TWO WEEKS IN GREECE ABOARD THE YACHT 'CECILY' JUNE 2008
I met my crew at the airport gate
Rose, Eileen and Norman my mate
We joined 'Cecily' at old Corfu Town
When the Harbourmaster came along with a dutiful frown
He ordered us to anchor ten metres further away
When we did this he said, 'That was ok'
We set out for Sivota with my crew looking pale
Hoping for sun and a bluddy good sail!
When we got there, there was only one place
So I moored her up in a 'Cecily' size space
Our next port of call was a place called Lakka
Its waters were turquoise a right little cracker
We stayed for two days then sailed to Gaios
Tied up to the quay and created some chaos
A restricted area, but I didn't know
I thought we'd have to weigh the anchor and go
We were then told it was ok and that we could stay
So that's what we did and for an extra day!
Then Mongonissi was our next place to stay
When we sailed in, it took your breath away
What a truly fantastic picturesque place to be
It was hard to believe it was joined to the sea
It's was more like a lake with a soft sandy beach
Also the Tavernas were in very handy reach
We had sun and then torrential rain
But you knew that the sun would come out again
Platarias is the next port on the chart
Had a great sail even though not far apart
What a great place but it has old anchors galore
But we dropped ours alright and we all went ashore
The Spanish yacht next to us ended its stay
But as they left they dragged our anchor away
We had to re anchor and start all over again
We hope that no one anchors alongside and then does the same
Loads of old anchors that were all in a wrap
With chain and rope and all kinds of crap
We left the next day all well and good
Our very large anchor was secured only in mud!
The last port of call was Igoumenitsa Bay
What a fabulous place for our last stay
We all went ashore for a nice cold beer
The crew couldn't believe that the end was near
This was an anchorage that was full of 'crackles'
It scared the girls and raised their hackles
They renamed it and called it 'Crackling Bay'
Such an idyllic place but it was their last day
Corfu Town appeared and the end was in sight
As we anchored up in the bay for the crews last night
Then the heavens opened with thunder and lightening
It was so intense that it was quite frightening
It was the last day in Greece for this 'mottely' crew
But I was staying on for another week or two!
Mike Fellows 2008
THE BEGINNING
I was dropped off at Thornaby railway station by Rose, heading for Manchester Airport. Then onto Corfu for my five week sailing holiday aboard 'Cecily' a 52' ketch courtesy of Daryl.
Finally arrived in Corfu and was met by Daryl, dumped my bags on board Cecily and we went for a bite to eat before turning in for the night. I was pretty well knackered as it had been quite a long journey to get to Corfu, what with delays and broken down train etc so a good night's sleep after a meal was most welcome.
We got up and had a huge fried breakfast then set off from Corfu at 08.00hrs headed for Sivota under engine due to the obvious lack of wind,
arriving at 12.30 after 19.5mls. This was to be my first stern to mooring in Cecily
(in fact my first mooring in her full stop).
This was quite daunting manoeuvring a friends 52ft pride and joy into a small space. Cecily is also a long keel and certainly
doesn't go astern very well (a definite understatement!) It went ok 'ish but certainly room for improvement.
We had lunch etc then left the mooring and did it a couple of more times to get me used to her idiosyncrasies; it was going to take more than a couple
of times believe me! Daryl seemed pretty confident in me but I was still a bit apprehensive, if it had been a flotilla boat or a fin keel - no problem.
But a long keeled mates pride and joy quite another thing, and weighing in at about 25ton it wouldn't be very clever using a plastic boat as a fender!
She's too big for me to handle the anchor winch at the bow and the engine controls in the cockpit at the moment. Daryl makes it look easy, but he has
been doing it longer than a day, so by the end of five weeks I can only improve-I hope.
We motored back to Corfu and moored up stern too in a beam wind to the quay after a couple of tries, due mostly to the windage on Cecily - anyway that
was my excuse. It was 40 euro a night here so once Daryl had left for home I slipped the mooring and anchored up under the castle a fantastic setting- for free.
Thursday 29th May
Daryl was winging his way home and I was at anchor just under Corfu castle, the sun was shining and it was 35 - 38 degrees, walking on the teak decks
was like walking on red hot coals. Rose, Norman and Eileen were arriving in the very early hours of Saturday morning, which was really good as I was
really missing Rose. They were out for two weeks then my best mate Brian was coming out for one week, and then I was on my own for a further week.
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Saturday 31st May
I took the dinghy ashore then walked to the airport to meet Rose, Eileen and Norman. We got a taxi back to the boat, loaded the dinghy up with the
luggage and Norman and rowed out to Cecily then I returned for the girls.
We turned in for a few hours needed sleep and rowed ashore to explore Corfu
town and have a bite to eat, and also get some supplies in, ouzo, beer, whisky and a bit of food before returning to the boat.
Sunday 1st June 19.6mls
It was Eileen's birthday today, so after the singing etc we set out for Sivota on a red hot day but no wind. Arrived in Sivota at 14.00hrs with only one narrow vacant space this was to be the big test on stern too mooring. I circled a couple of times to line up and went for it - anchor down and aim for the slot that seemed to get smaller the closer we got. It went as per text book and I could breathe again, just hoping that it was good judgement and not just beginners luck! Beers all round was the order of the day!
We planned to stay a couple of nights as it was so nice, but we'd only been in about an hour when all the flotilla boats moved out and we were on our own with all the space in the world - bugger. I helped a large motor boat to moor up alongside of us as he was having a bit of bother, he was in Greece doing a photo shoot for a magazine with his wife and daughter, he came over later to thank me and gave me a promotional T shirt. We went swimming then for something to eat at one of the many good Tavernas and a well deserved drink or three. 19.8mls
Monday 2nd June
We had a fantastic breakfast on board courtesy of the girls then we all went out walking to explore the various coves, the weather was absolutely fantastic. Returned to the boat for lunch, and what a lunch. We had fresh salad with ham, cheese and olives accompanied by really fresh bread followed by a couple of pastries and a couple of beers. During lunch I had to warn off a French yacht that he was going to lay his anchor over the top of ours. We all had a swim and relaxed on board with a book and Ouzo (I love ouzo me- hic).
We ate out on the evening, demolishing a huge fresh pizza each and a few beers to wash it down with before turning in for the night.
Tuesday 3rd June. 12.8mls
We got caught for harbour dues by the port police for 19.27 euro then cast off our lines and weighed the anchor (same weight as it had gone in I think)
and headed for Lakka on Paxos. We could actually sail so we did. Arriving at Lakka at 13.30hrs after a short stop at Emerald Bay, (we would visit this bay
again) and picked a spot to anchor in. We made and ate lunch, well the girls made and we all ate, then we lowered the dinghy into the water and fitted the
outboard motor which wouldn't start. Rowed ashore with the intention of looking at the outboard later on, this was a wonderful setting with turquoise water
as clear as ouzo and quite shallow.
We had about three feet under our keel but with no tides or calculations we had no worries.
We rowed ashore for a meal and met Arthur and Caroline (his sex slave) from Sivota and had a couple of drinks with them; he recommended a restaurant called 'Stasinos Garden' which we went to and it was absolutely first class.
Wednesday 4th June
Another fantastic day, the other three swam to shore while I prepared breakfast, we planned to go walking around Lakka finishing up in a Taverna for lunch before returning to the boat and sorting out the outboard. We removed the carb from the outboard and gave it a good clean and set it up. It ran ok so we had a bomb about in the dinghy and then laid and read our books. We had a super tea on board with some good local wine turning in at about 22.00hrs.
Thursday 5th June 11.6mls
Had a good breakfast in the cockpit, another wonderful sunny day! Raised the anchor and headed for Gaious arriving there at about 12.45 and berthed up
stern too on the town quay in a restricted area, (I didn't realise that it was restricted until we had tied up). We actually ended up right up against a
lamp post so we had to winch ourselves to one side of it so we could lower the passeral. We were told that we should be ok where we were and that it
mainly applied for July and August.
It was a very nice place reached via a kind of canal, but you had to dodge the ferries and the sea planes as you entered the canal; we went ashore and explored the town getting a new gas bottle. (I had been smelling gas since joining Cecily, but had the best sleep ever; only trouble was it could have been permanent). I religiously pumped the bilges every morning turning the gas off at the bottle to isolate the supply. We had another superb meal out this time at the 'Taverna Pan and Theo' then returned to the boat for a night cap before turning in for the night.
Friday 6th June
We decided to stay where we were and try to rectify the gas leak, finally tracing it to the solenoid switch which proved to be U/S and was leaking very badly (just as well that the gas locker drained over the side). We by-passed the solenoid and put a pipe from the bottle straight to the copper pipe so we will definitely have to turn it off immediately after use each time.
Saturday 7th June 16.7mls
We left Gaious at 11.30 to sail to Emerald Bay for lunch arriving at 13.00 and anchored up in the clearest water yet, the bottom was white sand which reflected the sun - superb!
After lunch we raised the anchor and went for a sail in a strong S/Westerly wind, Cecily went like a train and we had a brilliant sail. We headed back towards Paxos and Mongonissi for the night arriving at 18.00. We berthed stern too on the quay in a strong wind remembering that it shelved towards the edges, I used Norm as dip stick and he informed me that we had over two feet under the rudder and over six feet under the keel and eight feet over his head. (Getting the felt tip depth markings off Norman was the hard bit). We all went for a meal at the one and only taverna which was very good. We had a bit of a walk around the area before returning to the boat for a night cap or two of ouzo as we watched a dramatic lightening display on the mainland.
Sunday 8th June
There had been quite a thunder and lightening storm during the night which left the morning quite dull so decided to stay put and do a bit of exploring, reading and general tidying up. It absolutely poured down for about an hour then came out red hot yet again, we walked to Gaious for lunch and a couple of drinks (about 2-3mls) the scenery was stunning with some fantastic colours. Got back had a cup of tea and went for a swim on the only all sandy beach that we had come across so far. Apparently there had been an earthquake at 15.30 50mls south, we never felt it but we did see a wave at about that time that wasn't the wash from a ship - so who knows a mini tsunami?
Monday 9th June. 24.7mls
Poured down with rain, we had breakfast and cleared up and so did the weather. We cast off and upped anchor at 12.00 headed for the Greek mainland
and Platarias. We had to start the engine for a short while when we were in the lee of Corfu Island arriving at Platarias at 16.00 in a very brisk
N/W wind. Yet another successful docking (in fact any docking where no damage is done is a good docking)it looked a lovely place and only the second
place that we'd paid for, here it was 9 euro with water and electric which was pretty cheap! I put a load of washing in the washing machine on Cecily,
once it was done we hung it out then we had another nice meal ashore with a few drinks then sat and watched the sun go down as the harbour faced dead
west.
Tuesday 10th June
We decided to stay here another day as it was such a nice and peaceful place - until.
Mayhem erupted as one yacht then another tried to leave but found that they had snagged some old abandoned anchors, chain and rope they ended up spending three hours freeing themselves. As we thanked our lucky stars that it hadn't been us, the Spanish yacht that had come in alongside us the previous night decided to leave, taking our anchor out with him! Luckily we were on board because with no anchor dug in we drifted towards the quay. We took a long line ashore from the bow and then I had to motor against our warps until we recovered our anchor - pratts! We had to cast off again to relay it but couldn't as a large motor boat had snagged three old anchors. Norman rowed out to give them a hand as I kept the drive on to keep us off the quay.
They eventually freed themselves and we cast off re-laid the anchor and tied up again hopefully in a clear area, a harbour full of excitement and old anchors, the charge is only 3 euro for a berth +3 for water and 3 for electric (and as many anchors as you want) in a stunning place, how cheap is that? And the sun sets are unbelievably beautiful, sat on the quay with our box of wine watching the sun disappear, fantastic!
Wednesday 11th June 16.4mls
We ate breakfast then did a bit of shopping before casting off at 10.30 - no trouble with our anchor thank goodness! We were headed for Igoumenitsa for the night, which was quite close but decided to just sail around a bit first, it was red hot again 35 in the shade. We set all sails in a S/W breeze and had a great few hours sailing before anchoring in the bay of Igoumenitsa in the lee of a huge sand spit.
We launched the dinghy mounted the out board and went ashore to explore and hopefully a drink or two. Finally headed back to Cecily for our tea and a rest, we were the only boat in the bay, it was absolutely tranquil. Still very hot but a lot cooler on board so we relaxed and read our books with an ouzo to quench our thirst now and again!
We were heading back to Corfu the following day, but now - we were just drinking in the peace and tranquillity and ouzo until - a noise resonated through the hull which sounded like Rice Krispies in a bowl. A crackling noise that frightened the two girls, so Rose slept on deck and Eileen just didn't sleep, I also suspect that neither did Rose. I found out much later that it was caused by shrimps feeding off the hull.
Thursday 12th June 23.9mls
All four of us woke up safe and well - which seemed to surprise the two girls. We raised the anchor at 11.30 after breakfast and made our way out, raising the sails heading for Corfu Town. We dropped the sails at 16.30 just outside of Corfu Town and anchored up under the castle where we had started from two weeks earlier having sailed a total of 125.7 miles
Friday 13th June
At about 01.45 an electrical storm started over Corfu Town and our anchorage, it was really spectacular and increased in intensity resulting in the most spectacular light show that I'd seen for a long time this plus torrential rain. We all got up to watch it as the lightening struck the north end of the town and then it went directly over us. It finally stopped at about 03.30 leaving a lumpy sea and four deaf people! It was crew change with Rose, Eileen and Norman going home and Brian my mate from France coming out. It had been a brilliant two weeks which we all thoroughly enjoyed and never stopped laughing - probably caused by the amount of ouzo consumed, I'll be booking into the Betty Ford Clinic when I get back home! My crew booked a taxi for the airport and I took them all ashore in the dinghy, I knew that I would miss Rose as soon as she went, but two more weeks and I'd be home in not so sunny England.
Saturday 14th June
Brian joined me today after a very long delay at Bristol airport; he arrived in Corfu from France via Bristol airport after a 26 hour journey. We planned to stay in Corfu that day and set off on Sunday, so we went ashore for a meal, provisions and of course a drink or three.
Sunday 15th June 23.6mls
We set off from Corfu and headed for Mourtos (Sivota), when we arrived the quay that we were going to moor up to was full so we went into a cove called A.Nikolaos and dropped the anchor, which was a superb choice as it happened.
We went ashore in the dinghy for a bite to eat and a look around, we'd just tied the dinghy up as the wind picked up which funnelled down to the quayside. All the yachts on the quay took quite a battering, causing quite a bit of damage with the water breaking over the quay as far as the Tavernas.
I was really pleased that it had been full and that we were in a sheltered cove out of the wind as that could have been us as well! We had a lovely meal and got more rations in before setting off back to the boat in quite a lumpy sea that settled down as we entered our cove. Brian dived down to check the anchor was dug in alright - it was. So we sat and chatted over a couple of Metaxas and ouzo catching up with things as I hadn't seen Brian for quite sometime. (I love ouzo me and I think that I also like Metaxas as well).
Monday 16th June 15.7mls
We took the dinghy and motored around to the caves to explore them, then circumnavigated our little island before upping anchor and setting off for Lakka under main and foresail arriving there at 17.00hrs.
We picked a spot to anchor in and went ashore for a meal and a drink after a great days sail.
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Tuesday 17th June 14.4mls
We upped anchor and set off in a fresh easterly breeze headed for Parga which was unfortunately due east - bugger. We came off the wind a bit so that we could sail and arrived in Parga and dropped the hook in a small picturesque anchorage. It had been a bit of an awkward place to get into and all the swimmers and lilo's didn't exactly help, we also laid out a stern anchor as we may not have had enough room to swing. We had a first class meal on board then went ashore for a couple of beers and a look around - it was a bit like Blackpool not really my cup of tea.
Wednesday 18th June 19.7mls
Went ashore for breakfast then raised the anchor and carefully left and headed for Plataria, unfortunately motoring as there was no wind to speak of. Arrived at 14.30 and tied up stern to in an area that hopefully avoided the old anchors etc. We filled the water tanks and plugged in the electric and then put the washer on before going ashore for a meal and obviously a couple of drinks, Brian is into Margaritas I'd rather have a pint or an ouzo or is that a pint of ouzo?
We returned to Cecily for a sun downer and to watch the sun set, as I said before this is a fantastic place to watch the sun go down, quite spectacular. I met a nice couple called Tony and Allie that had come alongside of us and I helped them with their lines then had a couple of beers aboard with them while Brian had his siesta - bless him.
Thursday 19th June 13.7mls
We had breakfast and set off at 10.30 no trouble with fouled anchors or anything! We headed across to Petriti to anchor up, arriving at 13.40 after a passage of no wind and all motor. Anchored up and took the dinghy ashore to go for a walk to Boukari which was just over a mile away and to a Taverna that Brian had frequented before. It was a really nice place with some lovely Tavernas also a lovely place if you wanted to anchor up.
We walked back to Petriti in soaring temperatures in need of another couple of beers by the time we got there, took the dinghy back to the boat (it was 37 degrees in the shade of the dog house at 18.30 at night). We washed and changed then went ashore again for a meal and what a meal - fresh swordfish - fantastic, this was a really nice anchorage highly recommended.
Friday 20th June 23.4mls
We set off on our last leg for Corfu as Brian was flying home in the early hours of Saturday morning. Raised the anchor and the sails and had a really good sail back to Corfu just putting the engine on for the last mile and the run in to the anchorage under the castle again. Motored ashore for a bite to eat and of course a few beers, this was another scorching hot day. Returned to the boat for Brian to pack etc prior to us both going out for a farewell meal in the town.
Brian chose a fantastic restaurant with superb food and it really was a first class farewell meal, we had a last look around the town before heading back to Cecily. Brian booked his taxi and I took him ashore at 00.30hrs. I was alone again after a really fantastic week with Brian it was just like the old times that we had sailing together all them years ago, a real good mate! I had sailed a total of 110.5 miles with Brian and 125.7 with Rose, Eileen and Norman making a total of 236.2 miles.
Saturday 22nd June
I managed to get a few jobs done aboard Cecily in readiness for Daryl and Rose (another Rose) coming out at the end of the month. As I was working away
I could hear someone shouting, so I went up and had a look and it was this guy from the N.A.O.K. yacht club. He was trying to tell me that I was to
close to the channel - there was a red buoy marking the outside of the channel and I was 15metres beyond that! As he was also telling the other yachts
I thought that if I moved first I'd get the best spot, so it was up anchor and motor to a spot where I could see sand and not kelp, done. He then tried
to make me re anchor again, I was now 40 metres away from his buoy so I told him in my best Geordie to sod off, he must have been expecting the Ark Royal
the size of the channel he wanted. I think it was because we were anchored (Cecily and another four yachts) for free and it was 40 euro a night on the
N.A.O.K. quayside.
I took the dinghy ashore and went for a swim off the beach and met a German from a yacht anchored closer in than me near the fishermen's huts.
He had been in dispute with the guy that moved me on for over a month and refused to move, threatening to report him to the harbour police.
Sunday 22nd June
Carried out a few more jobs, varnishing, cleaning etc then took the dinghy ashore and went for a swim before going into town for lunch and a beer.
I met a Greek guy called Toni as I was having a swim; he'd married a Welsh girl and had lived in Wales for about 18 years so spoke good English.
We chatted about all kinds covering many topics and he invited me for lunch with himself and his nephew
Dimitri. Dimitri had one of the fisherman's
huts in a prime position with fantastic views across the bay. It was a real Greek meal. All home grown with some fresh fish and homemade wine from Toni's vineyard, fantastic. Got back to Cecily at 18.30 and did a bit of washing then read my book in the cockpit with a couple of beers.
Monday 23rd Onwards.
Carried out little jobs that I came across and passed the time swimming and reading, I'd pulled my back and it was quite painful and was just waiting for the painkillers and anti inflammatory to kick in, at 10.30 it was 42 degrees in the shade, give me an English summer day right now and I'd have been happy. I was invited to tea with Toni and Dimitri, we had fresh home grown beans, tomato, basil etc cooked in olive oil, home made bread, homemade wine and Greek coffee with cucumber in salt and pepper to follow, fantastic and then a swim and a long chat over more wine. Now where did I anchor Cecily?
Dimitri feeds and looks after a lot of cats which all have names, they are both lovely and very thoughtful hospitable people, Toni was 70+ and Dimitri was in his late fifties. Toni spoke English but Dimitri didn't so Toni would translate both ways English to Greek and Greek to English, but after another bottle of Toni's wine we all understood each other, who needs language classes? All in all a great day and my back was better, probably due to the wine as opposed to the anti inflammatory tablets!
Wednesday 25th June
Did a couple more jobs and went into town for lunch and a walk. I bought some posh cat food for Dimitri's cats and had my tea with them, Toni and Dimitri not the cats! We all had a swim and a bit more wine followed with a coffee then it was back to Cecily for a shower and a read.
A load of Italian yachts had come into NAOK marina so there was no space in the harbour and I had hoped to be berthing up there in the morning. I'm hoping that they all decide to leave tomorrow, fingers crossed.
Thursday 26th June
I was still waiting for movement from the Italian contingent so that I could moor up Cecily for Daryl and Rose. They finally began to move after a bit of a palaver with crossed anchors and a lot of arm waving and shouting. So I upped anchor and made my approach; this was the first time that I had attempted stern too mooring single handed.
I picked my spot and dropped the anchor then began to manoeuvre astern, a burst forward to straighten her up then astern again- then an almighty bang and I had no drive! I thought that I had snagged something or that the prop had dropped off. At that time I was still a good 15 to 20 feet from the wall and drifting onto some plastic boats, 25ton and plastic don't mix! I managed to get a long line to a couple of guys ashore and they pulled me in until I could secure my stern lines and tighten myself up on the anchor and lazy line. I thanked them and then went below to see if I could see anything - I could, I still had the prop but the four bolts securing the flexible coupling to the gearbox and shaft had sheared off - bugger!
I rang Daryl to let him know what had happened in case he had to bring bolts out with him, I stripped the coupling and shaft down and took the flange with the snapped pieces into town to an engineering shop to see if they could remove them. They weren't interested so I carried it back to the boat and removed them myself with a hammer and screwdriver so it was ready to be fitted when Daryl arrived. Five weeks without a mishap then on the last day - mayhem. I did all the washing that I could and had a final tidy up and clean before making my way to the airport for my flight home. It had been a great five weeks but it had got hotter and hotter and I was just waiting to get home to some cool weather and Rose of course. I'd had a brilliant time with brilliant company on a fantastic boat loaned to me by a great and very trusting friend.
Mike Fellows.
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