On our way at last. We left the marina and headed down the channel towards Nidri under engine. After a couple of hours we anchored in Abelike Bay on Meganisi island and enjoyed the peace and quiet. We watched the liveaboards who had wintered there dismantle their deck constructions and then ferry the wood over to the island to stock it there. Still too cold to swim but we did enjoy our evening meal in the cockpit.

Svein tried out the new dinghy

The next day we weighed anchor and continued south, still under engine. The weather was unstable we were protected under our bimini from the few rain showers we had. By later afternoon we started to look for an anchorage for the night and after 50 odd NM we anchored outside Sami.

Anxious to cover as must distance as possible we left the anchorage early and continued heading for Katakolon. Again we had unstable weather although there was some wind so we were able to motor sail part of the time.

We arrived in Katakolon and anchored outside the harbour. We went ashore and wandered round the town and had a delicious fish meal down by the harbour. The next morning, under a downpour, we woke to see an enormous cruise ship being guided into the harbour.

We weighed anchor and headed to our next destination Pylos. Here we moored on the town quay and proceeded, after some negotiations, to wash the genoa. It badly needed it and there is a slight improvement although we hope that the sun will now bleach it more. Our next purchase will probably by a new genoa as it is very tired.

After a visit from the Port Police Svein went to their office to pay our dues but they were perfectly aware of the new regulations so we did not need to have the DEKPA stamped.

The next morning we left Pylos and rounded the first tip of the Peloponnese heading for our next destination Kalamata. It was warm enough to be able to sit on deck in a swimsuit and there was enough wind to motorsail. We reached there early afternoon and anchored in the bay outside the house of our friends Annette and Jean Marie. We went ashore in very bumpy seas and had a lazy afternoon catching up on all our news.

Svein and Jean Marie drove into town and returned with a brand new Singer sewing machine. We now just have to find the material to make our new cockpit protections!!

Here we have had to break our journey as Svein’s father has taken a turn for the worse and we must fly to Norway. We have booked the boat into Kalamata marina for one month and whilst waiting for our departure date Svein has been busy painting the deck.

We also enjoyed a delightful lunch with Annette and Jean Marie and it was the ideal opportunity to take the first swim of the season. The water was warm and crystal clear.

We flew to Norway on 25^th May and will be there until  12^th June when we shall return to the boat and continue round the Peloponnese, through the Cyclades and onto the Dodecanese.

It took us 2 days to reach Grong with a stopover in Oslo and there we learnt that Svein’s father had died whilst we were in the plane. We will be in Grong until after the funeral on 4^th June

Whilst we have been in Grong we have been taking Svein’s mother to revisit her favourite spots and below are a few photos taken.

Norwegian countryside at its very best. The places are situated north of Trondheim in an area around the town of Grong.

Tomorrow we hope to be able to go up to the family cabin for the day to have a BBQ and to collect stones for the garden.

On 5^th June we will travel to Sandefjord where we will stay until we return to Greece on 12^th June.