Zakynthos, Greece to Syracuse, Sicily

Captain Chaos here again
On Monday 12th September 07:00 we set off on what was to be our longest passage yet.
As it turns out it was a mega motor; 300 miles, 55 hours , 2 nights at sea.
Just for a change I have lifted some excerps from the blog to give a flavour.
Day 1
08:00   Heading down towards South Zakynthos,log fouled again,considering going over side to clear.
19:00   Hoisted radar reflector and changed courtesy flags, prob too early. Wine in fridge to cool , Chilli for tea.
23:40   Bow navigation lights out replaced bulb.
24:15   Buzzed by spotter plan, came inlow and circled twice. At 1st thought nav lights a fast ship !

Day 2
04:00   Thunderstorms ahead , moderate seas on beam, uncomfortable, log working again!
12:00    Full main helps a bit but not enough to sail.
14:10   Motor sailing but wind dropping, refilled with diesel, buzzed by spotter plane again.
18:00   Engine a bit noisy thin oil / tappets?
Day 3
05:00   Altered course to avoid tanker crawling 1.5 kts
14:00   Arrived YC Lakkios , Syracuse

After a wee sleep we had a brief excursion ashore to get fed and a quick lookaround

Well looks like its here for winter then. Distance logged 1933 ish miles.
This will be our last sailing blog of the season.
Bye for now

Visit home to see Lotty

Whilst we both wanted to go back home to see Lotty, we knew that the harbours in Greece were not the best place to leave the boat unattended so we made the decision that Gordon would stay with the boat. As it turned out, this was the right thing to do as we might not have had a boat to come back to.

However, I am so glad I got back to spend some time with my pal, she is such a strong and amazing person. She was even up for a “girls night in” since our usual night out in Glasgow was a no goer. So on the Saturday the usual girls, Carol, Karen, Diane and I got titivated and set off for the hospital kitted out with champagne and nibbles. Unfortunately Lotty was only able to wet her lips with the bubbly while the rest of us polished it off. It was such a nice night and great to be in the company of some of the best friends anyone could ask for.

In between visiting the hospital every day, I was able to spend time with Diane and Harry who very kindly put me up at the Boutique Hotel in East Kilbride.

My other friend Fiona, as usual made time to catch up with me in between visits to the hospital. She was looking fantastic, not that she doesn’t all the time, but specifically so this time. Keep it going Fif!

I even got a couple of hours shopping with Dave, Lotty’s other half. Lotty was feeling a bit tired so Dave and I headed out to Braehead to give her some piece and quiet. I know going to Braehead is nothing momentous, but Dave never goes shopping, he detests it, so I think this is worth a mention in the blog.

The week flew by and sadly it was time to come back. Lotty was so pleased that I had gone back just to see her but it was nothing compared to the friendship she has given us over the last 25 years.

Zakynthos Town Quay

Captain Chaos at the helm this time:

We left Katacolon at 07:30 in flat calm watching what my friend Kevin Balmer calls the “Fat People” coming off a big cruise ship just docked. Katacolon is the nearest stop for visiting Olympia.

Louise was going home on the Thursday so we were leaving early for the relatively short pasage of 24 miles so that we could secure a half decent place in the harbour. Just after 10:00 Louise was talking to Lotty on the phone but didn’t let on she was coming home.

It was a motor job all the way with loads of jellyfish for company.

We arrived at 12:30 and negotiated deal for the long stay – sorted, I’m on my holidays …….or so I thought , more later.

We went out that night (30th August) before Louise shipped off home

The main square and surroundings

Once Louise left for home the weather took a turn for the worse and a severe blow was forecast.

For those of you unfamiliar with berthing Greek style what happens is you drop your anchor off the front and reverse in to tie the back of the boat up to the quay. What this means is that your anchor is the sole thing securing you.

On the Monday morning about 06:00 I was awakened by the Russian guy next to me who was leaving and he had crossed my anchor and lifted it up , it happens ! However this guy was in bits and his wife just went below and wouldn’t help him. He was shouting “ I am sorry, I have lost confidence, you will need to come onto my boat” Now this is just what I couldn’t do as I was on my tod and my boat was now unsecured.

Thankfully the commotion had woken up everybody else and the French guy on the boat on the other side of me jumped onto my boat and with a bit of manoevering we got him onto the Russian’s. He went over the side and freed the anchor. The Russian then headed off.

I now needed to reset my anchor , normally Louise does this as I helm the boat in ! So I motor back in and ask the French guy if he wouldn’t mind jumping back on and letting my bow anchor go.

He very helpfully agreed but being unfamiliar with the windlass managed to jam it fast!

I had (until now) never dismantled the windlass and did so, at least freeing the chain but was unable to reassemble it. So we decided to anchor manually. The 1st time he let it go too early and we were pulled up short, the 2nd time perfect. Now succesfuly back on the quay I reassembled the windlass. Its now blowing a hoolie.

Later that morning Johan & Gabrielle arrive and manoever in next to me Johan tells me his fan belt is gone so no engine power. We manage to manhandle him in. The weather is now getting worse and everyone is worried about their anchor holding.

For two days I daren’t / couldn’t leave the boat. During the night a squall knocks us all on our sides. Camira sustained dammage to her stern as a result of being pushed aginst the quay. No one has slept and one couple thought they were going to lose their boat – it was that bad.

I joke with Johann that we need more of his whisky and he supplies me ,the French guy & himself with a glasse and he starts singing the song from “Master & Commander “ in perfect English but with an “Arnie” accent. We are soaked through. There is a big cruise liner in and the passengers looking at us as though we are crazy.

The weather was so bad that Louise was diverted to Athens on her return to wait out the storm.

I don’t have any pictures but it was the most anxious time I have had on the boat.