After having our appetite whetted earlier in the season by Sue and Al we decided to visit Albania for a week. We had invited Dragonfly and Muskrat to come along too and were delighted when they both agreed. The day after Ben and Matt went home all three boats were together again in Mandraki Marina- the Three Muskrateers!
It had been a bit touch and go whether Muskrat would be able to join us as they had an on-going problem with their stuffing box overheating which seriously limited their use of the engine and the speed they could travel at. However, Will and Carole felt it had improved enough to go so they came to Corfu. An unlucky incident with a lazy line when mooring meant they had a prop wrap and, from a quick snorkel, it became apparent that some of the rope fibres had gone into the prop shaft housing, necessitating a diver to extract them. Although the diver was convinced he had removed it all it didn’t feel quite comfortable.
Nonetheless, we left later that day to a bay, Kalamia, on the North East tip of Corfu, about 8 miles from Sarande in Albania. On the trip up there Muskrat had more problems with overheating and it was with great reluctance they told us next morning that they felt they could not continue and sit on this problem for another week. They planned to head south to Preveza, hoping to sail all the way, where they could be lifted out at the Ionian yard that we had all used in May.
Well, there was nothing else for it, all for one and one for all etc etc. the Muskrateers headed south! Hence Albania Almost!
We may have missed Albania but we had three cracking sails, a great birthday celebratory day for Will in Plateria, (thanks for a lovely fish dinner to Will and Carole!) and David caught his first tuna, devoured by us all that night in the anchorage in Preveza!
Albania will still be there another time and it gave us the perfect excuse to plan a road trip together instead!