We left Nidri on Thursday morning and motored back up the Lefkas canal, but stopping before the bridge, at Lefkas town. About 2 hours.
We had 2 concerns:
- finding a space on the quay, where most of the spaces are taken up by charter boats that aren’t yet out on charter, as it’s still early in the season. We could anchor off, but that makes it harder for Takis, the cushion man, to come aboard. The marina is nice, but costs nearly 60 a night!
- managing a safe and smooth stern-to mooring, with an unfamiliar windlass (the thing that controls the anchor chain going up and down) and an unfamiliar technique to allow for the centre cockpit.
Readers, we did it!!!!
There was a bit of a cross wind (bad), no-one on the quay to take our lines (difficult and unusual) and we came in as smoothly and calmly as anything. John set the anchor clutch perfectly so the chain fed out as the boat moved backwards. We picked an easy slot, between 2 yachts of similar size, and I helmed her in between without touching.
John came aft, and jumped ashore with the windward line. When that was made fast back on the boat, I put the engine gently in tickover ahead, to keep us off the quay. John secured the other line and then tightened up on the anchor.
We made one mistake (mine) which was to put ourselves such a very nice,safe distance from the quay, that when we came to put out the passarelle (a wooden or metal bridge between the back of the boat and ashore), it wouldn’t reach!! Easily solved, we moved ourselves about 8″ nearer and all was well.
We’re glad it went well this time, but know the dangers of getting complacent or over-confident on a boat. But it’s good to have a successful mooring under our belts to start with. A celebratory beer seems to be in order ….