Not-So-Bitter End

Although a shorter season than most, this year’s ambitious “Travels with the Windjammers” has been quite the marathon and action packed.  So, the blog and photo fest is over and we must return to our every-day island lives.  (Reminder to self:  It’s goodbye then to glamorous swans and hello to those bush bad boys, the kookaburras!) 

This year, our 8^th season if you can believe it, has taken us on quite the voyage.

Santorini caldera from our balcony

And history everywhere

• We started from Athens for a quick visit on a big blue ferry to the Greek islands of Santorini and Crete;
• Then caught a coach to Preveza in the Ionians to splash Windjammer (and fix just a few more things!!);
• Before running into a real weather experience travelling in Croatia.

WJ3 in Dubrovnik

The lads at large in Pula

• We were determined to achieve an up close & personal experience in fabulous Venice with plenty of time to get to know this sultry city;
• Before taking a quick slide back down the Croatian coast, ably assisted by Mr Kip, dodging wildfires, heatwaves and nudists;
• With spare time for a quick visit to Montenegro and Albania before hauling out in Preveza again.

The sun was scarce in Germany but friends aplenty

• This year our land-leg wanderings took us to Norway for a tour encompassing eight counties that surround the Baltic Sea, finishing in Berlin;
• And finally, trying to see the best Germany has to offer in only a few oh, so short days…

Taking photos in
out of the way places

of fabulous scenery

And the Cap'n now notices a missed opportunity in Bergen...

Somehow the speed at which we travelled and with so much to write about this season, our sailing log has been totally neglected.  Never mind, the yearly figures come in as follows:

From: Preveza, Greece Lat/Long: 38:57.087N 20:46 .092E  Date/Time: 12/05/15: 1800

To: Preveza, Greece Lat/Long: 38:57.087N 20:46.092E  Date/Time: 13/08/15: 1230
Time Taken (this year): 246 hrs  Distance (this year): 1407nm
Distance Total (since 2008): 16,030nm   
Weather: Clear skies, calm seas & the occasional big blow to mix it up
Fastest Speed: It’s the Med!  Motoring continues.  Winds are generally too much or too little and always it seems, from the wrong direction!
Map & Tracker: If you want to see all our sailing stops along the way, here is the MAP.

Now of course, it is time to plan for next year.  We’re anticipating a rather-too-short foray into Italy and hope to cover the best of this country (always spoken of in terms of superlatives), before hauling out - perhaps in Spain.  Who knows…watch this space!