Koinonia Sailing and RVing

Galaxidi, Greece
Two Sheets to the Wind
05/21/2012

The short hop from our previous night's anchorage to the quaint harbor town of Galaxidi was uneventful. We docked along the town quay and went ashore to explore. We enjoyed dinner at one of the outdoor restaurants along the waterfront. During dinner, we visited with a sailing couple from Annapolis, Maryland, and were later visited by a duck, cat, and a dog. The American couple had been sailing in the Mediterranean for a few years and were happy to share with us, their local knowledge of Greece. As for the other dinner companions, they were hoping we share the local cuisine.

The following morning before our shore excursion, I washed and hung laundry out to dry. With morning chores complete, we boarded a bus to Delphi along with another couple who had their boat docked near our boat. During the ancient times, Delphi was thought to be the center of the universe. Current day Delphi has an archaeological site and museum which is open for tourists. The trip up the mountain was absolutely beautiful with luscious olive groves filling the valley. Several hair pin turns up the winding mountain road, and we were in Delphi.

The ancient site still had remains of a treasury building, amphitheater and a stadium. The museum contained many of the statues and friezes which were part of the original site. We did not get to spend as much time as we would have liked, due to the need to catch the afternoon bus and connecting taxi back to the boat. As we waited for the bus, I noticed the winds in the mountains were blowing and hoped the winds were not as strong back at the boat.

The taxi driver was in a hurry to get us to our destination. I was glad that his brakes and accelerator responded when needed as we sped down the curvy mountain roads, passing large trucks along the way. As we neared our destination, the previously peaceful bay just outside of our harbor was filled with churning waves from the wind. We never mentioned anything to the driver about the concern of our laundry hanging out in the severe wind, but knew at that rate of speed were traveling, we would be tending to the laundry soon enough.

We arrived at the boat to find two sheets and other miscellaneous laundry items were no longer hanging on the boat, but were relieved to find the boat was still safe and secure. The other couple with whom we shared the bus ride to Delphi, stopped by as we were boarding the boat. The gentleman told us they had returned earlier in the day and found that our laundry looked liked it needed to be rescued, so they secured it in a safe location. I am happy to report, we were not two sheets to the wind, and grateful for the kindness and intervention of our fellow sailors.

We met some other sailors who were leading a flotilla of charter boats. The conversation quickly turned to the wind, as weather forecasts are usually a topic of conversation around here. I was informed that the flotilla would and not leave the following day, due to the fact that the winds would be blowing five or six in the Gulf of Corinth. Five or six knot winds are very light. I was puzzled why that forecast would make for a weather day, keeping the fleet of boats docked. I was sure that I was missing something. Perhaps they were the kind of sailors who don't go out in light winds, but wait for the big winds. Don was helpful with the answer to this question. Back home, I have only heard wind speed referenced in knots. But here the wind is not referenced by knots, but by the force based on the Beaufort scale. So force five and six winds are strong winds, up to twenty five knots.

I was in agreement that we should spend the next day tied to the quay as well. However, we had to consider the safety of the boat. There was risk with being in a crowded quay in thirty knot winds. Unlike the boats traveling with the flotilla, we would be traveling in the opposite direction. The wind was expected to be behind us, which is not supposed to be as bad at going into the wind. We left the harbor town and set out to meet up with the big winds. Don compared the conditions to what he and his friends experienced for the four days prior to their arrival in Horta, during the Atlantic crossing. They endured for four days going into the wind, surely I could endure four hours with the wind coming from our stern. After an uncomfortable, but uneventful leg on the journey south, we arrived at our next anchorage. We had a somewhat restful night in an unknown anchorage, and left the following morning for the Corinth canal.