Islands off of an Island

Just off the northern coast of Sicily, rising out of the cobalt sea just north of Messina are a group of islands known as the Aeolian Islands. It is no surprise that these islands are from volcanic eruptions similar to the ones that created Sicily. And like Sicily some of them are still very much active. Stromboli is probably the most famous of the group. Its vents send up a continuous plume of gas often accompanied with spitting lava. It is at times like this that I am grateful that we are on a sailboat that can bring us to these idyllic islands. We are able to hop from one island to the other and change anchorages depending on the wind and wave direction. We sailed into a protective bay on Vulcano, the southern most island. The tall rim still smolders and spews plums of steamy gases. The smell of yellow sulphur is ever present and the black sand beaches all let you know that this is an active volcano. The next day we sail to the nearby island of Lipari. For the most part the sea floor plummets 100 feet close to shore making anchoring impossible. But we are able to find a sandy shoal close to the main town of the same name. We drop our anchor and spend a few days enjoying the amazing island cuisine and hanging out at the local sidewalk cafes. Except for the tourist shops, the town seems like a step back in history. Its stone block roads and a labyrinthine of narrow streets lined on both sides with small shops selling their wares. In 1544 pirates invaded the town murdering most of the men and enslaved most of the women. Those that were left resolved to never let that happen again. They built a strong citadel on the top of a cliff overlooking the sea that still looks like it would repel an invading army. It now houses an archeological museum and various administrative offices. After a couple of leisurely days, we head back to Vulcano this time anchoring on the leeward side of the island. We spend the afternoon soaking in the gurgling mud baths and exploring the town built around the hot springs.