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, with a sad goodbye to Sanni;
• 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!

Sunshine, colour and character cottages in Venice Lagoon

Fast & Furious to Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

Our chariot (taxi) driver rather liked history

Well, here we are.  Istanbul - back where we started all those months ago!  Now, if I said it was raining, would you believe me?  The overnight bus from Plovdiv and associated stops at border points meant we had little sleep.  Jumping a taxi at the huge downtown bus terminal in the bleak early hours meant a fast ride into the city centre.  Zooming along at 130kph (“Put your seatbelts on”, yelled George as we left.), this ride was better than caffeine.  Still, unlike last time, we actually made it to the front door of our hotel.  No time to spare though….quick, I need a bathroom!

We had organised a few days to recover in Istanbul and used the time to re-visit (perhaps for the last time) our favourite city.  Well, actually they’re all our favourites but there’s just something about Istanbul.  Even Mark Twain would agree! 

Cavalry Bazaar - clearly one of us doesn't like shopping...

Old timber cottages behind the Blue Mosque

So, it's goodbye to Hagia Sophia then

Of course, Wednesday was Republic Day, so as if in a dream, we walked around town from the Cavalry Bazar to the Spice Bazar amongst a huge crowd enjoying their public holiday.  The next day we took shelter from heavier rain in the Grand Bazaar until overwhelmed, then took to the quieter corridors of the Archaeological Museum.  With wet shoes and a certain lack of enthusiasm, we then spent a day at the hotel enjoying a late breakfast and a bit of doing nothing much.  We discovered though, that the Museum of Turkish Arts is well on the way with its renovation plans and finding an Economist magazine in English is a bit of a challenge. 

Finally it was time to catch the tram to Atatürk Airport and check out of Turkey.  No more muezzins’ calls, no more carpets and no more cats’ meows. 

 

So ends our seventh season, which started with a visit to Troy & Gallipoli, then continued on in leisurely boating style:

• a memorable cruise up Turkey's west coast,
• a quick sail through the Greek Aegean Islands,
• taking a red panda to explore ruin-strewn Peloponnese, 
• a lingering sail round the Ionians before
• dashing to Albania to explore this little visited (by sail boats) country. 

Pre-haul out in Preveza Marina - washing sails

Finally, it was back to Preveza for haul out.  Windjammer has settled into a yard shared with donkeys, goats and friendly dogs.  She won't be missing us at all.  With WJ3 safely in her cradle, we took off to visit George & Annette in Vienna before taking our Intrepid trip to Eastern Europe. 

 

We'll be back next year for some more slow boating, the general plan to make it to Italy. More or less. Watch this space for plans as they evolve...

Slow boating

 (A reminder of our happy watery trails (the map & tracker) can be found here.)

So it's goodbye & A Very Merry Christmas 2014 from us

Trading for Spices

Back in Aus

By now of course you know that the Motley Crew is well and truly settled back into river life and the regimen of planning for WJ3’s next season will begin yet again.  In the meantime, here’s a quick look back at a busy 2013 indeed:

WE ATE (very well indeed, especially in Turkey)

WE EXPLORED (there's quite a lot to cover)

WE SAILED (alone & with friends)
Kangaroos in Paradise or was it Purgatory?

 

AND WE SAILED (a few thousand nautical mile - Portugal to Turkey)

For those wanting a voyage map, follow this LINK (or the one that lives over on the right - Meet The Fleet section), although you will need to have Google Earth downloaded (it's free) on your computer.  Windjammer & her crew wish you all the best for this Festive Season and look forward to your company (virtual or otherwise) next year.

Season's Highlights

From: The Graphics Fairy

This brings to a close our 5th year of cruising life (Yes, five years!!) with Miss WJ3.  Who'd have thought... Or imaged the ground and sea miles we've covered in that time.  Hope you've enjoyed the ride along with us!

Windjammer & the cruisin’ Motleys would like to wish you all the best for the festive season and send our thanks for joining us this year - either in person or on the couch at home.  It's been a lot of fun with the odd hairy moment.  That's sailing, so the Cap'n tells me.  Meanwhile, we can't believe how the months have just disappeared so quickly again this year. 

We’ve finally put together a very lavish photo album from this season’s best.  (Click here or follow the 2012 album link over on the right.)  Note - this is season FIVE!  We had to include heaps of photos from Morocco of course, and then there’s the best of moments with BCK…  All a lot of fun and way too much shopping, and eating and walking and drinking and shopping and talking.  You know the drill!

Despite all the photo opportunities, we had only 12 days of sailing this year – although a couple were quite long and either in fog or at night (or both – we do our best to be bold sailors sometimes.  Hmmm?).  So it’s a bit of a record with only 584nm tucked under our belts.  Still we had fun, learned how to live the marina life and behave on bus tours. 

Cruising Grounds 2012
And yes, we did doddle about in the Med for a wee bit!

The Cap’n informs me, as he heads out to lavish attention on his mooring minder (a 25ft Top Hat - another of his growing fleet), that his wrist is really improving.  Our sights are therefore set on making Turkey next year.  The First Mate will settle up the nav plans closer to a departure date from Aus, although the general program will be 3 months to get from Portugal to Turkey, then take some time to explore the Eastern Med coastline.  Simple?  We hope so….just a bit of sailing to work through.  Soooo glad we rested this year!  Look forward to catching up in 2013.

Inside the Walls

Lagos, Portugal

Lagos has a Governor’s Castle dating from 1189, a slave market and an old city surrounded by historic walls.  It’s almost possible to see all this from WJ3, all tucked up snug in her boatyard across the river.  Next year there will be time for touristy things and an opportunity to visit nearby stretches of beautiful beach.  Now however, we must struggle on, knee deep in teak oil, Mr Muscle spray cleaner and engine bits and pieces, to attend to the usual haul out chores.  Have we mentioned there is no winterising here?  How good is that!   WJ3 does have to share her yard with several ducks though.  We’re hoping they don’t take a liking to her or Bruce – otherwise it could be a big cleanup job next year.

So its good bye from Navigator Henriques (father of Portugal’s Age of Discovery 1415 - 1580),

Good bye from WJ3,

Oh, not another New Toy...

And the end of the season for the Motley Crew…...but just a beginning for our adventures in the Med next year!!  We still can’t believe we’re here...

Finishing our 4^th season with some big stats again this year too.  See you in May 2012

From:	Portimao, Portugal	To:	Lagos, Portuga l
Lat/Long:	37:07.2080N  08:31.7370W	Lat/Long:	37:06.4500N  08:40.2540W
Date/Time:	20/10/11: 1000	Date/Time:	20/10/11: 1130
Time Taken:	8.9nm (1.5hrs)
Distance:	4865nm (892.5hrs) (this year)	Dist Total	10237nm (since 2008)
Weather:	In the Algarve - just wonderful!!!
Fastest Speed:	Haul Out at Sopromar Boatyard, Lagos 21/10/11 at 1000hrs