SILENCE, DRAMA, TURTLES AND DOLPHINS , DAYS 89 to 92

SILENCE, DRAMA, TURTLES AND DOLPHINS 26 to 29 JULY, DAYS 89 to 92

After a quiet night at out tiny island anchorage we went ashore to walk the beach as it was not possible to go further without entering the lagoon. Young sea urchins were in shallow water so we trod carefully.

Back at the boat we relaxed until in late afternoon the wind shifted to NNE and got up accompanied by black clouds and white horses on the water. We were no longer protected by the island and this was not the 10 – 15 knots of west wind forecast. Again thunder storms were around the mountains and this one was coming straight for us. We were close to the shore and I felt we were getting closer.

I untied the tiller lashings to free the steering and put on the motor. We were getting closer to the beach and I could not get a good angle to get the smaller anchor up so decided to buoy the end of the anchor warp and let go the anchor, to come back later for it. As I tied the fender to the rope the motor stopped. The rope was round the propeller.

This was getting serious, the beach barely a boat length away. I dropped the heavier main anchor to hold the boat off and Gerhard arrived by dinghy from the only other yacht within miles.

I went into the water to release the rope from it’s three turns around the propeller, standing on the sea bed. Now free we could start the motor again and with it in reverse we set to recovering the anchors. As we lifted the warp of the light one clear we say that we had lifted the heavy one with the rope so neither were holding us against the wind. Anita continued to steer and try to keep us from the beach and afterwards said that the steering was heavy. That was explained by the port side lifting rudder having been pushed up by the beach. The rudder blades are designed to lift if needed and it did it’s work.

We recovered the main anchor at the stern, and Gerhard had already dropped to smaller one into his dinghy to row forward to warp us off the beach. That was not necessary as the motor was slowly pulling us clear. We carried the anchor and chain forward as Anita steered us clear of the beach and re-anchored further out but still in the waves.

I thanked Gerhard for his assistance and took the smaller anchor forward and put it away in it’s locker.

Moral of the story – Don’t trust forecast when there are storms in the mountains, and act quickly. It was amazing that we did not end up on the beach but when one rope lifted the other anchor that was a hard moment.

Later came the full moon complete with eclipse by the sun. We did not see all the process due to clouds but at about 21.00 we saw part of the moon in shadow, later the moon was fully visible but very dark (during the total eclipse) and at 01.00 we say the light moon again with last of the shadow at the other side.

We were also joined by many wasps eager to take fresh water from the bucket and from our plants. They buried themselves especially into the soil of the basil plant and only left the next day when we left the island.

What a day !!

More storms were forecast for Friday and although I would have liked to explore the distant east side of the Gulf it was much closer to the mountains so I chose to go motor 8 miles to the west side for protection from west wind and swell, and to be further from the influence of the mountains. The sea was flat and wind only came up against us for the last mile. We anchored alone in a huge bay, close to the shore, trees, cicadas etc. We had seen turtles on the way across.

There are a few houses and farmland but we were virtually hidden from the land and could be naked in nature. The evening brought us the next night of red low full moon without clouds.

The water in the Gulf is mostly shallow and warm and not clear like around the offshore islands. In fact it is a rich soup of wildlife and plants. Even pulling up the anchor we were treated to small creatures moving on the deck.

On Saturday we stayed with the boat until early evening before taking a walk ashore and enjoying blackberries and figs from their plants.

The fridge was going off again despite battery levels of 12.5 volts at times. Following the recharging in Preveza we had three days of no problems, but much cloud so the solar panels were not giving full support.

We decided to return to Preveza on Sunday and had a lovely sail under genoa back to the entrance of the Gulf, being joined by about 10 dolphins which came very close but we had no power in the phones to photograph them. For the last hour we headed slowly west again towards Preveza against strong wind, giving the motor good chance to keep fridge cool and charge the batteries. We came to the Preveza anchorage but soon the fridge was off again.

Later the sky went black, and there was a large wind shift from W to NNE and we, as others, were preparing boat for the next onslaught of weather. Lightening flashed and thunder rumbled loudly but at the last minute the wind eased and we only had rain.

I came ashore to charge appliances, just about everything being dead.

How wonderful the Gulf was, silence, distant mountains, empty anchorages, turtles and dolphins.

FULL BATTERIES, RAIN STORMS, MORE PREVEZA AND BACK TO NATURE – Days 86 to 88

FULL BATTERIES, RAIN STORMS, MORE PREVEZA  AND BACK TO NATURE – 23 to 25 July, Days 86 to 88

We are in Preveza, sea to one side, large inland water and nature reserve to the other. The Town Quay of course is on the inland side and is generally a safe place to be, but experiences swell. The town has some quaint old streets. Many restaurants and cafes fill the streets with their table and chairs. There are many empty shops reflecting the weak economy of Greece. The whole area is green due to high rainfall in the winter months.

We came to the Quay primarily to charge up our ship batteries which are not keeping up with our need to keep the fridge working, but it is a good experience to be at the heart of the waterfront and old town. Right in front of us a man and his mother sell hot sweetcorn in the evening and within 50 metres we are spoilt for choice for restaurants and cafes.

Most useful is a small laundry a few doors up the street towards the little church where we can have a load of laundry washed for 5 euros, drying two euros extra, and we can take a hot shower for 2 euros, instead of using our black camping shower bag in the cockpit. Eva is most welcoming and invites clients to sit down and meet each other. Victor can organise diesel delivery service to boats on the Quay.

At 23.00 on the first evening three men stood in front of the boat asking for ship’s papers. They were Port Police and have authority over visiting yachts. They asked about the Polish flag we are flying, brought by Anita’s daughter. They were generally suspicious about us but our papers were in order and finally they were satisfied that we are just a cruising couple new to Greece.

We explored a little once the sun went down and Anita was excited to find some atmospheric corners.

On Monday we cleaned the fridge, started topping up our water supplies with the good tasting water and bought provisions for the days ahead. It was a mostly cloudy day which eventually turned to black skies, distant thunder and lightning, and more than once heavy rain, and a brief power cut..

I have been contacting local boatyards as we will need to leave the boat safe soon as well as do winter work below the waterline. Probably the choice is made and I walked round to look at the small family run yard, but we need to investigate Italy too.

Tuesday started fine with risk of thunderstorms later but they did not materialise here. We took coffee and ouzo in the charming street known as Satan’s Bazaar. Around 460 BC the Turks were occupying the area and they came to take taxes from the people. The inhabitants of the street put butter on the stones of the street so that when the officer arrived on horseback to collect the taxes the horse shoes slipped and he could not enter. He called the street the Bazaar of the Devil. Thanks to a young couple who told us this, from the next table, Panagiotis and Iliana who we met again later and they gave us more local information and suggested many places to visit in this region.

He was formerly a merchant marine officer but now they both work at the airport. He said that young Greeks tend to rent homes now especially since the Government introduced new taxes on homes, so if you build your own home, which has been a Greek tradition, the taxes are like a rent to pay for having the home, and when you can’t pay, they take your home. He earns just 600 euros a month so together they can afford to pay 300 euros rent for a 90 sq m home.

At the laundry we had already met Isabelle and Jacques, a French couple sailing a Bavaria 40 yacht. We went again for showers and got to know them better at a table in the street. Later we went for a small meal in another restaurant in Satan’s Bazaar street where they were playing music by Cesoria Evora. Many locals were hanging out in that street, students at the lower end, older ones at the top end.

We had much to do on Wednesday before leaving. We really felt that three nights at the centre of the Quay, berth 888, was enough, with music to 2 am each morning, but we can see the attraction of being there and why many yachts stay day after day.

Walking to find an ATM machine I found the WIND Greece mobile store so we came back to try to get phone settings changed to allow direct access to WIND wifi through our modem instead of only being able to access by logging in through the computer.

We bought two water melons, Himalaya salt, one Dorada fish (8 euro per kilo) and a few other things. Then the long process of final water top-up, disconnecting our water hose and power cable, four mooring lines, anchor bridle rope and finally slipping out from between the neighbour boats with help from Russian friend on My Joy.

I pulled the anchor up by hand, as always, opened part of the genoa and held it aback to swing our bows away from the quay and we were sailing. Everyone else seems to have power winches for the anchor, and motor away.  It feels good to be different and to use skills.

We sailed to the East into the Gulf of Amvrika, the huge wetlands nature reserve and with strong following wind moved quickly, anchoring after 8 miles in the lee of Volvalos Island in two metres of water. The only company is one Austrian flag yacht with naturist man and 5 dogs.

We have mountains on three sides which attract cloud and today thunderstorms. We felt a few spots of rain. To the north were black clouds and to the south clear visibility and sun.

Later the wind shifted to north so we had swell which eased as the afternoon became evening. We cooked the fish and enjoyed the moonlight to the sound of cicadas, after beautiful sunset.

The fridge is working, the water tanks are full and we are back in the silence of nature.

FAIR WINDS, GOOD SAILING, TWO ROCK BAY NATURE AND PREVEZA, - DAYS 85 TO 89

FAIR WINDS, GOOD SAILING, TWO ROCK BAY NATURE AND PREVEZA, 18 TO 22 JULY, DAYS 85 TO 89

Had we found a place at the town quay of Mourtos on Tuesday we would have woken to uncomfortable swell as the north wind was blowing in to the bay. It was forecast but I am not always observing forecasts to come true. As it was we did wake early and feel the motion of the waves to the boat but with more comfort than at the quay which acts to bounce back the waves. It was the biggest test so far for the new anchor but with all 15 m of chain along the sea bed the anchor did not have to work too hard. Catamarans traditionally use a mix of chain and warp to keep weight down, but I don’t observe it with the new generation of Lagoon and similar floating homes. I wanted to be away from that swell and wind but it seemed important too to make the long row to town against wind and sea to charge 6 appliances while enjoying a freshly squeezed mixed fruit juice at a clean café / ice cream parlour behind the harbour front. I went again to the farthest supermarket to buy a water melon and other things.

Rowing back was a little less hard and we soon had the anchor up and motored towards the 2 m deep sandbar between the islands to head south. The colours of water and of the trees are so beautiful around these Sivota Islands.

We unfurled the genoa and soon it was pulling us along at around 4 knots with wind almost astern. We steered to round the distant point passing magnificent tree and mountain scenery.

Finally we could steer towards our destination, the course guiding us to the gap between two prominent “rocks”. The afternoon wind was building and Apataki was surfing down waves making almost 8 knots at times. Being busy steering (auto pilot not helping us this year) I could not spend much time below at the navigation area and became confused about the entrance to Two Rock Bay. We reduced sail and turned to starboard, spotting a small bay with camping, then, where the GPS warned of dangers, saw masts and the bay. We came in slowly having not seen a chart of the bay and anchored in a quiet paradise with clear water. Expecting a big blow on Thursday I put out the trusted larger anchor and heavier chain.

Checking the chart plotter afterwards I could see that the waypoint quoted in the pilot book could not be reached on our course of 120 degrees without passing some land and more to the point the whole Bay is shown as danger of rocks, and is not named by Garmin which caused some concern on the hidden approach from the north. From the south it is very obvious.

On Thursday we felt no need to go ashore but rowed the dinghy around the bay, to the Two Rocks, tiny beaches and into a small cave. It is all so amazing. We had no internet connection and just enjoy being there. The simple pleasures of life are the best. This is a place to really forget the city world and be at one with nature, shedding even clothes when away from the beach area. No mask is needed. We can be in our true essence.

On Wednesday after swim and eating we took the dinghy to the beach with computer etc. to charge things at the “monkey house” café we could see in the trees. A Greek man with grand-children objected to us leaving the dinghy close to where they lay on the beach and pointed to a place by rocks to the side. I moved it there and there was not enough room so left the painter tied around a rock and the dinghy parallel to the water’s edge but on return we found it dirty with sand. We experienced similar in Sicily where children had obviously jumped in and out and parents do not correct them.

Aside from this second unpleasantness from Greek people (the first was a lady swimmer objecting to us anchoring near the fort at Corfu Town) the situation ashore was idyllic. The café was just a kiosk but the pallet furniture and shade made this a highly desirable place to have a coffee and be barefoot. Kris the owner allowed us to take one socket in the kiosk to charge things and we went walking to explore. This was Thursday and we were ready to explore ashore.

We found the next bay, like a large informal campsite, which we had seen on the way down, exposed to the west winds and swell. A small river flows into the bay. That is usually good for a fresh water wash, but there were showers dotted around the shoreline here.

An old man approached us to sell us figs from his bag. It seemed that he wanted 4 euros for the whole bag but as we tried to buy part his price increases went out of hand. We walked away but he followed and we bought 10 very ripe juicy figs for 2 euros. DELICIOUS.

We had walked around the bay at the water’s edge but returned by a small road where we found a lady selling fruit and vegetables from a small piece of land. We bought some things and headed back towards our bay. We kept seeing another old man sitting in the shade of the green trees and realised he was the goatherd. From time to time he would move on with his goats.

This is an area of wetlands and we saw the head of a beaver in a river with long grasses. He disappeared when he saw us.

Back at the “monkey house” kiosk we bought more drinks and enjoyed the view over the bay as the computer and power back charged a little more.

We stayed three nights at this paradise and noted that most yachts were private, the charter boats going to nearby Paxos. The nightly population of our large bay was barely 10% of the yachts anchored in Lakka for example.

We enjoyed the calm Friday morning in Two Rock Bay waiting for the forecast afternoon wind to sail on to Preveza 20 miles away. We motored out in light wind at about 15.00 then sailed slowly before losing the wind. Finally it came and we had a lovely sail for the last 10 miles and then on against the current into the estuary and anchorage of Preveza.

On Saturday morning we motored round to the town quay and came bows to to the Town Quay. This is not so easy as we had to anchor using the new lighter anchor paying out astern from the bow and attaching the rope aft, while putting two mooring lines ashore, with help from two strangers. We had prime position, right by an electricity and water supply, and looking up a narrow street to the little church tower.

We connected power and started the long charge of the ship batteries, and of all our appliances. This is a lovely atmospheric little town and we started to explore.

In the days of this blog post we had not only enjoyed paradise but had the best sailing since we arrived in Greece.

ANCHOR BY AIRPORT, SUNDAY NO PETROL, SIMPLE ISLAND LIFE – DAYS 81-84

ANCHOR BY AIRPORT, SUNDAY NO PETROL, SIMPLE ISLAND LIFE – 14 - 17 July, DAYS 81-84

The last day for Lidia and Mateusz was relaxed. We went ashore together to charge computer, phones and power banks and chose the café Aktion with the lovely view over the bay, and with seats under the trees. We found a table inside by an open window but the music was much too loud and mostly not what we wanted to hear, and the waiter had bad attitude so we stayed only two hours half charging the power banks and gave up.

They went off round the Old Town, and we went food shopping, but apart from tourist shops there was not much open but we bought a few supplies.

Back by the Fort we were getting the gusty winds forecast and swam, ate and moved the boat to the south end of Garitsa bay.

At 4 am I rowed them ashore for the 15 minute walk to the airport, surely better than two buses to Gouvia Marina, not that the first airport bus would leave anyway on Sunday until 07.30 from Corfu Town, and they had 6.00 and 8.00 flights.

We did not want to spend the day in the bay so motored to the town quay to buy fuel from the BP petrol station but found it closed. It is on the main road near the port. No Sunday petrol!! So we motored across to Vidos Island which has a lovely anchorage in settled weather and enjoyed the day there hearing the delightful chorus of the many cicadas. Being Sunday there were many locals ashore and in small boats as well as visiting yachts. Before dusk there remained just three yachts, and we went ashore with empty water bottles and some clothes to wash seeing an Italian family had done the same. A rabbit was close to the beach.

It was good to replenish another 60 litres of water and have some clean clothes and cleaning cloths. On Monday morning it was a pleasure to swim naked before we went once more to the town for petrol, and we asked at the petrol station that we could charge up some of our devices while we did some food shopping, chandlery and dive shop. Almost two hours later we motored the short distance back to Vidos Island and anchored, swam and went ashore for more water and to wash a few towels and larger items. Being hot we finished off taking a shower, there being two for beach users.

What a little paradise for our simple life style – an anchorage with crystal clear water close to green trees and the sound of cicadas, with water ashore for our simple needs and so close to Corfu Town when we need more.

The forecast was for NW winds of 12 to 16 knots in the afternoon but we had much glassy swell before I turned off the motor and tried to find the wind which came from many directions. I was successful but after an hour there was just not enough wind to sail to arrive before dark, although eventually some small wind did come from the north. We watched the orange ball of the sun set behind a hill on Corfu 

and came to our chosen anchorage on  St Nikolaos Island to find three yachts there, each with line to the shore as well as anchor forward, and being a small area we did the same for the first time this summer. To take the stern line ashore I went into the water with it and tied it round a rock being careful to avoid stepping on the spiky sea urchins which I could just see without my mask.

Soon it was dark. We had consumed almost another 12 litre can of petrol to cover the 20 miles and hop to Corfu Town. I know the Ionian has a reputation for light winds but I never thought that we would have to motor so much, as indeed most other yachts do.

It was a still night and after a swim on Tuesday morning we motored round to Mourtos Town Quay to find a place to moor and connect to electricity but there was no place available so we decided we can leave it until Preveza. We found a sheltered spot close to trees in Middle Bay out of the stronger wind to have the usual late breakfast and to go ashore later for provisions. Later we did not feel the need to go ashore, tomorrow morning will be better, so we took a siesta and relaxed. I am reading a book, Racundra’s First cruise by Arthur Ransome, first published in 1923. How interesting to hear the exploits of yachting almost a century ago.

I forgot to say that for the last few days we have been using the new anchor, a 10 kg Hall anchor with 15 m of chain and about 35 m of warp. It is much lighter to handle and so far I am well pleased with it. When we expect a blow I will use the heavy Bruce and chain which I always had on the boat.

Again we are close to trees and cicada chorus but this is a spot when various motor boats pass with no consideration to anchored boats, especially the local glass bottom boat, and self-drive hire boats which pass with much swell and can cause things to fall off the table and worktops. We are also close to a flotilla, Belgian and Dutch flags, which has rested today, and children as young as 8 buzz around in dinghies getting out of their parent’s hair but annoying those on yachts for about 4 hours. This is the price to pay for anchoring near to resorts and tourist areas.

The evening was mellow and we finished lying on the trampoline net seeing the Plough, and waxing moon (about one quarter), and other stars as the clouds cleared.

FRIDGE OFF AGAIN AND GOOD SAILING CONDITIONS RETURN – Days 76 - 80

FRIDGE OFF AGAIN AND GOOD SAILING CONDITIONS RETURN – 9 – 13 July, Days 76 - 80

It was starting to feel like we were becoming a permanent feature in the beautiful Lakka Bay on Paxos as we went ashore on Monday to the pebble beach before the afternoon swell started to roll in there. We put everything possible on charge and connected with the world again. We don’t want to drain the ship batteries unnecessarily.

Coffee progressed to stuffed vine leaves and fried white bait with bread. We needed almost 4 hours to charge the new power bank which is a useful addition to our equipment.

We walked to the little town to buy bread and did not see such wild water with white horses as we had on the previous days so we decided to up anchor and sail with the wind down the coast, past the busy harbour of Gaios and into the tiny bay of Monganisi anchoring in flat water 1.5 m deep. As we left Lakka we noticed the fridge was off again so kept the motor running longer than otherwise as we sailed. We anchored as far in as possible passing anchored yachts and the large group of mostly Sunsail charter boats which had come in early and occupied the whole quayside, a flotilla I suppose.

I noticed that one of the leads to the movable solar panel had become disconnected and perhaps with only half solar power, perhaps for a few days, we had perhaps found the reason for our problems.

We walked back to Gaios in the failing light and enjoyed the bustle of the full harbour of this capital of the island. We arrived home after midnight to find the fridge on but as soon as we switched on cabin lights it went off again. We can use a rechargeable LED light to save ship batteries.

On Tuesday morning we ran the motor for half an hour and it was functioning again.

Wanting coffee we tried to light the gas stove but the bottle was empty so we changed to the next one.

Sunsail left and Neilson fleet replaced them at the quay. We relaxed before walking ashore and taking a beer at the café with perfect sunset location.

We waited until Wednesday morning and less swell to motor early to the famous turquoise water of Antipaxos and took our place just outside the swim zone. It felt like the goal for the family holiday had been reached. The pilot book shows the two anchorages on the East side to be suitable for day stops but of course a few yachts had been there overnight. Like Malta’s Blue Lagoon peace and tranquillity does not last long as one tourist boat after another came in but we enjoyed being there. It was a chance for Lidia to have her first experience of snorkelling. “Why didn’t I do this before” she said after getting over the initial fear of mask and snorkel and I swam to the shore with her holding hands. Full of new confidence she swam back to the boat.

We wanted to use the afternoon wind for good sailing and headed across towards the mainland and the beautiful Sivota Islands anchoring in flat water in End Bay (Fourth Bay).

The staff of the water sports centre came early to get the kayaks and dinghies ready for the clients and soon a tourist boat anchored by us. More boats followed but what a lovely place from 5 pm to 9 am. The feature of this beautiful spot is the sandbar over which people walk with water up to their knees.

We needed provisions and walked ashore to the little town of Mourtos finding a good supermarket.

Back at the boat we swam to cool off as temperatures were reaching 30 Celcius now and planned to use a favourable but light wind to make progress towards Corfu Town depending on the wind. Once at the west side of the islands the wind was fickle and a small swell from the gap between Paxos and Antipaxos had the sails slating so after 20 minutes the motor went on again to assist motor sailing and to run the fridge. The solar and motor have not topped up the depleted batteries so we have to run the motor sometimes to cool the fridge until we get to shore power to give the batteries a good charge again. We have not tried yet the little town harbours as it is not so easy to take our boat in after dropping anchor ahead.

A little wind came and we sailed very slowly to Petriti, a non-touristy fishing port but with shelter from prevailing NW winds. Many yachts were anchored there and we found a tap to fill some water bottles.

The family fly early from Corfu on Sunday morning and we have strong NW wind warnings for afternoons so at their choice we motored on Friday morning back to Corfu Town, anchoring under the fort again so they can enjoy the Town again.

Walking in the evening around this lovely town we were reminded of the many swallows flying around (or are they swifts?) and making beautiful song. 

Back at the boat we were bombarded with loud music ashore until 5 am on Saturday. All equipment was dead so the Saturday task is to go ashore to charge everything and buy fresh fruit and vegetables.