June – SY LouLouDitsi

Our first onboard BBQ!

Long before we bought LouLouDitsi we’d been researching different options for barbecuing on deck. In hot weather, cooking below is unpleasant and makes the cabins hotter, and it can be difficult getting rid of the smell of grilled or roasted meat and fish. One issue was fuel – gas or charcoal? We already have gas … Continue reading

Harbour Rot?

We’re still in Nidri, anchored in Tranquil Bay (which is less tranquil as the season picks up, especially at weekends) or, occasionally on the IBA pontoon at 18 euros a night when we need water and shore power. Are we suffering Harbour Rot? When you’re in port too long without going out, a stiff breeze … Continue reading

Mathilda, who told such lies

Out for a short sail this afternoon in N F4-5. We have no GPS plotter in the cockpit to show our position, only below at the Nav table, but I’d put in a route that kept us clear of shallows, rocks, etc. When we were well away from land and clear of other boats, John … Continue reading

Sitting out a blow

Today we sat out a bit of a blow at anchor in Tranquil Bay – Southerly F6 gusting 7. In summer the prevailing wind here is NW in the afternoons. Very light southerlies are common in the mornings, but any real wind from the South means a break in the weather, usually windy and possibly … Continue reading

Treating Harbour Rot

OK, we realised we needed to do something to make some progress on the Priorities List. Having established the priorities and agreed to get those things researched and commissioned or ordered before going cruising, new problems keep distracting us. The urgent To Do list was growing faster than we were getting through it. We know … Continue reading

A new liferaft

One of the gremlins that we feared would stop us lifting in on 2 May was that the liferaft failed its service and we needed a new one. It took a few days to decide on a new one, weighing up safety, dimensions, cost, but with help from Vagelis of Ionian Marine Safety (part of … Continue reading

There’s another island!

We finally broke free of Nidri/Tranquil Bay on Thursday and have been enjoying the peace of Ormos Abelike (Abelike Bay) on Meganissi. Who knew Greece had more than one island 😲 We’re anchored near the entrance to the middle cove, which in the light southerlies has been very comfortable. When we arrived there were a … Continue reading

Thunderbolts & Lightning

Here in Abelike, despite being anchored in nearly 20m, the water has been very warm for swimming off the boat, probably because the prevailing NW wind and resultant swell is absent. It’s very peaceful, even on Friday night when 2 flotillas were in (Sunsail in the W cove and Nielson at the southern head of … Continue reading

The bustle of Lefkas

Yesterday we left the peace and quiet of Abelike and came up to Lefkas, where again we moored on the town quay. We’re on the NE part of the quay this time and we have a fantastic view up the last stretch of canal to the bridge. By the time we’ve watched the boats start … Continue reading

47 kts of wind

A couple of hours or so ago we were suddenly hit by at least 47 kts of wind, a downpour (actually a sidepour as it was driving from the south) thunder and lightening. All safe and sound, thank goodness. [We’re still on the quay at Lefkas, by the way, more on that in another post.] … Continue reading