The free moorings in Sliema, off the north coast of Manoel Island (inner Malta)

Just after we arrived, a fellow cruiser reached out to Trip to see if we wanted a mooring in Sliema Bay. Yes, please! These moorings are privately owned, and fashioned in a way that has no rhyme or reason. You tie bow and stern on so that everyone is pointed in the same direction in a small space in the harbor. I rather think we look like a page out of Make Way For The Ducklings. Two fronts with potentially high winds were forecast, so we were happy to have access to one of the moorings. We added extra lines to secure ourselves.

Trip attaching a second stern line to the aft mooring

Little did we know that we were surrounded by a dozen boats that are also headed to Monastir. We’ve never had the chance to meet so many ‘winter’ friends in advance, and it’s quite the social crowd.

Kay of s/v Mai Tai, Nick of s/v Comfortably Numb, and Nick’s kitten Topsy

Sliema is not the prettiest part of the island, but it does have a nice view at night of Valetta, the capital.

More importantly, everything you need for the boat is in Sliema. Well stocked supermarkets or laundry are a five minute walk from the dinghy dock. Ferry boats and buses are right there. Petrol and water for the boat down at the other end of the bay.

Under the bridge for water and fuel.

Chandleries are close and because we went with our local friends they broke out the secret beer fridge….

A chandlery that has beer? Bliss

The weather turned out to be windy, but we were really protected in the bay, so it was inconvenient and nothing more. We checked our lines at one point though and were happy that we had two…… (we completely chafed through a line in the Caribbean and are always careful to check now during a blow)

Cutting out a chafed section of one of the stern lines