Position and live boat check · 06:20 CEST
The onboard Actisense W2K-2 has EVERYTHING ZEN (MMSI 261186582) stopped in the Valletta / Marsamxett area of Malta. The public copy keeps the exact fix private. SOG is 0.0 kt; COG is not available. This is a fresh own-ship AIVDO position, not a stale public AIS estimate.
Local harbour and passage forecast · Malta
| Window | Wind / gust | Sea / sky | Practical call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today, dawn | NW around 4–5 kt; gusts around 11 kt early. | About 0.9–1.0 m, short 4–5 second chop. | HOLD: stay secured; no published departure. |
| Today, midday / afternoon | NW around 7–8 kt; gusts about 17–19 kt, easing later. | About 0.5–0.8 m by afternoon. | HOLD: harbour work only; no active plan. |
| Saturday outlook | Moderate early, building late; local grid gusts rise toward 25 kt. | About 0.5 m early, rising toward 1.3–1.4 m late. | CAUTION: only consider a short local window after a fresh check. |
| Sunday outlook | NW around 20–22 kt, gusts near 30 kt. | About 1.5–1.7 m, short and uncomfortable. | NO-GO: stay put and let the blow pass. |
Open-Meteo 10 m wind/gust and Marine wave models, the local Weather.mt Malta comparison, and the Malta Met Office mariners page were checked for the live W2K-2 area. SeaLegs SpotCast was unavailable this run (HTTP 401), so this report uses the working local/model sources. They disagree on exact wave height and timing; models do not see every headland acceleration, squall, harbour surge, ferry wake or mooring problem.
Harbour / anchorage call
Today’s call is HOLD in Malta. EVERYTHING ZEN is already stopped in the Valletta / Marsamxett home-berth area, and there is no published local passage plan for today. Keep VHF 13 and 16 monitored around harbour traffic; harbour work is fine, while Friday or Saturday morning needs a fresh route and harbour check before any local hop.
Destination intel · Valletta / Marsamxett
Valletta / Marsamxett is now the actual Malta home-berth area, not a forward-looking arrival claim. Keep VHF 13 and 16 monitored, expect ferry and harbour traffic, and follow the current local berthing or landing instructions. Ashore, the bastions, Upper Barrakka, old streets, pastizzi, coffee, provisions and chandlery make the useful first circuit. Captain Ron’s town verdict: home berth secured, but Malta’s harbour entrance still deserves a professional hat.
Recent stop intel · Portopalo di Capo Passero
Portopalo was the actual overnight staging stop before the Malta crossing: a fishing harbour with a useful south-facing bay, a small provisions run, seafood and views toward Capo Passero and Isola delle Correnti. It is a stepping stone rather than a guaranteed marina berth, so confirm holding, swell, landing and local harbour instructions on arrival. Captain Ron’s stop verdict: a good launchpad; the sea got its vote and the boat made the crossing.
Quick world / markets
- A magnitude-7 earthquake in Tibet killed at least 16 people and collapsed hundreds of homes; rescue work continues.
- AP reports widening social unrest across parts of Europe amid energy and housing pressure.
- Fresh 06:20 CEST market snapshots: Bitcoin US$81,627; gold about US$4,091 per troy ounce.
Sources checked 23 October: onboard Actisense W2K-2 own-ship position; Open-Meteo weather and Marine for Malta; Malta Met Office mariners page; Weather.mt Malta comparison; Associated Press world reports; live Bitcoin and gold snapshots. SeaLegs SpotCast returned HTTP 401 this run. Exact coordinates remain private.
References: Open-Meteo · Open-Meteo Marine · Malta Met Office mariners forecast · Malta coastal marine forecast · BBC world feed · Bitcoin snapshot · Gold snapshot · Valletta / Marsamxett port intel.