Treading Water

Could this be us in a few years time?  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 carrying suitcases aboard 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…

Lickety Split

Preveza, Greece.  Just in time for the weather…

So, here we sit back in Preveza with cleaning rags in our hands doing long promised chores and waiting for haul out.  So where did that cruising year go?  It seems only yesterday that we met with our Dangar Island neighbours, June & Paul, as they cruised through this area on their way south for the season.

Oh, look!  That cute cruise ship is back in Preveza

We’d left Kotor early and made for Bar to check out and leave, well, strand really, JKip in time for his transfer home.  WJ3 turned her nose south and made a relatively uneventful overnighter to Saranda in Albania.  Here we rested for a couple of nights, got up close and personal with the famed Italian temperament at the dock and ate delightful seafood dinners so cheaply you just wonder how they do it!  Having left Montenegro after a tax-free fuel mix-up (with no resulting fuel for us), we arrived in Saranda on the smell of an oily rag.  Agim, our ever-friendly agent, arranged for a tanker for us and the Riva docked next door.  Somehow, totally unawares, the Riva owner managed to flood gallons of diesel into the bay.  Catastrophe averted by merely ignoring it!  And don’t forget to only scrub your own boat down….

After leaving Saranda we managed a little sailing until, in the lee of Corfu, the winds just died.  We hugged the Albanian coast until it became Greece and bobbed southward until some 11 hours later, arrived in Preveza - a current against us most of the way.

Although I promised not to post up any more haul out photos,
we had to include this one with Aktio's new travel-lift.  Smart, hey!

Heat wave conditions continue and we are now, aside from totally over it, under 2 vast awnings trying to protect WJ3's decks from overheating and cooking us at night in our little cabin.  The sunbrella awning (made for tropical Caribbean weather) also keeps the rain off.  Handy, given that since being back we’ve had evening storms with amazing regularity, some quite wild.  

These storms have had victims and one limped into the Aktio yard a few days ago – sadly a Hunter with ½ a rudder, a twisted prop and damaged keel.  The anchor had failed to hold and the boat was swept back onto a rocky shore.  A reminder for us never to take anything for granted!

The yellow trailer still gets to tuck WJ3 into bed though

In a few days’ time we’ll be winging our way over the Baltic Sea – for a little boatless touring with daily weather considerations being set to “umbrella or not” level.  Sounds like fun and we’ll keep you posted!

(Rather than wax lyrical about the current cleaning regime, we will try to tame the hodge-podge of photos from this year.  With any luck, some may even be posted up before we depart for this final leg of our trip!  For annual cruising statistics, you will have to wait a little longer...)

On Top of the Mast

Aktio Boatyard, Greece

We are waiting to splash.  Any moment now.  Turning on the computer will hasten the tractor's arrival, of course.  In the meantime, here are a few photos of the boat and boatyard we just had to post up.  It has only taken us 8 years to remember to take a camera up on the annual mast & rigging inspection. 

Well, true to form, the tractor arrived to bear the Other Woman to the blue waters of the Ionian Sea.  At the site of Anthony & Cleo's demise at the hands of soon to be Emperor Augustus, no less. All those years ago; it seems more story than truth.  Anyway, our farmyard assembled to bid us farewell and I suspect neither of us will miss Miss Foghorn's (donkey) all night serenade or the mosquitoes.

Yes indeed, a proper farewell parade in our honour

An update:  Our departure has been delayed yet again due to a generator with a mind of it's own.  Wouldn't start, then wouldn't shut down.  Expert guidance is necessary. Keep an eye out for polite commentary on the H460 site.  His Captainship should have lots of free time to update his blog now.... Meanwhile, we're heading over to the unfinished Preveza marina and will take a berth there.

A couple of shots of smart, new look Preveza

Over Old Ground

Aktio Boatyard, Greece

Back to Work

So, here we sit in the Aktio Yard surrounded by other boats undergoing similar beauty treatment as Miss Windjammer.  Needless to say, our Cap’n is lavishing attention, spending long hours and sinking a fortune into his other woman.  Meanwhile GS scales a 20ft ladder, despairs at Greek supermarkets and wonders if life wouldn’t be better just staying put.  After all, Ms Donkey could be expecting again (it is spring after all!), busy goats are keeping the meadow (boatyard) in trim, our local taverna does a fantastic moussaka and best of all, we could weather any storm without getting wet feet.  Did Odysseus feel the same when those sirens sang….I think they live just around the corner. 

No! I just live around the corner.

Preveza is undergoing a makeover too.  Streets in the old town are being given a cosmetic “lick & promise” and we hardly recognised our supermarket area.  We discovered the reason a few days later when a cruise liner dwarfed the town dock and small shops bulged with visitors.  Our marina too boasts a sparkling new 100t travel lift and the crusty old jeep that took us into town has been replaced by a smart people mover.  Ahhh, progress. 

 

Technology is turning out to be "12 Labours for the Galley Slave" this year.  Her computer is playing up now - after only a week of being here, so watching this little piece of blogosphere space may become somewhat dull, unless there's some resolution.  He's thinking... tinkering & a little fix, she's thinking... a brand new computer...

Yes, well perhaps we could just stay here... 

Farewell from Aktio

Preveza, Greece

Like Augustus, we too have completed a successful mission.  Yet another year in the Med and on water!  We’re busy putting the boat to bed, making repairs (does it ever end?) and living in chaos until the last hours on Thursday morning.  The ladder at the back of the boat seems to get higher each year and the distance to the loos & showers greater; but all’s fine at the back of the yard.  We have three cute donkeys, with their recent baby, braying in the early morning for food & attention, a couple of less personable goats, and a few yappy yard dogs for company.  From our “tower”, a view over the salt marshes and into the gulf isn’t bad either. 

Just so you can join us in the "pain" of a haul out, here's this year's sequence - on an hydraulic trailer, not a travel-lift:

Here it comes!

OMG, it looks like it's slipping off...

No, thankfully it's still on that "tiny" trailer..

Then it's time for a quick tub in fresh water

Before being put to bed on a steel cradle at the back of the yard
with a view over the bay and livestock for company.  That's so Greece!

Then it's time for annual statistics folks, so here it is wrapped up:

 

From: Sarande, Albania Lat/Long: 39:52.278N 20:00 .210E Date/Time: 5/09/14: 1500
To: Preveza, Greece Lat/Long: 38:57.087N 20:46.092E Date/Time: 29/09/14: 1230
Time Taken: 172.5nm (31.5hrs) Distance (this year): 1290nm (220hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 14623nm   Weather: Clear skies, calm seas & the occasional big blow
Fastest Speed: The motoring continues: all the more for next year! 

Ratus Sparticus

Preveza, Greece

Here we are, tied to the Aktio dock, unsuspecting....

It was the middle of a dark night.  The Cap’n had gotten up to check on mooring lines.  He thought he’d heard the pitter-patter of little feet scurrying about the dock.  Now, there staring at him, nose to nose, thought the OPEN galley hatch (onboard even!) was Ratus Sparticus!

Having been engrossed in stories of the Battle of Thermopylae*, our Captain’s first thought was to reach for an implement of destruction (probably my best kitchen knife – eeeuuuw!).  However, he resorted to a sudden ninja cut & thrust punch.  Ratus learned to fly, though sadly not to swim, then made a hasty retreat from the dock into his boatyard hideaway. 

You can’t say we hadn’t been warned.  Rats are known to run up mooring lines and our fabric clad fenders make perfect treads.  Along with wafting remnants of dinner, it was an invitation clearly too good to miss.  (Although the Cap’n reckons they should have gone for the French boat behind us, being better cooks & all!)

Still, we are now replete with various instruments of defence and mooring lines glistening with an array of plastic bottles. GS wants to go back to Kusadasi for the black cat that tried to adopt us.  It was a close call, hopefully not to be repeated…

 

(* In 480BC, Spartans hold off Xerxes’ Army (Persians) in the Battle of Thermopylae, against all odds.)

Note: large quantities of useful plastic bottles as "rat fender-offerers"

Not a line was spared the "treatment"

Bunkers Galore

Preveza, Greece

Our journey from Korinthos (Corinth) continues:

 

Ancient Korinthos (from out at sea)

We had left Korinthos, making for Itea, and another seemingly abandoned marina.  Tied to the wall, we could safely leave WJ3 and head for the hills.  You would think, would you not, that having been exposed so far to the best of Greek bureaucracy, we would learn. Just don’t ever ask about banks...

Our Cap’n pedalled to the bus station to coordinate timings for our Delphi visit.   Next morning, bright and shiny at 7.45, we presented ourselves.  “It’s Saturday,” she said.  “And?” said our Cap’n, starting to get a little terse.  The bus left at 7:15. Of course it had, this is Greece!  Back to WJ3 then for a three hour wait for the next bus….  Luckily there were seats available.

Marina at Itea_WJ3 over on far dock

Our woes did not stop there.  After Delphi, we stopped for dinner at an Itea quay-side restaurant.  Let me tell you, it was the worst food we’ve had in seven years.  Just to add insult to injury, it came with a hefty €50 bill!   Next morning, we left Itea very early. Only to blow out the main sail.  (More detail on the Cap’n H460 site, soon-ish, he’s busy organising repairs and fixing things!).

Our next little anchorage in Trizonia was very charming – a little Dangar in the Korinthos Gulf.  We were understandably a little taverna shy so didn’t bother with tying up at the dock (I think another free one?).  Here we rested two days, hiding from strong westerlies, until we pushed on for a planned stop at Messolongi.  Conditions had been calm, and we fair slid under the Rion-Andirion Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world and quite a dramatic sight. 

Trizonia with steep hills on the mainland behind

Reading more "repair manuals"_relaxing on Trizonia

Rion-Andirion Bridge with car ferry
(cheaper than using the bridge apparently)

Getting that ICW feeling all over again!

Despite the afternoon breeze building, we decided, being something of old hands at bashing INTO it, we’d continue on to Ithaca, home of Ulysses.  Once there, we found a lovely little nook, festooned with yellow buoys for swimmers, but with enough room for us.  Katabatic winds found us, as did the thousands of other boaties in the Ionian – it’s Pitt Street on the water here.  Despite limited space, two other boats crept in front of us, crossing our anchor chain.  We had been warned about August and the Ionian.  We left in the morning with a dramatic flourish (No! Was that anchor woman being yelled at??) and glint of perspiration on our neighbour’s brow. 

Lefkas Canal & the race is on...

The day was brilliantly mild, with yachts criss-crossing picturesque waterways, so rather than stop at Lefkas, we kept going through the canal and on to Preveza.  Aktio Marina is our 2014 haul-out yard of choice, so aside from making ourselves known, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to slow down for a few days and have the main sail & Bruce’s outboard seen to.  We’ve been invited dockside at Aktio until the repairs are made, the Cap’n has found an extensive chandlery, the washing’s been done, galley’s restocked, shore showers are hot and all’s well with the world.

Aktio is historically noteworthy, having been the gathering place of Marc Anthony & Cleopatra’s combined fleets; their sights set firmly on Italy.  It was here (Actium) that Octavian firmly trounced them, his ultimate triumph was to eventually become Emperor Augustus.  Cleo went home to find herself a little viper.

Preveza sunset and gathering place for ambitious Cleo & the lovely Marc

From: Korinthos, Greece Lat/Long: 37:56.493N 22:56.180E Date/Time: 25/07/14: 0845

To: Preveza, Greece Lat/Long: 38:57.173N 20:45.844E Date/Time: 30/07/14: 1630
Time Taken: 166nm (28.5hrs) Distance (this year): 812nm (139.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 14145nm   Weather: Good run although not much sailing time (again!)
Fastest Speed: Averaging 6-6.5kts – amazing what a little engine juice does