Not much to report so just a few pictures

Made it to Rhodes and waiting for Ali to turn up for a land based week and maybe a sail to Samos. Plans fluid as ever!

After Anafi the next island was Astypalaia. A lovely anchorage then into the port for a town visit

Anchorage 

                           Castle at top of hill.

Next was Symi with its monastery and gun emplacement  

and turtles living in the harbour! That was a night time arrival. Through the corner of Turkish waters, no gun boats!

The Simi monastery with chiming clock and weird nighttime chanting. Great 😊 

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                           Spot the turtle.

From there into Rhodes marina to check out its facilities. Very nice and very helpful. Trying to find oil filters for next service is proving problematic but I’ll get them in the end. Took off round the corner for a couple of days to save money. 

AntonyQuinn bay and another one I’m in now. Clear blue sea sandy bottoms and lovely views. One major asset of being delayed by my boat repairs is that I’m missing all the charter fleets. There are a few still but these bays would be rammed and not relaxing at all. I can even take a 5° drop in air and water temp and still be as happy as the proverbial pig. Everything would be very different with the hordes! In the second one I walked to top of hill but was blocked , however did find two rather interesting relics by the path!

 

                                  Katrilli at rest 

Met a German in the marina who sailed from Hamburg to Port Said but couldn’t get round the bureaucracy so is heading to Canaries and over to Panama, target Reunion island ! . No auto helm, no toilet . Black bucket  on a rope while sitting in a bath tub, good luck to him  I say. His first boat as well, learning on the hoof!

Saronics to Cyclades

So after Athens, I decided to head south east but also with the intention of reducing diesel usage. This to be achieved by going where the wind takes me as long as it’s vaguely in the right direction. Careful what you wish for! Got to a little island about 30 miles SE of Athens - with engine then aware that the winds were to pick up , rather than anchor put up all the sails with one main reef. Mid afternoon lovely sun and as predicted perfect sailing . I was all set for a long one then at 6ish the wind turned in to a standard  Meltemi . Not a problem but hurtling a long in the dark with the deck awash not sure how much higher than 28 kts the wind was going, the work load was already high. My wind gauges are a bit random as they’re supposed to show actual and apparent but fluctuate in a non logical way .Any how pretty windy , not a good option to go forward and drop the main  and with out turning in to wind the genoa was going to be tricky aswell .About 11 o’clock decided that if it kept up I’d head to Crete as my next stop at least there would be day light! As it happened. As I came to my planned island , the wind was blocked and I did a rapid desail and took refuge in a harbour anchorage . 2am finish and  96 miles covered. I need more of those .

A mysterious yacht appeared at one point on a converging course. No AIS. Like radar but not; in line with a tanker that was identing. Couldn’t work out why he was still heading for me until I grabbed my high power light and shone it at him which was when I saw it was a yacht. He made a sharp turn and disappeared. Don’t know what he was up to. Not looking out , dozing? All was fine. 

So that was Appollonia. Stayed two nights and went ashore then headed to Sikinos. Again no motor😁, didn’t land there just had a swim and tried fishing again to no avail!!

Next morning aimed at Santorini and still the wind was working in my favour. If nothing else I’ve acquired patience on this trip. Now I can settle for 3 kts; before I’d switch on the engine and race for the next destination.

Santorini. I give a wavering thumb to . 5 cruise ships in the harbour or caldera € 50 to tie up on a buoy! I opted for the hot springs in the volcanic middle of the caldera went for a swim in the sulphurous warm water and cooked up a potato and celeriac soup after but was kicked off those buoys by the trog infested catamaran fleets . Very annoying and very few alternatives to anchor as it’s either deep or rocky. Found a harbour round to the south  but the resident Stavros wouldn’t answer the phone after my initial contact! So ended up anchoring out side the harbour entrance. Dingied ashore and had a plate of calamari- my first on this trip , far too big and not as good as the Spanish ones. I thought the Spanish ones were better when I was there. Interesting as Greece is probably better known for them.

Technically I did set foot on Santorini but didn’t do the white building hill climb trog trip. 

Was warned by the locals that all the cats’ were bunking off to the volcano to anchor as large waves and swell were due from the south the next day. Most peculiar , I was leaving any how.

Now have arrived on Anafi an island with an anchorage to the north but no good if the Meltemi comes back, fine with the predicted weather weirdness 

mentioned. I 

might stay two nights here lovely clear sea , sandy bottom and as the fish aren’t playing ball I’ve made a fishing spear from a fork and tent pole. It can only be more successful than my rod efforts. Watch this space! At sunset a small fishing  boat has taken up residence across the water from me . They better not be the Greek fishermen equivalent of Brokeback Mountain .  

Still at this anchorage it’s Saturday. All action day. Dingyed into a low cave with little water ways and

caverns amazing then spotted two eyes 👀 A trapped goat ? No a seal suckling off a big mother!! Seals in the med? Monk seals apparently and rare.Left them to it then rowed to other side where I acquired a small fender , thank you, then on with the snorkel spear in hand. Fish and rock forms better than a lot of dives but no prey until I came round to the  dingy again. Bingo . First lunge and I’ve got lunch on a fork. First catch on the trip!

While cooking it my anchor decided to release which hadn’t happened since I’ve been here and  I’m floating out to sea. Pain is that by the time I’d returned to anchor a sea caravan had pulled in and an Italian shot in front of me in to my spot. He better not require assistance with anything.

A lot of effort and mess but at least the tool works !

Corinth canal to Athens

A minor ambition fulfilled.To pass down the Corinth canal! It has been closed several times in the last two years as a result of landslides and was due to be now , but fortunately for me they decided to extend this open period till the start of November. Don’t know why because there was bugger all traffic really. I’ve put a couple of vids on YouTube, not very dynamic but interesting to some.

Free mooring night before 10 miles from canal entry.

A hearty boat lunch after the canal🤡

You would have thought Athens would be straight forward but no. . No room at the inn for Kat and me. So I found a wall outside one of the numerous marinas and all seems well . Quite busy with locals sailing but they’ve left me alone and I just have to contend with the day trip party boat which will return about now. Hopefully not requiring my patch of wall!

Up to the acropolis by tram, tube and foot this morning.Bit of an anti climax . Have been about 30 yrs ago so went out of conscience . Couldn’t really come to Greece without visiting Athens and if in Athens; well you know. Any how the place was riddled with cruise liner monsters , a fair few yanks but generally hordes of people. As is often the way the main attraction is covered in scaffolding and the place has no atmosphere at all. Upside to this little outing was € 20 ticket that would only let me in at 11 o’clock inspired me to try my hand at the gate around 9. What with the confusion I went in with out showing ticket so sold it to an American for half price. Every ones a winner!

This was much more exciting. Notice, no people. They arrived by coach as I was leaving. Olympic stadium built around 2000 yrs ago renovated in late 1800 and very atmospheric. Well worth the effort.

Olympic torch collection and a few of the silly mascots they seem to use now .

Last outing today was the George Averoff. A museum battleship moored a few hundred metres away. Technically an armoured cruiser not a battleship. Renovated in 2017 and as the Greek flagship for some years , much revered . Off south east tomorrow going to go where the wind gives me best rate for approximate direction. Got to cut back on Diesel!

There’s my boat against the jetty.

Arty

Cephalonia to mainland

Cephalonia 

So another taxing day had on the crossing which gave me a good stress test. Started off brilliantly sun, wind easy departure then half way across the wind picked up to 23 knots but exactly from the direction I was headed . Tried a couple of long tacks but really wasn’t worth it so put the motor on and at least was heading in the right direction at 2.5 kts!! Big winds picked up after sunset the waves weren’t massive but the boat was riding up and slapping down which slows it down .

         Decks already awash but not really started yet.

11 hrs later I arrived at a lee anchorage , no point bashing on in the dark. As always I give the anchor button a blip to test it. 100 meters off shore swell reduced but 28 kts of wind blowing, the bastard thing didn’t work . What to do ? I dug out the sea anchor a big nylon cone then let the boat drift while I tested the easy options. I whipped out the switch box and took that to pieces nothing wrong there. Ran up stairs to check position then back down to check the other end of the wire . Sure enough salt ingress, corrosion and two wires snapped. Up top again then down to repair. Obviously this worked .Allah be praised inshallah and all that tosh. Had it not worked I would have had to mooch around till sunrise no point in heading off on course . Military zone to the north south was wrong and wind still 28.By 11.30 the anchor was set and I watched the thunder storm lighting up the clouds, no noise so must have been some way away. A good nap was had and anchor did a great job again.

Next day conditions were the same but at least I could sea the waves coming for the next 6 hours and using my precious diesel!

Arrived Patras harbour which turned out to be pretty 

 

sheltered but no one to help moor. Not a problem, pretty straightforward. Speaking to the dutchies on their fancy plastic, their skipper said he lost his nerve and decided to bolt for Patras like me. Nice dutchies borrowed my fuel container and donated a can of beer to my fridge. I’d already donated one of mine to some funny little bloke who tried to help me arrange diesel. Can you believe the last place before canal selling diesel, through an agent who wasn’t getting out of bed before 10 and wouldn’t deliver less than 150 litres. Wanker. Had a quick yap to the dutchies again seeing if they needed 50 which they did but this wasn’t going to work so went for a moped backy round town with funny little bloke in my crocs who showed me where the petrol stations were. Brilliant , one was 7 mins away so two 20 ltr loads later and I’m all juiced up.

To cap the positivity I washed the boat with free water and didn’t have to pay for the mooring😀.

After harbour first non obstacle is a big span bridge . Lots of radio jabber. Not really necessary but  must try to comply. Given a clearance for southern span then I mile out have to call to confirm at which point he tells me Northern side, for once I trusted my ears and told him he’d said southern and he corrected. All unnecessary.

Video isn’t exactly action packed but something to look at.

On my way to the canal now, no wind ,sea calm George Ezra warbling quite loud . All is good.

BFN

Sami- Cephalonia

The three bells outside monastery

After Vathy I made one more anchor stop on Ithaca to the south. Another fantastic little bay with wild goats. Interestingly they were drinking from the sea but that’s because fresh water was coming out from a submarine spring which I’d found the previous day .How smart of the goats to realise and pass on the info to following generations! 

The other incident was having to reset the anchor at dusk as a sudden high breeze picked up taking me close to a neighbouring boat ,proved to be a bit taxing .

After this it was a short hop to Sami. 

I was supposed to meet Nigel for a couple of days but he had to cancel last minute due to illness. Very kindly he said to use the apartment which has enabled me to do all my washing , Sleep in a proper bed , shower on demand and watch the progression of Israel v’s Hamas on TV.

The boat is tied up snugly behind a break water and given me an option to do a few jobs like painting marks on the anchor chain and spring clean.

Apart from that, land based activities are beach swims and off piste arduous walks . Goat tracks define my routes and lead to the local attractions with a few rock climbs thrown in for good measure. Yesterday a castle, today a monastery where I found a mortar tail fin. 

Mortar tail fin.

Not sure what it was doing up the side of the hill. The town is small and very friendly. Tomorrow is the Corinth leg. Very exciting!