Due to wrong wind directions we had to enjoy ourselves on the quay in Pilas for a whole week. It seemed a good opportunity to rent a car and visit ancient Olympia. At last…. It took us five time sailing around the Peloponnese to finally get there!
Last Wednesday we got our weather window to sail straight to Zakynthos. Most of the 60 odd miles we had to motor sail. Nico decided to try out his new bait and what did he catch? An 89 cm (or something in that region) sword fish. It was quite a struggle to get it on board. When we still had an hour of sailing ahead of us, the sky started to look very ominous. Lighting in the distance and black clouds around us. Miraculously, when we sailed into the harbor, the sun was shining again and we moored on the quay in the last sun beams. About an hour later we could watch a very spectacular light show. Three different electric storms around us, but not a drop of rain. Vic gutted the sword fish in the dark while Sonja gave him some light with the torch. That night, once again we enjoyed an excellent sea food meal, while the sky was still on fire.
A force 7 to 8 was expected to hit Zakynthos on Saturday, so we only stayed there one night. On Thursday we sailed to Aya Nikolaia on the north side of Zakynthos. Here we met Robin and Iris from Switzerland, who were already moored on the quay. Thanks to Dimitri, owner of the restaurant, we had free water and electricity. Friday morning we (including Robin and Iris) sailed to Argastoli, hoping to find some decent shelter there. To no avail, change of forecast, the F8 would hit Cephalonia as well. The first night, we all went side on the town quay and had a drink on board Le Gros Doux, but in the morning the wind already picked up and it was time to find a saver spot. The swell built up fast and the town quay was very low, so everybody was already busy stopping the fenders from popping up. Snow Goose went straight into the – never finished – marina. We anchored in the bay first, to clean the spare anchor – used to stay off the quay – from all the sticky mud. By that time the whole boat was covered in mud as well, so we had quite a job cleaning it all in a howling wind. In the beginning of the afternoon we joined Nico and Sonja in the marina, where we waited for the full blow to arrive. And it did, in the middle of the night of course. Quite a noisy night….
The plan was to sail straight to Siracusa on Sicily tomorrow, but the forecast has changed again. (What’s new…) It looks like we’ll be in the Ionian for a while!
Last Wednesday we got our weather window to sail straight to Zakynthos. Most of the 60 odd miles we had to motor sail. Nico decided to try out his new bait and what did he catch? An 89 cm (or something in that region) sword fish. It was quite a struggle to get it on board. When we still had an hour of sailing ahead of us, the sky started to look very ominous. Lighting in the distance and black clouds around us. Miraculously, when we sailed into the harbor, the sun was shining again and we moored on the quay in the last sun beams. About an hour later we could watch a very spectacular light show. Three different electric storms around us, but not a drop of rain. Vic gutted the sword fish in the dark while Sonja gave him some light with the torch. That night, once again we enjoyed an excellent sea food meal, while the sky was still on fire.
A force 7 to 8 was expected to hit Zakynthos on Saturday, so we only stayed there one night. On Thursday we sailed to Aya Nikolaia on the north side of Zakynthos. Here we met Robin and Iris from Switzerland, who were already moored on the quay. Thanks to Dimitri, owner of the restaurant, we had free water and electricity. Friday morning we (including Robin and Iris) sailed to Argastoli, hoping to find some decent shelter there. To no avail, change of forecast, the F8 would hit Cephalonia as well. The first night, we all went side on the town quay and had a drink on board Le Gros Doux, but in the morning the wind already picked up and it was time to find a saver spot. The swell built up fast and the town quay was very low, so everybody was already busy stopping the fenders from popping up. Snow Goose went straight into the – never finished – marina. We anchored in the bay first, to clean the spare anchor – used to stay off the quay – from all the sticky mud. By that time the whole boat was covered in mud as well, so we had quite a job cleaning it all in a howling wind. In the beginning of the afternoon we joined Nico and Sonja in the marina, where we waited for the full blow to arrive. And it did, in the middle of the night of course. Quite a noisy night….
The plan was to sail straight to Siracusa on Sicily tomorrow, but the forecast has changed again. (What’s new…) It looks like we’ll be in the Ionian for a while!