Early Summer 2014

Crazydream at anchor

A leasurely return to Crazydream this year, a few jobs to do before we were lifted out of the water for a survey that our insurance company had requested. Crazydream is 30 years old and needs an "all clear" for the insurance company to keep taking our money! Whilst out of the water Gordon took the opportunity to drop the rudder and make the bearings looser to lighten the steering. Surprisingly this was all done with relative ease over a day or so but having booked 10 days ashore many other jobs were done leaving a whole day at the end for the survey. A nice chap, Ioannis Galouzis from Kos agreed to do the survey and happily took our money before delivering a favourable report. All that maintanence is worth while.

Once back in the water we prepared ourselves and the boat for our first guest of the year. We have an annual contract again this year and were in no rush to head out. The weather this year is unsettled and was still chilly in the evening in late May and strong winds from the south.

Anne Marie on Crazydream

Early June saw Anne Marie join us for 10 days. Pick up in Kalymnos went as arranged before we headed north for her stay. We visited many idyllic anchorages that Anne Marie had not been to on Matapan, we didn't want to bring back too many sad memories. Only one day of strong winds saw us held up in Lipsi on the town quay for a couple of nights. A safe place to be and the chance to visit one of our favourite resturants in the area, Manoli's in the centre of the village.

 Some down wind sailing to Kos where we hired a car to drop Anne Marie off with relatives who happened to be holidaying on the island. We shared a meal with Lucy, Steve and Beatrice before we headed back to Crazydream.

Goose winging downwind

Keeping the car the following morning to shop in Lidl's - a must for every cruiser when you can!

A return to Lakki marina for some rest before our next guest - the berth is paid for so we may as well use it! A little socialising with some of the other boat owners we knew before heading back to Kalymnos to pick up Kathryn. A few hick ups in that we weren't actually berthed when her flight landed and when her ferry arrived we missed it as we were sitting in the shade and it crept in without us seeing it. A text from Kathryn saying she was on our boat was all that made us move!!

With Kathryn's nick name of "windy witch" there of course was a blow forecast for a few days time, so a short sail to Pserimos with the hope of seeing some dolphins (didn't happen) before a swim and bbq in a lovely anchorage. Wind increased overnight and as we left the anchorage in the morning, just under genoa, we saw 32 kts and a large sea north of Kos. It became less as we travelled down the passage between Kos and the Turkish coast but at the notoriuos SE corner of Kos the wind increased and we were reefing  - the blow wasn't meant to start for another 36 hours. We headed straight for Nisiros and secured a spot on the outer breakwater, stern to the wind and as forecast the wind increased as did the waves outside the harbour.

Roma Bath, Nisiros

Windy at the Monastry

On our second day the wind was a force 8-9 with the waves crashing over the breakwater an covering the boat with salt. The motion of the boat was not very pleasant and the girls opted to go sight seeing whilst Gordon stayed on board - just in case. We took the early bus to the main town of Mandraki, visiting the monastry, the fortifications of the ancient city (a 30 minute up hill walk out of the village) and the archelogical museum.

Mandraki, Nisiros

Nisiros Crater

Pali Harbour

Looking down on the harbour at Pali on our return the waves were crashing on the breakwater and along the beach, resembling the Gold Coast in Australia - we'd have taken photo's but the bus didn't stop and the windows were all covered in salt! Five nights we stayed in Nisiros, hiring a car to see the Volcano and its craters,  the village of Nikia with its Volcanological Museum, natural sauna's and roman baths. With the motion on the boat uncomfortable scrabble was adjourned to the local taverna! They even put the British Grand Prix on for us to watch.

Eventually we managed to leave having washed all the salt off the boat to then sail into wind getting the decks all salty again and found ourselves stopping in Kos on the free quay. Plenty of depth for us but after a sleepless night due to the noisy holiday makers we remembered why we pay the money and go into the marina! An early start back to Kalymnos with a stronger wind forecast we were reefed down and salt all over the deck, again. Paulines sense of humour really is now fading and this windy, tippy sailing lark is coming to an end for her. A nice last night for Kathryn in Stukas taverna on the front before an early ferry back to Kos and Gordon & Pauline returned to Lakki for a rest and yet another wash off!

As luck would have it Svein and Caryn, friends who had sadly lost their boat to a fire last year but who have since bought another with the insurance payout, were due in Lakki and they had our bikes on board.  They had offered to deliver them from Lefkas, where Gordon had seen them on his delivery trip, as they were coming this way and it would save us the postage. Amazingly they were unfolded at the back of "Escapade" and even after a long time of not being used, ridden back to Crazydream in the marina. A truely useful gift bequeathed to us from  s/y Matapan. 

Our Brompton bikes

A few nights of drinking and eating saw us catching up with all the news from Caryn and Svein before they headed off south, with plans to meet again in Nisiros in August. With the bikes it was now easier and much quicker to go into town for shopping, what would have taken up to 2 hours takes half an hour now, leaving time to do some jobs and catch up on some reading - a book on the French Canals for Pauline!!!!