Freya & Us

Vessel Name: Freya of Wight
Vessel Make/Model: Westerly Oceanranger
Hailing Port: Portishead
14 September 2022 | South Wales
04 May 2022
02 May 2022 | Kos - 8,924 NM
24 April 2022 | Lakki, Leros - 8,914 NM
11 April 2022 | Lipsoi - 8,776 NM
07 April 2022 | Samos, 8,735NM
20 March 2022 | Samos - 8,735NM
31 October 2021 | Samos - 8,491 NM
09 November 2020 | Severn Beach, Bristol - 8,735 NM
08 November 2020 | Samos Marina, Pythagorio - 8,735 NM
26 October 2020 | Samos Marina, Pythagorio - 8,735 NM
20 October 2020 | Marathakampos - 20th October 2020 - 8,715NM
09 October 2020 | Limnos - 8,620 NM
30 September 2020 | Patmos - 8,602 NM
25 September 2020 | Evdhilos, Ikaria - 8,552 NM
13 September 2020 | Oinoussa - 8,491 NM
03 December 2019 | Bristol - 8,443 NM
05 November 2019 | Mytilini - 8,443 NM
18 October 2019 | Mytilini, Lesbos - 8,413 NM
11 October 2019 | Molyvos, Lesbos - 8,379 NM
Recent Blog Posts
14 September 2022 | South Wales

Final Story

After 12 years, 8,924 miles, 376 ports of call we officially handed Freya to her new owner last night.

04 May 2022

Interactive Map

By clicking on the link below you can load an interactive map to see our route and explore the places we stopped at.

02 May 2022 | Kos - 8,924 NM

The end of another adventure

Time to move on as we needed to drop Ian and Jess off in Kos for their flight home. There wasn't a breath of wind as we motored to Kos harbour which is very atmospheric under the old castle. It all felt very hectic in the town after a few weeks exploring the tiny, peaceful islands. We were treated to [...]

24 April 2022 | Lakki, Leros - 8,914 NM

Stunning Aegean

It was 11 miles to Skala Patmos and an amazing broad reach sail all the way (almost!) - definitely what it's all about. The sea could've been flatter but it was as expected after the high winds. We went side to on the quay with a Finnish boat where it was very flat and peaceful, especially after the [...]

11 April 2022 | Lipsoi - 8,776 NM

At last, we’re off!

And finally we were ready to go! The engine started first turn, we let off the lines and left Samos marina. We've loved our extended stay on Samos but we're not sorry to leave the marina which is very is unprofessionally run. We were joined on our first trip for ages by dolphins just outside Pythagorio. [...]

07 April 2022 | Samos, 8,735NM

Very stressful final preparations

The engine was removed very efficiently and with great respect for the boat. It was taken to Zlatco's workshop for further investigation! They returned an hour or so later to clean up - very impressive and the engine bay has never looked so clean and shiny! It was very traumatic watching Freya having [...]

Alone at Sea

02 June 2016 | Preveza , Greece - 5,678 NM
Sunny & Hot
Things are going well at home, but we will need to be in Bristol for two or three more months at least. As we enter the summer season the marina fees in Italy become eye-wateringly expensive, so Freya had to move. I (Paul) flew out to Lueca and after a day recommissioning the boat, set off on a 125NM, 20 hour passage to Preveza in Greece, where 9 months was the same price as a 1 month stay in Italy.

This was my first ever solo passage and I was excited and apprehensive in equal measure. My biggest fear wasn't being at sea on my own, coping with the lack of sleep or even encountering heavy weather, it was leaving our Italian berth and parking the boat at the other end. Mooring a boat is easier with two people and it makes sense for the physically stronger of the two people to handle the mooring lines and for the other one to steer the boat. So generally Lorraine takes the helm and I've handled the ropes. It's been five years since I've parked Freya and to cap it all I had to do it on my own.

There was very little wind as I left Lueca and leaving the berth was undramatic, but as I motored out of the harbour I had to dodge a few fishing boats in the entrance that seemed to be doing their best to force me into the shallows by the harbour wall. Once in clear water, I hoisted the mainsail, but not the jib, as there was very little wind and set course to Preveza. The seas were calm, the wind almost non-existent and my next course change was 122 nautical miles ahead, it was going to be fine. Half an hour later I spotted a motor boat approaching me at speed. It was the coastguard in a heavily armed 20m patrol boat. There were two guys in the wheel house and another manning the large gun on the foredeck. They slowed to my speed and ran parallel to my course staying about 100m to starboard. I waved and they ignored me. I slowed slightly and waved again but they still didn't respond so I ignored them as well. They ran parallel to me for about 5 minutes and then waved and headed back to shore at great speed. I'm not sure what it was all about, I assume they read the name of the boat and were checking ashore that I wasn't too dodgy or something.

The next excitement was the sight of a lone dolphin playing in the water, and then all was quiet until the evening when the challenge was to nap for no more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. If you can't see anything on the horizon, you have about that long before you need to check again for any passing boats or whatever else you might hit. Using an alarm clock, which I was constantly resetting to ensure I didn't oversleep, I managed OK. I love nighttime passages and the moon didn't come up until the early hours so I was treated to a wonderful star studded sky. At one point I turned off the navigation lights for a few minutes to enjoy Freya's phosphorescent wake and the sky in all its glory - truly magical.

I approached Preveza just after sunrise but the low sun made it difficult to see the buoys that mark the entrance channel into the bay, made even harder by the hordes of tiny fishing boats that were out at the time. I weaved my way through all these obstructions and just off the boatyard came to a halt to tie on the fenders and put on my mooring lines. Just as I wondering where exactly I should berth, the security guard came to the harbour wall and pointed to a slot. I managed to go alongside exactly where he wanted me and bought the boat to a stop. I stepped off the side, handed him the forward line which he secured while I did stern one. It was my lucky day, you would have thought I knew what I was doing.

The boat was lifted the next day and Arran, Lorraine's nephew, who lives and works nearby came and helped me put Freya to bed. I spent the following night with Arran who showed me around Nidri where he lives, before I returned to Bristol the following morning. An enjoyable few days away, (3 countries in 5 days) but it felt very strange being on the boat without Lorraine.

With fair winds we may be able to return to Freya for a month or so at the end of the season, but if not she is securely berthed for as long as is necessary.

Picture is of Arran in Nidri, not sure if he was desperate for the loo or something;-)

Click here for the interactive map of our travels
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