Gummy sharks and other tales

Here we are in Zante Town It’s a surprisingly big place, which shouldn’t be a surprise as it’s the capital of Zakynthos. Then again, Argostoli is the capital of Cephalonia and, other than great yacht and knee services (and people), not much there. Altho lots of watermelons! Great fruit and veges.

Anyway, Zante Town. We moored on the town quay—€10pn plus an optional €5 for electricity and €5 for water.

Hot hot hot! Fortunately, there’s a very handy, beautifully clear beach about 20 metres from Amble so lots of dips between pottering around.

Zante Town, as with most places in Cephalonia and Zakynthos, was demolished after the 1953 earthquake, so although it’s been built on the Venetian plans there are many concrete buildings. (Apart from St Dionysius/StDennis in his silver coffin. Wow.) Also a Venetian castle on top of the hill. Another hill! Am thinking Amble needs a hot-air balloon stowed away as living at sea level does involve much puffy, sweaty exercise up hills. You’d think I’d be fit.

As the castle is only open from 9 to 3, we decided to avoid some sweat by leaving Amble at 8.30 while relatively cool. Not as far as some of the other castles we’d puffed up to and still quite steep but well worth it. This castle actually had bits you could recognise — being a prisoner certainly didn’t look too comfortable. There are the ruins of six churches, several houses, a garrison and gunpowder stores AND a terrific view over the harbour way (way!) down below.

It wasn’t too hot as the wind was building and moving from the N to the S. What? Amble’s stern was on the north wall so a south wind . . . arrghhhhhhhh! But cool!

We arrived back maybe around 11.30 to find that our recently departed German neighbours had reorganised our fenders so that Amble’s stern wasn’t hitting the stone wall. Phewww. Bless them! Our UK charter neighbours, a family with three very nice kids, came over to say we’d missed all sorts of drama. Typical! However, not to be excluded, as Sarah and John were having a cup of tea with us, their anchor dragged swinging their stern into us and their bow into the boat on the other side of them. Their three children (teenagers) all leapt up from their various horizontal positions, unasked, to grab fenders and turn on their boat engine. Brett also went onboard to help while I fendered Amble’s side and helped to tie a line from their amidships to ours —Brett then used the line to winch them back to straight position, while they sorted out their anchor, which was not an easy task in the wind. (Put their spare one in the dinghy and motored it out.)

All good! But their engine churning the water and the weight of their boat on ours upset our anchor chain so we had to choof out, bringing in the anchor chain, to start the mooring process all over again. This time letting out 50 metres of chain rather than 40.

All this took two hours or so, but successfully managed and safe. Certainly makes you appreciate the calm! And not bad for the waistline either.

Now for a swim and a cup of tea. Too hot for chocolate—it melts.