6^th August 2010

This morning we had a change of plan. With an updated weather forecast we decided to visit the Bay of Volos before making our crossing. We left the anchorage in the Bay of Vathikelon and continued East (under engine). We were heading for the island of Palaio Trikeri in the Bay of Volos. As we approached the wind blew up and we suddenly started having gusts of 25 knots. Not the best thing to go into a harbour and of course it was blowing from the wrong direction. We prepared the boat and then the trouble started. After we had lowered the dinghy and Svein was backing a wave filled the dinghy with water. We got rid of this and then started to back, dropping the anchor as we went. Unfortunately the anchor did not take and we start drifting onto the other boats and ended up with our starboard side along the fishing boats anchored in the harbour!! A kind French man got in his dinghy and tried to pull us off but by this time a mooring rope had managed to snag our keel so we were stuck fast. The wind was still blowing and now we had all the local fishermen on their boats holding up off. Svein dived and released the mooring rope and the dinghy pulled us off. We had to exit the harbour and were unable to thank them or buy them a round of drinks.

We were glad to get out of there and crossed the bay to find a safer anchorage. Again we ran into problems although our anchor had taken we were receiving gusts of 25 knots into the bay which made it extremely uncomfortable. We decided to head out and move to the entrace of the Bay of Volos where there was a safe anchorage.

The only good thing about the whole day was that we were able to sail to our new anchorage. We moored late afternoon and treated ourselves to a good dinner on shore that we felt we had deserved after the horrors of the day.

We found an internet cafe and were able to get a weather forecast update which should enable us to plan for next few days. After dinner we also met some Austrians who were sailing the same model of Wharram catamaran that Svein had built in the 80s. We had a long chat with them and will perhaps meet up with them in the islands. We went to bed in preparation for an early start for our trip to Skopelos.

7^th August 2010

Bright and early (06h30) we hoisted the anchor and left the Bay of Pigadhi. By 07h00 we had the sails up and then played cat and mouse with the wind until we passed the island of Skiathos.From then on we were able to sail, although on a tight tack, and only started the engine when it was time to enter the harbour of Loutraki on the island of Skopelos. As there was no room on the small quay we anchored off the breakwater. Fortunately we got in early as by late afternoon the flotillas were pouring in as well as the private boats all looking for a space.

Svein has investigated the damage to the new paintwork (from the previous day’s adventure).

We came to Skopelos as we are both Abba fans and this is the setting for the Mamma Mia film. We have, however, yet to find the village where it was based. It certainly was not Loutraki. Whether we have time to explore all the island is another matter but we have at least reached the North Sporades and it is only a few more islands before we get to Lesbos.

4^th August 2010

After Svein had successfully filled the last two 25 litre diesel cans we waited until 14h00 and went into town to collect our bridge permit. When we arrived at the Customs we were told that we were too early and had to come back and see the Commandant between 15h00 and 17h00. As we had expected this we went off to do the last bit of shopping that was needed. We came back the the Port Police Authorities at 15h00 to be told that it was not yet time and could we please wait. As you imagine the fact that the bridge had been closed for 3 days meant that there was quite a queue building up. We waited patiently and eventually an officer appeared and was ready to go to work. We had initially been the first in the queue but a polite French man decided to pass in front of us. We believe he may still be waiting there as he presented a €200 euro note to pay a bill of €18.69 and needless to say they had no change. We then got our own permit and escaped to have a well earned drink. We met up with some Italians who were also waiting for the bridge but in the opposite direction and they gave us some useful tips about anchorages. We returned to the boat and got here ready for departure.

At 22h00 we were duly called up on the VHF and told to prepare the boat and hoise the anchor as the bridge would be opening in 15 minutes. As everybody was given the same instructions there started to be a little hustling amongst the 14 odd boats waiting to go through. Evenually the bridge opened and the commercial vessel was allowed to go through first followed, in theory, by the motor yachts and then the sailing yachts. However by this time everyone was extremely anxious to get through and ignored the instructions. So to add to the bustle came instructions from the Authorities for the sailing yachts to go through faster. We got through at 22h30 and continued on our way.

Our initial plan had been to sail (read motor) through the night but after a few hours we encountered very strong head winds that reduced our speed to 3 knots at 2000 rpm and very choppy seas. We decided to go for an anchorage and continue the next day. At 02h30 we were anchored outside the town of Larimna. A dirty oremining town but at least we did not have to look at the chimneys and were able to get a short night’s sleep in a safe anchorage.

5^th August 2010

We were up bright and early and left the anchorage to look at more pleasant surroundings. We continued to head NW under engine and inevitably had the head winds – although this time they were not so strong. We motored through the day and rounded the tip of Evia into the Orei channel in the early afternoon. We now had an East wind – straight on the nose – so we decided to make for an anchorage that was calm and in pleasant surroundings. We chose the bay of Vathikelon. We anchored in a corner and enjoyed the peace and calm. We went for a swim in the blue waters and Svein was treated to a special dinner of “gesiers” for all his hard work. In the late afternoon we were joined by a rather expensive Spanish 112ft sloop. Apparently it is one of the biggest Swan yachts built. She was elegant and had such a lot of clever features like the flush portholes in the hull and the gangway that also fitted into the hull when not in use. So tonight we are in regal company in the anchorage under the stars. We are hoping that the passage to Skepolos (the Mamma Mia island) tomorrow will bring up more luck with the winds and we can sail a little. We are slowly but surely approaching our final destination of Lesbos.

At 21h15 the crew was fed and watered and rested, the baot was ship shape so we raised the anchor and set off North for our first night passage of this journey. There was no wind and the sea was calm and apart from dodging the many tankers that were using the early part of the route we had an uneventful journey up through the south part of the Kolpos Petalion strait.

At 04h30 we approached our destination – a small protected by on the island of Evia called Voufalo. We dropped anchor and went off for some shut eye.

2^nd August 2010

The next morning Svein discovered that we had anchored next to a wreck! It was marked by a small empty plastic water bottle and consisted of a small boat that had sunk from the stern and bow was sticking up about 2m below the surface. We were lucky. Anyway we decided we did not like the anchorage that much so decided to press on.

We continued up the strait and were to be able to sail for 3 hours. It was a very tight tack to start with but then the wind gradually came round so we had a long stretch up to the town of Alverion. Here, as we rounded the corner, we had the wind at 20 kn on the nose so Perkins was brought into action again. Again the trip was peaceful until we reached the town of Ereitria where we played dodgem cars with the ferries that were plying between the town on Evia and Oropos on the mainland.

We round Ak Avlis in the early afternoon and carried on under the bridge that opens into the bay where the town of Khalkis is to be found. The area is full of very heavy industry ranging from shipyards to cement factories so, at a first glance, does not seem very inviting. We approached the quay at Khalkis so that we could register to be able to go through a small bridge that spans the town. A “friendly” Greek customs officer came and told us that the bridge would not be opening before Wednesday so could we please go and anchor. This we did and we are now anchored under a fort that overlooks the bay. We decided that we deserved a dinner out in town after completing nearly 100 NM in under 24 hours. To reach our destination in time we will probably have to do another long stretch as all the advantage has been lost by the closure of the bridge.

3^rd Auguat 2010

We have explored the town whilst we are waiting and Svein is in the process of filling up with diesel. A difficult process as he has to take the cans into town one by one in order to have them filled. We need to ensure that we have enough fuel to get us to Lesbos, if we are unable to sail all the way, and the prospects of finding diesel further up the strait are quite remote.

Tomorrow, between 15h00 and 17h00, we will go and register with the port police so that we can get through the bridge and we should be leaving Khalkis somewhere after midnight as they only open the bridge in the evening so as to disrupt the traffic as little as possible!! How many boats will be going through is not sure but several turned up yesterday and more today so it should be an interesting procedure.

At 08h00 we were up and ready to go in the water. The harbour staff eventually arrived at 10h00. They lifted the boat in the slings and Svein was able to antifoul the support spots and under the keel (after he had scrapped off the mussel farm!). At 11h15 we were in the water and ready to leave the boatyeard. We made our way out of the slip and headed East. It was very hot, even on the water, so around 14h00 we stopped on the little island of Fleas to have a swim and to revisit old haunts. This is a spot we found in 1994 on our first visit to Greece. It had not changed and we were able to anchor and have a swim. After a brief stop we continued on our waywere able to sail for about an hour but after that the wind changed to SE and then E so we had it on the nose and had to motor. We rounded the point of Souminon around 16h00 with quite a number of other boats. We then had a choice of heading North towards Lavrion or heading over to Kea. We chose the latter and in strengthening winds and choppy seas we came into Kea late evening. We anchored in coal bunker bay just at the wind dropped. We had a quick meal and went to bed as we were both tired from a full day out in the fresh air.

1^st August 2010

This morning we launched the dinghy and headed into Korissia in search of supplies and diesel. As far as the diesel was concerned we were very lucky as there was a motor yacht refuelling and the diesel lorry agreed to supply us also. It turned out to be at a very reasonable price as well. In the meantime Caryn went in search of a supermarket and bakery. She found an “AB” and was able to stock up on liquids, as the stock was seriously depleted, and some food. We are now ready to venture further North into the Eviva channel. On returning to the boat we had a well deserved swim once we had put away the shopping and then treated ourselves to a lunch of “foie gras”. This was some of the stock that we had brought with us from France last year. It was really appreciated as we sat on deck in the sunshine savouring it. We will wait until the north wind has died down this evening and then do a night passage into the channel.