Monday 27 May 2019 – Mongonisi, Paxos

Well it has been a day of changed plans.  We looked at our usual weather forecast before we went to bed.  It wasn’t great, but not terrible.  Everyone we spoke to over the last few days said that it would rain on Monday and Tuesday.  But the forecast just showed showers in the afternoon.  The wind and sea state were also more or less suitable.  So it was a bit of an unpleasant surprise to wake up to steady rain.  But in the light of the forecast for only moderate winds and slight sea we set off. Big mistake.  

We were in full wet weather gear and I went below to make breakfast under way - coffee and toast and jam. But I could barely do so.  The boat was jumping up and down like a kangaroo! Then Richard suggested I take a sea sick pill so I knew we were in for it.  I sent Richard below to eat his breakfast.  By this time the sea was too rough to use autopilot and we had to hand steer.  I took over, but it was really difficult coping with weather helm.  The wind was a force 6+ on the nose!  But then it got even worse.  At one stage we both remember seeing 32+knots recorded on the instruments but we are not sure if it made it to a force 8, but close enough.

There was no way we were going to make it to Levkas.  Against the wind and swell we were only doing about 4 knots or less.  Also there seemed to be a buzzing/ringing noise coming from the boat and we couldn’t work it were it was coming from.  The obvious thing it could be was the engine, but there were no warning lights on the engine panel which you would expect if that was the problem. Whatever, we couldn’t go on.  There were two choices, go back to Lakka, or find a port of refuge.  We did the latter seeing the port as the wind got worse.  We weren’t sure what harbour it was but other boats were doing the same as us.  It was hairy getting in as the wind and seas got bigger.  I was worried about going forward to set the anchor in this.  In the end I kept my safety harness on and clipped on to the safety line.  But that didn’t get me as far as the windlass, so I had to unhitch the line.  However, by that time the wind had got down to a 4 and I was OK to set the anchor.

With our walkie talkies we communicated well to each other and the anchor went down. It even seemed well set.  So we retreated to below taking off our now very damp wet weather gear.  Richard decided to spend his usual 45 minutes in the heads and I put my head down for a nap.  I was then awoken by someone shouting “Go for It”.  It was a boat behind us to warn us that we were dragging our anchor. I then remembered this place.  We tried to anchor here last year and failed. The pilot book says the holding is good but only after you get through the weed.  Our Bruce anchor is no good at getting through weed.  The boat behind was worried we would fall back on him and he can’t move because his engine had given up the ghost (and we think we have problems!).  

The upshot was that we had to move and reset the anchor.  At least it had stopped raining.  It took 4 attempts to set the anchor.  On the last attempt we were very near the beach and the boats on the wall, but we did seem to be holding.  So we started to settle in for the day.  We had lunch and did some chores.  The boat was swinging differently to everyone else and I wasn’t sure how we were going to get a night’s sleep and keep an eye on our anchor.

In the late afternoon we noticed a number of the anchored boats going on the town wall.  It then occurred to us that as we were so close to the wall we might have enough chain to get there without taking up the anchor which seemed to be holding.  So that is what we did and it seems to work.  With the help of a neighbouring boat we tied up.  The anchor just reached the wall with all 60 meters out.  There hangs another tale.  I let so much anchor chain out that it went to the warp.  That in itself isn’t a problem, but when I came to tighten up the chain the bit of the warp which is attached to the chain seemed to be too big to get into the windlass.  But after a bit of panic I managed to make it go back and forth, so able to use the windlass as usual.  Richard later paid me a rare compliment saying I did very well not getting sick on the way here and sorting out the windlass.

Here is our boat tied up to the wall

So now we are on the small wall of the town with five other boats (four of which - including us - are Brits!). 

Peaceful in the afternoon

The only problem is the weather.  This afternoon the sun came out and it was warm and there was little wind.  However the forecast is for thunderstorms and high winds tonight and rotten seas and winds tomorrow.  Even Wednesday looks dodgy.  So we may be stuck here for a while.  It is sweet and unspoiled but other than a beach café and restaurant there is nothing here.

The restaurant

We had dinner tonight in the restaurant which is very average.  Also we are running out of food as I expected to be in Levkas now with plenty of places to shop.  We shall see how it works out.