THE GULF OF AMVRIKA AND VONITSA

Right on our doorstep from the boatyard at Preveza is the amazing Gulf of Amvrika. This inland salt water sea is shallow and rich in nutrients and marine life. To the East mountains rise from the green waters. To the north are shallow marshes. Many small islets can offer limited shelter from a single wind direction.

Many times we see a turtle head break the surface to take a breath, sea birds swoop and glide, butterflies and dragonflies flutter past and dolphins live in these food rich waters. Last year two swam close to the boat with us as we sailed with fair breeze.

Looking up I saw larger birds in formation, three or movements of the wings then a glide, in harmony. I thought these were pelicans and the next day someone mentioned pelicans being here although I did not see any standing in the shallows.

It is not surprising that we meet boatyard neighbours here.

After four lazy days in the long bay of Ay Markou we motored past Vonitsa and anchored on the east side of the island and bridge. There was the Dazcat Razzamataz. Almost before we had finished anchoring Tony and Ann were on their way towards us in the dinghy with wine in hand. We invited them to the cockpit while we had the final necessary cooling dip of the day.

From there we could row ashore and walk into the not so touristy town of Vonitsa with it’s castle.

We found most things we needed there including a nice juice bar, and of course restaurants and cafes where we can use wi-fi and charge appliances. Old men sit in the less touristy cafes, some asleep in the heat, and most smoking.

One thing I dislike about Greece is that people smoke in restaurants and cafes still.

By night the land breeze brings the smell of cut hay and my allergic senses are on full alert. At 3am I needed to take a shot from the inhaler I rarely use. In darkness, and full moon combine harvesters drive slowly home.

Flies and a few mosquitos have bothered us while wasps have been seeking out places on the boat to build nests.

Raising the anchor after four days in the water we found sea life already attached to the chain and even a sea urchin living on the anchor. Many small ones are living in shallow water and we must always take great care not to stand on one. The sharp spines stick deeply into the foot and bring great pain.

Eventually it was time to leave and a last stop in Ay Markou brought us near to Don’s Nautitek 395 again. We went aboard for a drink with him.

Flower of life mandala, inspired by Maja...Anita croched it

LAUNCH BY CRANE, FINAL JOBS, ANCHOR AT PREVEZA and MOTOR TO THE GULF

An evening with Kiwis and catamaran sailors Don and son Alex. We joined in with Greek dancing to live music.

Anita went up the mast to reeve new flag halyards and with wet cloth to clean the mast and spreaders.

The new bow roller arrived and was fitted.

Revised launch day came with good weather and APATAKI was craned into the water. 

I was left alone on-board as the yard worker made his Tarzan exit swinging on the strop from the crane to the land. I brought the boat to the quay where the yard team secured her in shallow water for the final two days at the yard.

Final jobs and provisioning done, well always there is something on the list to do, but the power issue remains. The new battery monitor is amazing but it seems the second solar panel is not giving any input. Sadly we go to sea with insufficient power again. Different people give different advice, extra battery, new panel…. And probably a new efficient solar panel is the next step.

Anita went up the mast to feed new flag halyards through the blocks, and to clean the aluminium mast and spreaders, and the stainless steel rigging she could reach.

We cast off from the land and motored a short distance to the main Preveza anchorage.

Next morning we motored into the Gulf to give the serviced motor a run, add charge to batteries and test the autopilot. The latter is still not functioning properly but the battery monitor rewarded us with 13.5 volts after the 90 minute session.

 I received sms messages from HSBC Bank Malta showing that a thief was trying to use my bank card to buy things on-line. Fortunately the Bank had refused the transactions. I had to call them to cancel the card and work out how to get a replacement sent to me in Greece.
I also had to go on-line to change the correspondence address and my computer batter was dead. At that moment a motor cruiser came into the bay and I rowed across to ask them to charge my computer from their ample electricity supply - generator always running. Thank Greg on Chymera.

For the first two nights the fridge was turned off before sleep and on battery alone brought back from 12 to 5 degrees in the morning. Last September we needed to run the motor to drop the temperature.

The next nights we left on the fridge and all was well. The battery state is now 104% and voltage between 12.4 and 12.8, with maximum input 0.5 amps in the middle of the day. Without a clamp-on meter I can’t see if current is coming in from the 2^nd panel, but the motor running does not show input either but the voltage rises.

On Wednesday we needed to charge a phone having exhausted the power pack. It was plugged into a cigarette lighter socket at the navigation area. After 40 minutes and half charged I unplugged it and to my horror the battery state had sunk to 75%. Soon the fridge cut out and was left off over night. Attempting to charge in the morning was only possible with the motor running.

It seems at least that we need to buy a more modern powerful solar panel and until then we will suffer with partly non-functioning fridge like last summer, and having to run the motor at anchor at times. This is a major blow and frustration as one advice was that we might survive this year.

It took 48 hours and running the motor three times at anchor to bring the batteries to 100% state as well as motoring from Ay Markou to Vonitsa anchorage.

I remembered that the intelligent Waeco cfx fridge can be set switch off to save battery level. I found on-line support in the form of a short corporate video which showed me how to change the setting.  The fridge no longer goes off a 12.4 volts, the suggested level where the battery is used for motor starting. So the fridge is staying on more and I watch carefully the battery state and voltage.

Anita has been busy on her Flower of Life mandala crochet top.

The blue bikinitop she made last summer.