Tag Archives: Eileen of Avoca

Hospitable Polish neighbours

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Day 8

I awoke to find a new arrival moored next to me. A chartered Bavaria with a Polish crew. They insisted I have a traditional Polish breakfast with them and welcomed me aboard their yacht. One black coffee and several shots of Metaxa later (what is Polish about that?), I managed to escape their hospitality and spent the day playing tourist in Zakinthos.
The all-male Polish crew next door was a cheerful collection of professionals. Eight in total, two proudly boasted that they worked for the biggest brown coal power station in Europe, another was a construction tycoon and the youngest at 22 touted the success of his families business in disposable plastics. I don’t remember the rest. They regularly went cruising together and had been sailing around the Peloponnese clockwise from Athens.
Upon returning to Eileen, I was invited yet again for a traditional Polish lunch. Unable to refuse the hospitality I nursed a dizzy head that night. By morning they were gone.

Resting in Zante

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Zakinthos Port

Zakinthos Port

Day 7
The storm that had been following me from the north arrived so I opted for a rest day.
As the winds rose I realised that my attempt at Greek style mooring wasn’t as exemplary as I’d initially thought so I gave it another try with considerably more scope. Much better!
I restocked Eileen with fuel (carrying jerry cans to the nearest service station) and water (borrowed from an unattended Italian super yachts berth).

Outrunning the storm

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Day 6

Barnacles

Barnacles

Wetsuit on, hull scraper in hand, I leaped into the water for my morning chore, barnacle banishment! All went according to plan until I lost a fin and it sank. Not normally a problem, but in a 7mm wetsuit, no weight-belt and one fin, it’s not easy to stay submerged. I eventually managed by pulling myself down the anchor chain, lifting the anchor and carrying it to the recalcitrant fin.

Kefallinia
Kefallinia

Then it was off to Zakinthos via the straight between Levkas and Nisis Meganisi, East of Nisis Arkoudhion and Ithaki, the home of legendary Odysseus. Ominous clouds hung over mountainous Kefallinia at dusk. To the north the VHF announced continuing gales in the Adriatic and northern Ionian. I urged Eileen of Avoca onwards for the remaining 20 miles watching lightning brighten the northern skyline.
By 10pm I found safety in the large and lively port of Zakinthos. The city was throbbing with nightlife, but all I was concerned about was finding an appropriate berth. After attracting the unfortunate attention of some youths with a high powered green laser (This could be quite effective in making sure ships notice you!), I dropped my Danforth from the stern and let out just enough scope to allow me to step onto the quay and tie off. Not so shabby for my first attempt at mooring Greek style!

Smelly Lefkada

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Day 5

Dodging Ifalos Panayia I headed for Prevenza. The sea had become a little rough and the waves were just the right size to set Eileen of Avoca rocking so I wanted to get into the lee afforded by the mainland. At dawn the weather had settled and I pushed on to Lefkada. Refueling at the marina I returned to the main city quay for 4 hours of sleep.
While the town square is quaint, Lefkada is not on my list of must see Greek destinations. There isn’t much in the architecture department, and my frustration with obtaining Internet access (the local children occupy Internet Cafes playing network games all day) may have coloured my opinion, but what really tipped the balance for me was the smelly garbage disposal site just south of the town. Apparently it’s their way of doing land reclamation.
With olfactory relief I approached Nisos Meganisi, 15 miles further south, found a quiet anchorage, and settled in for the night.

The journey begins

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Day 4

With the wind blowing steadily from the direction of my intended destination, I stubbornly motored out of Gouvia Marina and made my leisurely way South at 4kts. Four knots was all Eileen would give me until I could find a quiet anchorage and scrape away at the cornucopia of sea life clinging to her propeller.

Receiving NAVTEX

Receiving NAVTEX

It was such a perfect evening that I could not contemplate stopping for the night. Mesmerized by the photoluminescent plankton (which in Greece is very different from what I had seen in Italy) the hours passed quickly. Near Paxoi, I switched off the motor and set up my short-wave receiver for NAVTEX updates. I can’t use the receiver when the engine is running because the alternator produces too much interference. I was so thrilled that this new acquisition of mine worked that I’ve appended the results of one of my first NAVTEX receptions:

ZCZC KA04

KERKYRA RADIO NAVWARN 0259/
MAN OVER BOARD
AT SEA AREA-N IONIO SEA
KERKYRA ISLAND – GLYFADA BAY
SHIPS IN VICINITY REQUESTED
TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT
REPORTING TO JRCC/PIRAEUS
NNNN

ZCZC KA01

KERKYRA RADIO NAVWARN 0256/

NORTH IONIO SEA – LEFKADA ISLAND
DOUKATO POINT LIGHT
38-34N 020-33E UNLIT
UNDERWATER EXERCISE BY
HELLENIC NAVY TEAM IN PROGRESS
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
IN SEA AREA PATRAIKOS GULF CENTERED
ON 38-13,38N 021-42,12E
AND RADIOUS 0,25 MILE
CAUTION ADVISED
KERKYRA RADIO/WEATHER FORECAST
PART 1
GALE WARNING
VALID FM 041600 UTC UP TO 050400 UTC
SYNOPSIS OF SURFACE WEATHER CHART
040900 UTC
THE COMBINATION OF HIGH PRESSURES
1026 OF BLACK SEA WITH LOW 1007 OF W
MEDITERRANEAN SEA IS AFFECTING:
CENTRAL ADRIATIC AND NORTH ADRIATIC
WITH SE GALE 8 LOC STRG GALE 9
NORTH IONIO W OF 19.30 S ADRIATIC AND
BOOT WITH S SE NEAR GALE 7 LOC GALE 8

OUTLOOK FOR 12 HOURS
FM 051600 UTC UP TO 060400 UTC
NO SIG CHANGE IS EXP
NNNN

What was a little disconcerting were the gales blowing in the Northwest and some poor fellow had fallen overboard. I wonder if he was ever found?

A parting gift

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Bon voyage

Bon voyage

Day 3

Too many little jobs left undone, so I spent another day on boat miscellanea. No doubt I could have squandered a month mucking about on Eileen without going anywhere, but after stating my plans to a Dutch couple moored nearby and finding a lovely little goodbye note and gift the following day, I felt obliged to make a start and head South. I redoubled my efforts to finish up and get Eileen of Avoca ship shape.

Eileen of Avoca Sails to Egypt

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Reference material:

IMRAY Chart G1 Mainland Greece and the Peloponnísos ISBN 08522 805 8
IMRAY Chart G3 Aegean Sea (South) ISBN 9781846230769
Admiralty Chart 4302 Mediterranean Sea Eastern Part
BlueNav XL3 Electronic Chart Number: XLG34 for Magellan GPS Product Number: 980843-20E

November 1st, Day 1

GPS Tack to Egypt

GPS Tack to Egypt

Flight with Olympic Airlines to Athens, 4hrs later I was on my connecting flight to Corfu and by 11pm my voyage begins on Eileen of Avoca.

I was surprised to find the marina full of life as partygoers reveled well into the night. Apparently it was the last day of a flotilla outing for sailingholidays.com and everyone was “at it” with abandon. “At it” principally being the tavernas supply of alcohol. I happily went to bed as the sounds of nightlife turned decidedly ugly.

Arriving in Corfu

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sea-planeOnce reaching the sheltered waters of Othoni, the remainder of the trip to Gouvia Marina (see www.medmarinas.com) was smooth and scenic. Corfu is a splendid island with lush vegetation softening its rugged features (stated as I scratched the rather lush facial vegetation softening my own imaginary rugged features). BTW has anyone successfully shaved while sailing his Yarmouth23?
Safely nestled in our berth opposite the seaplane service (see www.airsealines.com) I set about the unhappy task of packing and the many and varied chores necessary when leaving the boat for a lengthy period. I found quite a bit of water in the bilge and I can only imagine that it came in through the pushpit lockers during the crossing from Italy. I really must do something about that.

The beautiful city

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Gallipoli Italy

Gallipoli Italy

75 uneventful and fishless (yes I’m now trying for catch number two) miles later I entered the mercantile port of Gallipoli and was directed to a berth against the inner breakwater. Time to play tourist in Gallipoli (which incidentally derives from the Greek or Latin word for beautiful city). This is a favorite and inexpensive destination for Italians on summer vacation and boasts beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters and fabulous food.

wow

wow

Apart from the local fishing boats there were not too many sailors about, it would appear that the tourists and locals alike are more interested in doing seal impersonations and sunning themselves golden brown on the rocks all day. Pay no heed to that last covetous remark while I dab yet more sunscreen on my pasty white office complexion.
My mum was in gastronomic heaven and had a ball. I just wanted to go sailing, so without further ado I shanghaied her for the next leg to Corfu.

A short hop from Italy to Greece

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My mum

My mum

It was a trouble free 2000km drive from Belgium to Sibari via Gallipoli (where I left my mum for some R&R at a friendly little hotel www.hotelbianco.it ) but without air-conditioning in my FIAT 600 it was a somewhat viscous affair especially when the thermometer rose above 32°C.

The relief at finding Eileen of Avoca safe at her berth in Sibari was palpable. Relegating loading stores to the morning I fortified myself for the task of mounting my Aries vane gear by attempting a world sleeping record. Unfortunately the vane gear was still to be found clogging the companionway upon regaining consciousness.