OUR TIME IN GREECE SO FAR

Since arriving in Greece we have really been taking our time visiting lots of different harbours and anchorages and the ones we really like returning a number of times. When we do move on about 10 miles seems to be the distance we cover, as there are so many lovely anchorages and harbours to see along the way. We are still meeting up with our fellow cruisers from our winter spot in Olbia and also making more new friends along the way, we don't seem to go more than a couple of days before we bump into someone we know, which is great, lots of partying.

Since our trip started we have never been over confident on our anchor, it has been absolutely brilliant in sand where it has held us in a number of very very strong winds, but in weed with the amount of swinging the yacht does the anchor undigs itself and then you just end up dragging. We have also been in a number of bays where boats with similar anchors to ours have had their anchor drag and a lot of the time this is when no one is on board or even in the middle of the night which can be a big problem. Just recently our friends Mike and Corrine were sitting on our boat one evening having a drink and playing cards when all of a sudden their boat went past ours dragging its anchor. This time everything was fine as we were close by but normally we would have been in a taverna quite some distance away with the boats out of our view. Even though they were ok they still had to leave the bay late at night and find shelter in a marina at a cost of 40 euros per night. So after much debate and great expense we are now the proud owners of a shiny new rocna anchor. We have literally just purchased this anchor so we have not actually fitted it and put it to the test yet.

We had a bit of a disaster one day when in a harbour, a very large catamaran tried to squeeze into a space next to us in quite high winds. He completely got it wrong nearly crushing a small power boat when trying to get in and once nearly in he then come to his senses and decided the space was too small for him, so tried to leave, but the wind pushed him onto our boat, which in turn pushed about 5 other boats into the quay wall. We were like this for the next hour and a half and in this time the other yachts by us were taking damage as they were constantly banging against the wall, we were desperately fending off. Eventually with the help of some others we managed to free him from our boat, he then dragged everyone's anchor in the facility and proceeded to leave. The harbour master tried to call him back but he was not interested at all, he just stuck his finger up and left. The harbour master then called the port police and they caught up with him and he retuned later that evening in the back of a police car. Luckily for us the damage was minimal.

Like most nations we do find the Greek people very friendly, on our return to Nidri where we were about 4 or 5 years ago, we were recognised instantly at the bar we used regularly and it was exactly the same at our favourite restaurant. Quite a coincidence happened when we were there as well, unbeknown to us our friend Jon was working in Athens with one of the owners of the bar, as he knew we were in the area he suggested that we should pop into the bar and say hello, but we text him back saying we use the bar and we know the people very well. The person our friend Jon was working with was returning back to Nidri within a couple of days and Jon gave him 20 euros to give to us to spend behind the bar. Unfortunately we left soon after and knew nothing about this great gesture, but as luck would have it we returned to meet some friends quite near Nidri and happened to pop into the bar, where we were then told to splendid news that we had some money to spend and what a great night we had so thanks very much Jonboy.

We have had so much happen since we have been here and also been very busy. Some of the places we have visited have been magnificent and some of the things we have seen have been outstanding. We could never write about all the things that have happened to us and the great times we have had there have just been far too many. Even while we write this there is a very large mountain fire close by and the sea planes have been constantly going over for the last 4 days to control this fire. They pick up water from the sea close by where you're sailing, it's quite a sight. Also this morning we had a film crew that came to our boat and we took part in a documentary about cruising the Greek Islands and this will be shown on Greek TV, famous at last! Another thing within the last 2 hours Mike had a very embarrassing and sore moment, we have been in this harbour for the last 4 days restocking the boat and waiting for the winds to die down, and so we can return to a bay and anchor. The port police come always come around in the morning between 9 and 10 am to check the boat papers and collect the harbour fees that we have to pay. It just so happens that we always seem to be out when they come, but today they decided to come twice, the usual time in the morning and just a couple of hours ago in the evening, so we were caught on the boat whilst drinking our Gin and Tonics. Once we had paid the authorities I was just getting back onto the boat where upon I slipped on the boarding ladder and ended up in the water. I surfaced from the water with a fat lip, a bruised arm but most of all very embarrassed. One thing about getting old is that when you have a fall like this it is never very graceful.