Cruising to Greece and back.

After sailing back from Greece to Portishead, in October 2019 Tobin Bronze was transported back to Wadswick for a major re-fit. In July 2022, TB was re-launched into Portishead Marina.

Vessel Name: Tobin Bronze
Vessel Make/Model: 35ft cold moulded plywood sloop
Hailing Port: Bristol
Crew: Peter and Judy Ward
About:
Launched in 1985. After one year sailing in the Bristol Channel, TB has been sailed for 22,500 plus miles by Peter, Judy, Charlotte, Ben and Sofie - firstly based in Dartmouth and then in South Brittany. [...]
24 October 2019 | Portishead Entrance Lock
08 June 2019
27 November 2018
30 June 2018
18 November 2017
03 July 2016 | Agmar Marine Boatyard. Partheni, Island of Leros
30 October 2015
01 October 2014 | Kilada to Orei
25 November 2013
19 July 2013
26 June 2013 | Koilada
01 December 2012
01 November 2012 | Koilada
29 September 2011

Orei to Leros, Summer 2016

03 July 2016 | Agmar Marine Boatyard. Partheni, Island of Leros
Judy and I returned to Greece on 17 April 2016. Sofie and one year old Edith met up with us at Heathrow and we flew off together. We picked up a hire car at Athens airport and drove to Orei on Evia Island, crossing on the Arkitsas to Edipsos ferry.

The weather was great - around 20 deg every day. Little blond Edith charmed everyone she met and had a great time. I took Sofie and Edith back to Athens airport on the 26th and Ben, Cynthia and Tristan arrived a few days later. Unfortunately, one of their bags didn't but after many phone calls Ben managed to get it delivered to Orei.

My project was to install a replacement engine in Tobin Bronze. The engine was being transported out from the UK by road but unfortunately arrived in Athens on the Thursday before Greek Easter. Everything in Greece shuts down during their Easter and it was the following Thursday before it could be forwarded to Orei. At least, this gave me more time to properly prepare and paint the engine bay.

After sorting out a few engine problems - with help from Dimitrios from the yard - TB was slid into the water on Tuesday 10 May.

Yolande and Bruce joined us for a week, which we spent pottering around in the Gulf of Volos. We ended back at Orei from where Y&B caught the bus back to Athens on the 16th May. We immediately sailed (and motored) across to Skiathos. Brother Denis arrived there at 20:30hrs. Even though he was pretty shattered form his flight from Australia, we took him to our favourite "Mother Maria" tavern to introduce him to some good Greek cooking. A couple of days later it was Judy's turn to depart as we said "Goodbye" to her at Skiathos airport.

After having some difficulty in recovering the fouled anchor, Denis and I sailed back to Orei to pick up the life raft which had been sent to Piraeus for servicing. Because of some bureaucratic bullshit, the life raft had not been serviced but as it was only three years old it would still be functional.

Over the next couple of weeks, we sailed south east across the Aegean visiting many beautiful places - Loutraki on Skopolos, Linaria in Skyros, Psara, Mestra on Chios, Evdhilos on Ikaria, Fourni, the port of Skala and the bay of Ormos Stavros on Patmos, Alinda on the east side of Leros and the main port Lakki, Emborios on NW Kalimnos and then the main harbour on the south of the island. Finally we ended up at the Agmar Marine boatyard at Partheni right next door to the small Leros airstrip.

On 07 June, TB was lifted out of the water and Denis took off for Athens and Istanbul on his way back to Brisbane.

The following day, I departed Leros and flew back to Heathrow. TB had logged 450 Nautical miles from relaunch on 10 May and some 19,579 Nm since launch day.

1916 Summer part 2.

I returned to Leros via Athens on the overnight flight from Heathrow on Sept 6th. The small Athens to Leros plane landed at 07:20 hrs and by 07:30hrs I was on board TB. It is a 200m walk from the airport to the boatyard.

I spent 5 days on board in the boatyard doing the inevitable maintenance - the main job being installing a new fridge unit. The old one died after nearly 30 years!

On the 12th Sept , TB was back in the water by 09:00hrs. After a couple of quiet days at anchor (spent painting, of course), I picked up Roger at the airport at 07:20hrs and we motored down to Lakki. Over the next week, between spells of strong winds, we sailed to the island of Kalimnos and the wonderful island of Levitha and back to Lakki and finally Partheni. The Dodekanes is a beautiful island group. It tends to be pretty windy - quite often too stromg for comfortable sailing. But the people are so welcoming and friendly, being weather bound in port is no hardship!

Roger flew out from the airport at Partheni Wed 21 Sept. I spent a couple of days at anchor before being lifted out on 23 Sept.

I departed fo home on the 25 Sept 2016.
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Tobin Bronze's Photos - Main
Photos 1 to 3 of 3
1
Tobin Bronze going out in the 1967 Melbourne Cup.
 
1
A relaxed summer in the Bristol Channel.
11 Photos
Created 15 January 2023
A 34 year old Tobin Bronze was badly in need of an extended boat yard visit to undergo some serious maintenance.
10 Photos
Created 31 October 2022
Last leg along west coast of France, across the Channel, around Lands End and into the Bristol Channel
18 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
Last leg in the Med.
12 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
From Bonefacio up the west coast to Calvi
12 Photos
Created 23 June 2021
From Cagliari up the west coast to Strait of Bonifacio
15 Photos
Created 22 June 2021
Ragusa to Trapani including road trip to Mt Etna
46 Photos
Created 19 June 2021
Malta to Sicily May 2019
11 Photos
Created 15 May 2019
Leros to Malta. 30 Aug to 25 Sep 2018.
39 Photos
Created 19 November 2018
22 May to 19 June 2018
30 Photos
Created 29 July 2018
Sept 2017. Dodecanese Islands
20 Photos
Created 20 October 2017
Dodecanese Islands
23 Photos
Created 24 June 2017
Cruising from Orei. Evia to Leros in the Dodcanese in May, June
18 Photos
Created 30 October 2016
Launch from Orei, sail north to Thessaloniki, around the Khalkidhiki paninsula and Mt Athos to Nea Peramos.
17 Photos
Created 14 December 2015
22 Photos
Created 15 October 2014
Re-launch in Kilada to Orei, Evia in early July
16 Photos
Created 22 July 2014
13 Photos
Created 18 May 2014
A late summer cruise to the northern Cyclades
18 Photos
Created 20 January 2014
Cruise to Crete
11 Photos
Created 19 July 2013
Visits to Koilada May & june 2013
11 Photos
Created 9 June 2013
From Kalamata to the Argolic Gulf in July 2012
57 Photos
Created 12 January 2013
From Messolonghi to Kalamata May 2012
45 Photos
Created 10 January 2013
Italy to Zakinthos and Messolonghi
15 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli - three of the Aeolian Islands
30 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sardinia and Sicily Sept 2011
19 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sailing from Cartagena to Sardinia
24 Photos
Created 24 November 2011
Sailing TB from Faro to Cartagena in June and July 2011
64 Photos
Created 9 August 2011
Sailing on John's boat 'Derby Lass'
20 Photos
Created 6 August 2011
Delivery trip with Woody from Vigo to Lisbon when John Q. met us. Then to Ohao where Judy replaced John for a trip up the Guardina River.
41 Photos
Created 1 October 2010
June - July in the Rias Baixas, Galicia
26 Photos
Created 8 August 2010
Six days on the "Dunmow Flitch" between Braunston and Market Harborough in April 2010.
26 Photos
Created 1 June 2010
Lay up for winter in Cangas
17 Photos
Created 27 October 2009
Newport R.I.,Cuttyhunk Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
48 Photos
Created 17 September 2009
Highlights of the trip from Viveiro to Ria de Vigo.
34 Photos
Created 2 August 2009
Hugh pod of dolphins encountered 10:30hrs 04 June at approx 44º24'N; 006º32'W
18 Photos
Created 23 June 2009
Between 02 June and 04 June 2009 from La Roche Bernard to Ribadeo in Galicia, Spain
11 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 18 June 2009
Port de Foleux is about 15 miles up the Villaine River, 6 miles upstream from La Roche Bernard
4 Photos
Created 18 June 2009