visitors and friends

Above is David and Ray on the town quay Navplion. We have had David on board for 2 weeks and shown him our life out here and some of the Peloponnisos.

   We have also spent some time with Carol and Peter who live on Anastasia a lovely Westerly yacht

Above is Anastasia.

       Now our cruising is being influenced by the world cup and we have to be somewhere we can watch football! Also we are planning to return to England soon as the heat is building now up to 40 degrees during the day and no wind .

   We are in Leonidio watch the match at Maragret's last night and moving on later we are hoping for an afternoon breeze to go to Ermonio.

   Mandy and Ray 

20th May 2018

It is almost a month since our last post shamefully and lots has happened Stoke have been relegated and the Royal Wedding was yesterday not that we saw any of as we were sailing from Ermioni to Poros some frustrating due to a shifting wind then no wind but the last 40 minutes were good goose winging into Poros!

       Since we last posted we have had to have repairs to our anchor winch! We were in Milos looking forward to going south east to a couple of islands we have not visited yet. It had been intermittently failing but then it stopped! we had been warned last year to get a new starter motor so Ray wanted to go to the engineer that worked on it last year and he live near Leonidion which was 80 nautical miles from Milos and no where to stop half way!!!

 Above Josephine along side in Leonidion after repair. The 30th we decided to move set an alarm and up at 5.30am so we hoped to arrive in day light. The sea was not flat and the wind was mixed and at time up to a force 6 in a big sea we got wet! Josephine and her skipper enjoyed the sail the crew (me) did not enjoy the whole trip. Anyway we arrived safetly at 7.30pm and the habour was full a group of Russians were racing around the area so tired and not wanting to drop the anchor as no winch we asked to raft up 1st boat refused but the 2nd said yes I/we have never been so happy to raft up.

   We had already contacted Dimitri though Margaret the Taverna owner who if you have ever been to Leonidion you will know her. The following morning Dimitri arrived found us amongst the Russian boats said he would get the part by thurs and fit it thurs evening or Friday morning so a week in leonidion well there worst places to be stuck.

 Above is Dimitri's car after fixing the winch Ray went to his workshop to pay the bill and he said have my car for the week-end and explore the area!! Driving another man's car who is well know in the area is fun often waved to by the locals who looked confused we Dimitri was not driving.
   During this time the boat parked next to us was called Mrs Chippy had an American flay registered at Tahoe USA. A family of 7 on board 5 children the youngest being 5 and also a cat. They brought the boat last year and were heading to the Cyclades and then on to Tenerife ready in the autumn to cross the Atlantic and head for home.
    Just at the moment there is not much wind so will spend a day or 2 here and move north toward the gulf of Corinth.
       Ray and Mandy 

25th April 2018

Its a month since we launched Josephine and we are anchored in the Bay on the island of Milos!
    there are not many boats about see below.

 This is the town quay and usually full has only 3 boats on the outside and the inside usually full of tripper boats in almost empty.

    Last night we were on the island Serifos and saw more boats than we have since leaving the Poros area that was 4 of which we were one!! So no wind today so we motored from Serifos to here basics needed that is water and gas for cooking we are low on both. Every week-end since launching we have had to hide/shelter from storm force winds so if that is the case this week-end we shall be safe here. We plan to spend the rest of the week here exploring the bay and its many anchorages.

    Well swimming it is very cold that is the water I have been swimming twice once intentionally and once I fell in off the plank in Poros with a café full of witnesses!!! handbag shopping and all soaking.

 Note bandage we had nothing smaller on board till I went to the chemist which I promptly did no real damage just my pride had until then never fallen off the plank.

     So after Poros off to the Cyclades Kithnos the 1st island another week-end in Loutra sheltering from wind the off to Syros and Finikas and then a favourite Paros we anchored in the large bay on the north coast and I enjoyed some planed swimming in crystal clear cold water and we went walking on the headland.

In the for ground is Little Joe our tender and in the distance Josephine not a great photo sorry.

From the small Greek theatre over looking the bay.

The lighthouse looking out to sea whilst on our walk. We then moved to a bay on the west side of Paros for the week-end and again the quay was empty and there was only one yacht in the anchorage with us, it is early season but there are usually more boats around where are they all hiding. 

   We plan to move towards the Peloponnisos Peninsula next week.

     36degrees44'N 24degrees24'E

   Mandy and Ray 

Sailing again

It is Sunday 15th April and we have been afloat for 3 weeks.
     

This is Josephine moored at Jon's Taverna in Korfos our 1st stop after a week-end at anchor near the Corinth canal we thought the port police there may renew our cruising papers however not to be so on to Korfos with a good supermarket and water on the quay. Josephine had wintered well and once we washed off the red dust that coated her she looked like new again.

A new addition to the galley a new cooker and far better than the previous model. The old cooker had the usual 2 rings and an oven that was on or off, the new model has similar 2 rings and a grill and the oven has a control that has 9 ! settings as time goes on it will be interesting to see if this improves that cooking on board.

    Well we still needed to get out cursing permit so of to Epidavrous the closest harbour with port police and post office /bank so not far 15 nautical miles and after an hour we had renewed our papers and could set off legally for the summer. 

The Skipper enjoying a glass on the quay at Epidavrous and from there off to Poros a favourite port of ours.

      The Greek Easter is week-end 7th to 9th April and a couple of years ago we had an enjoyable time at Ermoui so we planed a route.

   I shall let you all know how things have gone next week.

      From Ray and Mandy

     On the island of Kythnos Loutra Harbour. 

Welcome 2018

Hello to all those who have followed our story,  new readers and family.

 Above is Josephine being lifted into her land berth for the winter and the view from the cockpit that was in October 2017 note black/grey clouds weather going down hill fast we are leaving just in time.

The boat is being stored at a small yard near to Theadora , (hopefully spelt correctly), just to the East of the Corinth Canal. we have all the facilities we could wish for and it is very easy to get to and from the airport by an inexpensive train ride.

 2017 was a good year and we have some great memories and I am sat at home typing this first blog watching a blizzard in the back garden and counting the days till our return to our summer home.

We will this year make a determined effort to do a blog abut once per week, and should any readers want to ask about pilotage and harbour details please do not hesitate to contact us.