THE BAY OF NAPLES
BY BOAT
GUIDED EXPLORATION OF COASTAL FOOD TRADITIONS
Campania, ITALY // June 13th - 19th 2027
An immersive week at sea to learn the methods of traditional coastal subsistence of the islands
OUT THERE THE LAST?
When it comes to the traditional foods of a place that excite me, I have often talked about the importance of distance- the healthy separation from civilisation from valleys by elevation in the mountains, or by significant bodies of water from the mainland to the islands, out there.
This inevitably locks in the fascinating ways that people have figured out how to survive within their particular geographical context from a survival and sustenance perspective, and we would do well to learn from these traditions and ways.
A long time coming, this is the first foray into the traditions of the Bay of Naples, to unlock what secrets the islands may offer us.
Who is this trip for?
In our opinion, this one is going to be one of those life ones.
This trip is for someone curious to learn how the foods of specific, water-locked communities might have become established from island living, climate, maritime trade routes and the techniques of food preservation behind them.
We will enter into the spirit of exploration as I myself am curious to see where our noses take us on this incredibly exciting trip, where I hope to make connections between fish preservation techniques like the use of salt and wind, whilst we learn on board through demos and workshops I will run, how to bring these elements into our own lives.
What’s included?
All meals cooked by an on-board chef under our curation
Six nights accommodation aboard a beautiful, fully insured and professionally captained catamaran
Immersive preservation methods- traditional methods of the coast taught throughout the trip
Hyper-regional traditional coastal recipes
Bespoke visits to communities of the islands
Fish filleting and salting masterclass with traditional methods
Guided trips onto the islands with fishermen and other inhabitants
All meals, which are intentionally focused on traditional coastal cooking and disappearing traditional recipes
DAY ONE
NAPLES TO PROCIDA Sailing - 2hrs
Market visit in Naples with the chef, picking up fresh produce and fish for the week's menus
Board in the afternoon and sail across the bay
Filleting, anchovy beheading and salting demonstration on deck with fish from the market
Tender ashore to wander Procida's pastel harbour front
Aperitivo on deck, then dinner featuring a salad of Procida's limone pane lemons
Night at anchor off Procida
DAY TWO
PROCIDA TO ISCHIA Sailing - 1hr
Morning in Procida with a lingua di Procida, the island's lemon cream pastry
Short sail to Ischia
Afternoon visiting the volcanic cellars and learning about the island's winemaking
Move round to the south of the island
Dinner on board paired with a local Biancolella
Night at anchor off Sant'Angelo
DAY THREE
ISCHIA TO VENTOTENE
Sailing - 1hr
Morning at Maronti beach, cooking lunch in the hot sand of the fumaroles
Sail west to the Pontine islands, with a swim stop in open water, where your host spearfishes for fresh fish
Evening stroll through Ventotene's lanes and a glass of wine in the piazza
Dinner on board built around cicerchia, chickpeas, broad beans and wild oregano
Night at anchor off Ventotene
DAY FOUR
VENTOTENE TO PONZA
SAILING - 4 hrs
Sail north to Ponza's white limestone cliffs
Lunch with local fishermen, eating the catch and hearing how they fish
Afternoon swimming at Frontone
Dinner of wild foraged fennel and anchovy pasta, a Ponza classic
Night at anchor off Ponza
DAY FIVE
PONZA TO VENTOTENE
SAILING - 4hrs
Morning swim before departure
Sail back to Ventotene
Afternoon with a local grower, drying and tasting lentils and capers during the June harvest
Roman Ventotene: the harbour cut by hand from the tufa and the imperial villa ruins
Second evening in the piazza
Night at anchor off Ventotene
DAY SIX
VENTOTENE TO NAPLES
SAILING - 6.5 hrs
Early start east, the longest leg of the week
Lunch on board passing Ischia and Procida
Final approach across the bay with Vesuvius ahead
Farewell dinner at one long table
Final night aboard in Naples
DAY SEVEN
DISEMBARK
Coffee and light breakfast on deck
Disembark in Naples
REQUIREMENTS AND KIT LIST
Soft-shell luggage only
swimwear
sandals/flats (barefoot on the boat)
sun hat
sunglasses
reef-safe sunscreen
a soft beach towel
personal medication and toileteries
electrolytes
power bank
Please do not over pack as you will need less than you think!
Your Guide
Here we go!
That’s me holding on to two fillets of wild Atlantic salmon destined for the cold-smoker, at one of my courses in Ireland, all to learn about traditions of the sea. It is with great delight that I can branch out to the Italian coast because, as a native speaker, I cannot wait to turn my attention to the Islands with the same verve and gusto I have been adventuring to learn from the methods of the mountains.
Having hosted guided trips and taught workshops for nearly a decade, I am absolutely raring to go, and invite you into my humble world of curiosity and learning, so we make bring the wisdom of the past into the future.
I am honoured to share this journey with you and my Italian friends.
Looking forward to seeing you on waves!
Max Jones
Max Jones - Up There The Last
I would like to thank the photographers who have allowed me to use their beautiful images to help with this trip.
Finn Beales, Ahtziri Lagarde, Giuseppe Gallo, Shana Van Roosbroek, Aziz Acharki, Ovidiu, Andy Holmes, Riccardo Tuninato and Tim Boote.
We will come back with some beautiful images of our own from this incredible trip.
