THE POWER SAGA

Before leaving Malta in 2017 I researched buying an energy efficient 12 volt (and mains) fridge. The salesman in England assured me that our solar panel would run the Waeco CFX 35. It is indeed a great fridge but last summer we did not have enough battery power and to resolve this was a major objective for 2019.

Andrew Browning (yacht Stonehenge) had showed me his NASA BM1 battery monitor and recommended that I buy and fit one. I brought it to Greece with me this year and I am grateful  to Don Boulter, Catamaran Nautitec 395, who wired it up for me.

It really is the most useful piece of equipment and showed me that my solar panel was giving maximum 0.5 amps, whereas everyone told me it should be giving at least 2 amps. I was also able to see that using gps and depth / log instrument we were consuming 0.5 amps, so it was clear why I had to keep charging batteries to shore power last year.

Don recommended a solar panel set which he uses, 120 ah, and I ordered it from UK. Cost including 3 week delivery to Greece was under 150 GB pounds so very reasonable compared with equipment I had seen elsewhere, plus it is a complete package ready to attach to the battery terminals, with solar controller fitted, and even  having 2 USB charging points.

It was working but I was unsure how to set it up to the system. Anchored close to us in Preveza was an interesting catamaran with A frame rig and two furling genoas, and no mainsail. 

I had to row over to ask about it and Austrian owner Johann offered to look at my solar / battery system.

An hour later it was correctly connected to the right side of the “shunt” on the battery used by the battery monitor. Soon I could see 5 amps charge, ten times more than from the 20 year old smaller panel. Amazing !!

Gratitude also to Pit (LARGYALO) who showed me their power system, and to Christoper  Defeyter, who had cleaned or replaced my battery terminals before Apataki launched in June.

We have a small 200 watt inverter on board which can plug into a cigarette lighter socket. That is a heavy user but now with good sun I can draw 1.6 to 2.0 amps from the system to recharge the computer, as long as I have net charge still, otherwise I don’t use it. After the fridge, the ability to charge the computer was a high priority.

After more a week I can say that each night the batteries rest at about 13 volts with the fridge off and I am so excited to have solved, step by step, the problem. I have started to change lights to LED and will change more next winter, but to be honest we hardly use lights in the long summer days.

These panels and monitor have really increased our self-sufficiency and independence.

PREVEZA THEN LEVKADA, KEFALLONIA , ITHACA, KASTOS, ASTAKOS and KALAMOS

After relaxing days in the Gulf we returned to Preveza anchored off Cleopatra Marina to collect a small water pump service kit we had ordered.  There was busy action everywhere but Thomas warned us that today (Monday) is a public holiday and Orthodox Feast day, and that Levkas town in particular would be really busy. We moved back across the water to anchor near to the Margarona Boatyard and there was indeed a holiday. The office was closed and we could not have the keys to the car to go shopping for provisions. With three months afloat one day is not important so we returned next day to stock up with fresh fruit and vegetables, Greek yogurt and petrol for the outboard.

Finally on Wednesday we left Preveza and it’s facilities and passed out of the long channel to the open sea, noticing that the water was ebbing past the marker buoys and helping us on our way.

A little further south is the entrance to the Levkas Canal, 

and shallow wetlands which separate the island of Levkas (Levkada) from the mainland. We passed through the open floating bridge (opens once an hour) and motored to the south end where we anchored in shallow water for a lunch and swim stop before continuing south under sail for a new (to us) anchorage, Vahti Vali for the night on the mainland side.

Four days in the large enclosed bay of Vlihko, Levkas, allowed us to relax, top up with water and inflate the stand-up paddle board for the first time. What a pleasure to use it.

I was also reading which I don’t usually find time for…. Homer – Iliad to catch up on Greek history.

It felt like time to move on so we went over to Port Atheni on Meganissi using some wind to sail. We had been there last year and were surprised how many more boats were in there this time. Night brought constant NE wind with swell and was uncomfortable.

We motored west to the Levkas – Meganissi channel and anchored to swim 

on the Meganissi side before continuing under power to Sivota, Levkas.

Without prior booking (recommended) we came to the wall in front of Ionion Taverna where Vassilli helped us to secure using their mooring lines. 

Water and electricity and mooring are free for taverna guests so we took dinner there for two nights whilst the batteries were slowly charging.

Our new solar panels are on order so we take every possibility to maintain the fridge without adequate input.

The wind was good to cross the “gap” in the outer islands to Cephalonia to the popular town of Fiskado, unaffected by the 1953 earthquake, has charm and the “Chelsea set”  and high prices. 

We anchored with lines ashore in Foki Bay just to the south. Foki translates to seal and this coast is a last have of the Mediterranean Monk Seal. We were lucky to see one later off the south coast of Ithaka, whiskers and full face.

The lovely Polis Bay 

on Ithaka’s west coast gave us a good night before crossing that channel again for a brief meeting with Pit on the Wharram Pahi 63 LARGYALO.

We motored south along that Channel coast to see some sweet anchorages before passing the south of Ithaka and revisiting a favourite spot from last summer. No clothes needed in those crystal clear waters.

It was a plan this year to find new anchorages and on this whole three week trip we anchored in more new places than repeat ones.

Vahti Town provided self-service laundry with wi-fi at the best price we have found, also a chance to buy some fresh produce. With strong afternoon wind gusting into that shall anchorage we chose to come out and anchored in a nearby bay almost in a pine tree, to which we tied a shore line.

One turtle showed himself next day, not an uncommon sight around here, but always welcome.

We took the afternoon wind, genoa only, to Kastos island and decided to revisit Astakos town on the mainland and use the free electricity and water at the quay, topping up the batteries again. Another water melon was cut up and put to the fridge. We almost live off them in the summer heat.

Ian and Lorraine Cuthbertson invited us for a drink on their Mahe 36 catamaran and we spoke of people we had both know in multihull sailing in past years.

Next was a delightful swim stop on the NE side of mountainous Kalamos Island, and ooohhh.. tourist boats and small rental motor boats reminding us of the busier places.

We were heading back to Preveza for the solar panel, and replacement back card so planned to make a few more miles towards the north west but found once out of the lee of Kalamos the stron afternoon wind pressing hard in a not favourable direction so sailed across to the mainland where a few yachts were anchored, Mitika.

The land and fishing port provided some shelter but swell came from different directions as the wind changed or motor boats rush past a little distance away.

Next morning we anchored for a swim stop further north, then sailed to the south end of Levkas channel where we spent a lovely evening 

before passing through the canal next morning, on to Preveza and collecting the package and mail.

This little adventure took us three weeks and not so many miles, but to some beautiful places. We had used just 36 litres of petrol, some just to keep the fridge working. To preserve battery power for the fridge we used almost no lights nor navigation equipment and the fridge stayed cool (off at night).

PREVEZA THEN LEVKADA AND STAND UP PADDLE

After relaxing days in the Gulf we returned to Preveza anchored off Cleopatra Marina to collect a small water pump service kit we had ordered.  There was busy action everywhere but Thomas warned us that today (Monday) is a public holiday and Orthodox Feast day, and that Levkas town in particular would be really busy. We moved back across the water to anchor near to the Margarona Boatyard and there was indeed a holiday. The office was closed and we could not have the keys to the car to go shopping for provisions. With three months afloat one day is not important so we returned next day to stock up with fresh fruit and vegetables, Greek yogurt and petrol for the outboard.

Finally on Wednesday we left Preveza and it’s facilities and passed out of the long channel to the open sea, noticing that the water was ebbing past the marker buoys and helping us on our way.

A little further south is the entrance to the Levkas Canal, and shallow wetlands which separate the island of Levkas (Levkada) from the mainland. We passed through the open floating bridge (opens once an hour) and motored to the south end where we anchored in shallow water for a lunch and swim stop before heading south under sail for a new (to us) anchorage, Vahti Vali for the night on the mainland side.

Next was a gentle sail to Nidri and Vlikho 

where the SUP, Stand up Paddle board made it's first outings with us. Anita was particularly successful after a few minutes, and what a lovely base for yoga too.