour here. Everyone is pleasantly tired.

After the train ride, during which some of us sleep, we get on a bus and head to our accommodations.

I was supposed to fly from Palermo to Milan, then from Milan to Prague. That was one flight. Then I was supposed to fly from Prague to Amsterdam, from Amsterdam to Chicago, and finally to Appleton. At the Airbnb, I found out that my flight from Prague had been canceled. I couldn’t change it, so I had to spend about an hour on various helplines getting my flights rebooked so I’d arrive in Appleton on Monday.

Once I’d sorted that out, I messaged Madina, my wife. She told me, “No way—that won’t do. Change it so you fly straight from Palermo to Appleton.” Then I spent another hour and a half or so on the phone getting it changed. I don’t remember much about Palermo because I spent the whole time on the phone. But I got it done. In the end, I flew home via Rome and Chicago. The flight was pleasant. In Chicago, I rebooked my flight for an hour earlier, so I only had to wait one hour instead of two.

At a restaurant in Chicago, I struck up a conversation with a young guy. We gradually got onto sailing, and he said he was buying a small boat from a family friend, a little bigger than a Flying Scot. I bought him a beer. He recommended a book, Dove, which he was reading at the time, about a sixteen-year-old sailor who circumnavigated the world over five years in the twentieth century. I ordered the book.