Malta
The Med’s Peaceful Centre
The Mediterranean’s peaceful centre, Malta, is a good stop on passage from the southern Turkish coast, Cyprus, and the Levant. The passage from Greece includes the Sicily Channel, which goes across northern Malta. Merchant traffic is squeezed into here, especially during a gregale (Easterly gale). It pays to keep a good lookout to avert close encounters with the threat of collision.
A former British Crown Colony, now a Republic, Malta benefited enormously from membership of the European Union. In the capital, Valletta, Princess Elizabeth – later to become Britain’s longest-serving monarch – rented one of her first homes with her new naval husband. Valletta is an absolute must-visit, even if – say – you’ve overnighted in one of the bay anchorages before coming here.
Cruisers are well-served at the country’s largest marina, at Msida Creek. The shelter is almost total, although there can be storm surge. Msida & Ta’ Xbiex Marina accommodates up to 22m LOA. There’s a handy Customs office, plus electric hook-ups to all pontoons as well as running water (although bottled is preferable for drinking). You can buy anything boat-related under the sun in these Aladdin’s Cave chandleries. All manner of shoreside facilities are close by. The key thing is that a compact Baroque UNESCO World Heritage capital city is within walking distance.
During the daytime, Valletta is packed with tourists, coming to browse the shops, drink espressos, and eat honey-and-date pastry snacks. Dramatic and gory Old Master paintings abound in the main cathedral. After dark, you’ll have the place to yourself. The night-time economy is centred in St Julian’s, one bay to the north. Cruisers not minding loud party beats at 2 a.m. will find spots to anchor. Best put the hook down during the day, though, as the clear water will show you how to avoid stone rubble and blocks of rock.
Going further up the Maltese eastern coast, you have St Paul’s Bay. Holding is good off Bugibba. This is the resort along the bay’s southern rim. There are good facilities here, including fuel. At a beachside cafe, you can see the typical cobalt blue and cadmium yellow wooden fishing boats, called luzzu. One tip for cruisers is to avoid going too far into the bay. It is sandy and good holding, and you might think the shelter here is better. You’ll also be avoiding the crowds. But you have to run the gamut of all sorts of miscellaneous floating matter, including a kaleidoscope of mooring buoys and fishing pots.
This corner of Malta feels a little windswept and lonely, especially with the walls of a Victorian-era defensive line crossing the fields in a redundant fashion. Northern coves – up to St Paul’s Island (where the saint is said to have been shipwrecked) – are great to anchor for lunch or even stay the night. The water is as clear as vodka. Maybe that’s why you tend to get party boats with inebriated passengers rocking up in the middle of the day.
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