Treading Water

Could this be us?  Just think - there's more than one!  Also note chest freezer...

You’ll be pleased to hear our time in the yard is at an end.  This year, aside from usual chores that go into setting up the boat, WJ3 shines from a good (professional) polishing, the Cap’n serviced rusty bicycles, we cleaned inside and out and GS made good use of the yard’s new laundry block.  We had to come to grips with yet another internet system, made all the more difficult due to a minor language barrier – i.e. not being able to read the instructions!  Worst of all, the bow thruster batteries had not charged in our absence and we needed an electrician to sort out the reasons for this.  Nevertheless, we had a pleasant time of it and the weather stayed relatively mild with a few storms for good measure.  However, climbing that ladder to our lofty abode never gets any easier…

Our neighbours returned with sad tales.  Their friends returned to their boat in Turkey for the start of another season, only he fell off the ladder and sadly didn’t survive.  We also heard that a woman in our yard had fallen and seriously hurt herself.  We double checked the ties securing our ladder for peace of mind.

Finally, we felt ready to splash.  On launching, the engine started…that’s good, but the generator again chose to be obstinate.  Hmmm!  Something more to look at whilst on anchor, we thought.  Launching Bruce (the dinghy) too was something of a concern as the outboard stubbornly refused to function. Cap’n “I’m not happy about this” now thinks it’s cruddy fuel.  Meanwhile, he vaguely wondered why his feet were getting so wet inside the dinghy.  Yes, someone had stolen our dinghy bung.  To add to post launch miseries, the bow thruster continues to be obstinate and needs more professional help.  A kind neighbour (thanks, Paul) saw our predicament and offered to ferry us to shore to check in with the Port Police and beg a berth at the Marina.   So here we sit, rafted up but afloat with not much working (sound familiar?) but at least in good spirits, thanks to quantities of Greek wine.  The mere mention of our sailing schedule reduces us to fits of hysterical laughter. 

We’re waiting on the electrician and apparently, we are going to live longer because our world is revolving in accord with Greek time (GMT = Greek Maybe Time).  We’re treading water and going nowhere real fast…