Wednesday 06 June
Ay Efemia, Cephalonia
We left Fiskardo this morning by 10 a.m. after a little provisioning and having decided that one night was more than enough. We headed south between the coasts of Cephalonia and Ithaca towards Ay Efimia which took a little over an hour and then another 50 minutes to finally moor the boat, stern to again with the anchor, in a force 5 north westerly wind on our starboard side. I practised twice this time dropping the anchor and pulled it up once before we got it right and then my job is to run up and down the boat like a demented ferret to throw lines to the people (quite a few of them by this time) on the quay. I am not quite sure what the Captain was doing (other than steering, of course) but the Harbourmaster called him at one stage to come and help his wife - it made my day! The Captain took it very well. The wind has continued to blow all day and is now whistling down the hills towards us. We have been entertained though by an FB boat (about 30M) trying to do what we had done earlier and with a professional skipper and so far he has not succeeded. The Captain is beginning to think he did rather well. We have decided to stay here for two nights as the wind is not forecast to drop until Friday and tomorrow we are going to visit Sami round the otherside of the bay, famous, of course, for being the filmset of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Needless to say there are quite a few tavernas with that name - there is one here in fact. Despite the wind, the sun is shining. We tried Cephaloni meat pie for our dinner over looking the Bay of Sami with the most spectacular views of the Ionian islands and had our own earthquake on the way back to the boat.

 

Ay Efemia

Saturday 09 June
Patras

We visited Sami on Thursday as planned but were very disappointed as it did not seem to be as we remembered - slightly sad and run down - and we were back on the boat in no time at all and spent another afternoon doing very little but reading yet another book. Fortunately a very friendly First Mate on the boat next door gave me a couple she had read - unfortunately one was one of those No. 1 Detective Agencies.

Left Ay Efimia on Friday morning early for a six hour crossing to Messolonghi on the mainland. We have been thoroughly spoilt by the lovely Ionian islands and the friendly people so Messolonghi was a little disappointing - to say the least - and extremely hot. I checked the forecast for the coming week and was slightly dismayed to read that there would be little wind and a top temperature every day of 35 degrees - I have just read about the 'near hurricanes' at home so I am not complaining - but it is swelteringly hot - where is that wind when you need it?

Messolonghi

 

We are now in Patras as, although we had decided to stay two nights at Messolonghi despite its awfulness, the Captain had a horrible night listening to a disco that went on until 4 a.m. in a taverna across the bay. We are not certain whether it will be any less noisy as it is Greece's third city and although already the marina is more promising and we have found the Carrefour, we are surrounded by three cafes with horrible music - in fact we are sitting in one now drinking 'frappe' and trying to look cool with a lot of Greek youngsters enjoying early Saturday evening - although I think they may have been here most of the day.

 

 

 

Sequel in Patras

 

Going back into the water

 

 

Thursday 24 May
Syracusa - still

At last back on the boat and although the Captain isnt convinced the shipyard did much to solve our problems we are going to carry on to Roccella Ionica on the mainland early tomorrow for a crossing of about 12 hours. We had six nights in a lovely hotel, converted barns which were a farm originally and I dont think we have stayed anywhere where the staff have been so friendly and helpful.So we are very ready to go again. We had an interesting return to the water (and in fact the lift out too) as for the first time ever, and Sequel is now very experienced at being taken in and out, we remained on the boat - strictly against any health and safety regulations. Usually we have to scramble off at the last moment before coming out and vice versa going in - I have to be sure to be wearing shorts otherwise it is very undignified.

 

Kaol Ishka Hotel

 

And after six days on land Sequel is yet again covered in fecking (thank you Mrs Brown) Libyan dust/sand - amazing how it travels so far. So Lady Muck has been busy inside and has also managed to produce a number of very colourful vinklekleins to hang out to dry and the Captain is busy with his hose! We had great fun shopping in the market for provisions this morning and my Italian is coming on very well - seems a bit of a shame that I am going to have to start learning Greek next. But very excited now about next part of the adventure and we hope to cross from mainland Italy to Lefkas on Saturday - about 26 hours.

Tuesday 02 October

Wall Bay to Goçek

A short trip to Goçek from Wall Bay to D Mariin, a marina a short distance out of town in lovely surroundings and a proper beach.  We decided to spend the afternoon on the beach   for the first time in four weeks.  Goçek had a very 'end of season' air about it but it had everything we would need for a return trip with family next year.
 

Sequel in D Marin, Goçek

Wednesday 03 

Goçek to Fethiye

Another fairly short trip to have a look at Fethiye.  The marina here was nowhere near so  well cared for, needing some refurbishment, but the old town was very close by and very lively in the evening.  Fethiye is enormous though and we hardly scratched the surface.

Fethiye

Thursday 04

Fethiye back to Ekiniçik Limani and My Marina

A five hour trip back to My Marina as we knew we liked it here. We have had the best meals we have eaten anywhere in Greece or Turkey in the restaurant here. It is set high up in the hillside on a huge terrace which is decked out with all types of ropes and baskets and sailing equipment and is, believe it or not, very tastefully done.   The downside is that it caters only for the boats in the marina, many of which as I have mentioned are flotillas consisting of many people, and they are on large tables.  Consequently a table with only two people, although served very efficiently, are then completely ignored. Last night we were surrounded by Russian flotilla guests and in fear for my life I will  say no  more.

Friday 05

Ekiniçik Limani to Marmaris for the winter

Now in Yat Marin where Sequel is to spend the winter. She will come out of the water on Monday and we have a taxi booked for our flight at 21-45hrs arriving at Garwick at 5 minutes after midnight on Tuesday.
 

Saturday 29 September

Melting in Marmaris

Okay I am now complaining - I am so hot that I think I am going to melt. There is no respite on the boat and very little breeze.  In fact the coolest place on the boat is in our cabin which is 27 degrees. We are just having our black tank emptied - there are new laws in Turkey about dumping any waste products and dirty water into the sea, especially any detergents. This is very difficult for us as our 'grey' waste water i.e. shower, washing up water, etc. goes straight out of the boat and this is strictly speaking not allowed - although like most laws they are made for breaking and there are ways around the 'grey' water problem but not the black.

Marmaris
 

After having the black tank emptied we went for a walk around Marmaris, which is a very big place and we only touched on a small section.  There were more restaurants along the water's edge than we have seen anywhere and packed full of tables.  I thought they would never fill them in the evening but I was wrong again and when we went out to eat most places were full.  We 'people watched' from a roof top restaurant, a slightly alarming experience.  And then spent most of the night awake listening to a cacophony of truly awful and very loud music coming from all the bars until 3 a.m.  However, the Captain was very happy to learn from Ross that the mighty Spurs had won at Old Trafford for the first time since 1989.  

 

Sunday 30 September

Marmaris to Ekinçik Limani

We left Marmaris by noon and headed for a stop for the night in a pretty bay with the best small privately owned marina, My Marina, that we have visited since Meganissi. We spent a while talking to a young German couple who had four children on board, including 18 months old twin boys, and who had been sailing since the beginning of May starting in Slovenia. Amazing.

 

Monday 01 October

Ekiniçik Limani  to Wall Bay, Skopea Limani, near to Goçek

I have had a busy day.  We left My Marina at about 10 a.m. and within half an hour we had dropped the anchor to investigate a loud knocking noise from the starboard stabiliser.  This meant that I had to swim round the boat to see if there was a line caught around it or something similar.  There wasn't. But an ominous oil leak in the engine room only around the starboard stabiliser.  So continued without stabilisers on, which is easy when there is little wind and no swell. Not looking forward to when there is.

Wall Bay

We then decided to spend the night in one of the numerous bays in the gulf of Skopea and I had to row ashore with a line to attach to a bollard (very kindly provided - as opposed to a rock or a tree).  I may have to practise my rowing - I was trying to look cool but not sure I pulled it off.  And then we were treated to a huge thunder storm with some hail thrown in for good measure.  It has actually stopped now and seems very quiet and the boat is at last clean, including the dinghy which the Captain is convinced has been used by a cat. Naturally he decided to row (no, not swim - he doesn't seem to do swimming - a bit like me and jumping) around to the stabiliser just in case I had missed anything - don't you love it when they do that.

 

Looking forward to our evening meal, again courtesy of M&H, and not fried calamari - I may have had enough fried calamari.

Treated to another storm in the night.

Wednesday 26

Luna Begonvil Yacht Club - Orhaniye, Keçi Bükü

We spent one night in Datça which was quite enough.  Whereas it had been lovely and peaceful when we arrived by the evening it was completely full of boats and the nearby bars were competing with each other to play the loudest and cheesiest music.  It did stop at midnight which was a relief.

Kuruca Bükü

We moved on down the coast to Kuruca Bükü, a bay recommended by our neighbours in Symi, and it was very peaceful. Even though a number of boats came in it was large enough for no one to be too close to us and the Captain even managed a swim off the back of the boat.  I was slightly put off earlier when we spotted an enormous turtle come up for air and then disappear again and then again a couple of times.

Today we moved further up the gulf which separates the Datca and Bozburun peninsulas and we are now tied up on a pontoon which belongs to a restaurant (see above) with electricity, water and wifi all for nothing.  We just have to eat there tonight.  Perfect. Weather is fantastic, if a little hot at 30+ degrees, but we are coping. Later: except that it wasn't perfect and the bill did include a fee for the boat - although nominal.

Luna  Begonvil Yacht Club

Thursday 27

Selimiye

We headed for Selimiye which took just less than 2 hours.  There was a great extended pontoon with electricity and water which was the 'town quay'.  Quite a pretty place but the shopping was poor and it was unbelievably hot - now 32 degrees and no respite.  We did, however, find a much better restaurant for dinnner.

This is the plan at the moment -  we are underway and looking for wifi, hopefully from the dongle as we head round the end of the Bozburun peninsula which is very close to Symi and therefore we should get Cosmote again.  We are plannning to reach Ciftlik which is on the way to Marmaris.  We are planning to spend a couple of nights here in the town (and not in the marina which is our final destination) and then go further down the coast to Goçek and Fethiye before heading back again by the end of next week.

Monday 24 

TURKEY 

Symi  to Datça

We had two lovely days in Symi. It is a very pretty harbour but extremely busy every day with at least four massive ferries arriving and then after their departure at about 4 p.m. all the super yachts and numerous other sailing boats would start arriving for the evening and it was pandemonium. It was also very entertaining and we sat on the front of Sequel watching it all going on feeling very smug that we were safely in our spot.  It started again in the morning when everyone started to leave and all the anchors had got crossed over each other

Ferries in Symi harbour

Symi harbour from the top of the hill

 

We walked both days to the top of the opposite hillside and on Sunday down the other side to another bay. Both feeling the need for exercise after far too many meals out - but having walked back up the hill from the other side we managed to find a taverna right at the top just to fill up again.

And now after a very short crossing of about an hour we are in Turkey! We decided to head for Datça in order to 'check in' which is a bit of a rigmarole as you have to check in with the Police, Port Police and the Harbour Master in order to buy visas (as at the airport in Turkey) and a transit log but we are all now paid up and legal. We have reached the destination we set out for from Lymington in 2010 so another excuse to go out tonight and celebrate.

Changing the courtesy flag

Wednesday 19 

Kos

We discovered last night that Kos Town has dedicated cycle lanes and everyone was busy cycling to and fro so we got the bikes out and cycled into town in the morning, enjoyed wandering through the town, which was very busy with many tourists, and found a secluded taverna for lunch away from the main squares - there are a few squares.  We cycled back in the evening and found an even more secluded taverna but right in the middle of the town, in what appeared to be someone's back garden, and ate some really delicious Greek dishes. We have been offered a 'digestif' at the end of meals in most places which is really not drinkable (I would rather have Gaviscon) and hardly anyone does drink it, but here we were given Ouzo.  This time we felt obliged to drink it but it is truly horrible - fortunately we were seated close to a small flower bed.

Thursday 20

Another lovely day so a cycle ride to the Castle of the Knights built in the 14th century, lunch in same taverna and some chores. They had to be done.

Friday 21

Kos to Symi 

An early start for a six hour trip to Symi and lovely calm sea conditions before more strong winds forecast for next two days.  Symi is lovely.  We are on the town quay at €20 regardless of how many days although electricity and water extra if anyone turns up for payment. Many ferries and day trippers from Rhodes but apparently they disappear in the evening and we have already spotted the recommended seafood restaurant.