Coleman Sailing Trip 2019

The rain did not last all night.     I was nervous and got up a couple of times to see all was well with both weather and anchor.   We left the anchorage about 11am.   The anchor was certainly well set.   First the windlass strained to get it up.     For a moment I thought we had snagged it on something.     But no, when it came up it was completely full of thick sticky mud.    In the end I had to use a boat hook to clean it off. We went to the fuel pontoon to top the tank up for the winter.  To our surprise it took nearly 50 litres.  Then on to our berth.  So now we are here for the winter and must sort the boat out. Our first task is to find someone to care for the boat and do the usual maintenance.  The firm we have been using are the ones who messed up the installation of the water heater.  We thought that we would give them one last chance to make amends.  But when I spoke to them and told them that it had been turned around and now was working all they did was give me ex

The day has not turned out as planned.  There were no thunderstorms or rain over night and the sky was quite clear when the sun got up.  So Richard decided we should go to an anchorage called Ormos Stephanou which is highly recommended on the CA site.  It is at the northern end of Corfu.  We got there in good time, motoring (of course).  The weather was lovely and the bay and town looked very nice.  But it is a small harbour and although not really crowded, it was tricky finding a place.  We first put the anchor down close into the town.  The anchor seemed well set, but I was worried that we were too much in the harbour.   We decided to take up the anchor and go further out - big mistake.  We had three attempts as setting the anchor but dragged each time.  Most of the bottom seemed to be weed, which is no good for our Bruce anchor.  We tried a fourth time and thought we might be alright.  It was getting late, so we decided to have lunch first.  That was the beginning of our woes.  We

Another lazy morning. We had considered staying for another night but we decided it was too dull and we would move on.  We had in mind this little port of Sagiada where we stayed last year and had an excellent meal and sojourn.  We set off in virtually no wind.  We hadn’t far to go.  A trip of about 9 miles only.  We motored all the way. One little hiccup in the journey.  As we were approaching the port Richard had the overwhelming need to go to the toilet. Therefore he left me helming.  I was on autopilot and going nicely.  I knew that the approach to the port was through shallows so I was really relying on the plotter and autopilot.  The buzzer sounded for arrival at a waypoint and I went to press the button to move to the next direction when nothing happened. After pressing the button three times the boat suddenly turned to go back in the opposite direction!  If it hadn’t been for the shallows I could just have turned around, but I really didn’t know the safe route. I had to

Woke up latish and had a lazy morning.     The anchorage had emptied out a lot by the time we set off just before 11.     I thought the next stop was not too far, but I was wrong.     We had over 25 miles to go.     There was a bit of breeze, but mostly on the nose so another motoring day.       At about halfway there I noticed a lot of boats coming out of a what must have been a port.     Richard looked it up and found it was Mourtos, a cluster of 3 islands with anchorages between them and an approach over a 2 metre depth bar.     That meant we could go in.     That is what we did. Unfortunately although very pretty it was not really suitable for us to stay overnight.     Most of the areas were too deep, with depths of over 10 metres.     When we did find a shallower place we had trouble getting the anchor to dig in.     There appeared to be weed.    So we just stopped for lunch and then went on to Igoumenitsa Creek. There was a little breeze on the stern and the Genoa needed re-

We are back here.     We had our free night in Lefkas and were due to leave as soon as we could to get here at a decent time.     The trip would be about 25 miles.     The weather forecast made it clear we wouldn’t be able to sail.   The light winds forecast would be on the nose.     We needed to do some tasks before we left.     A little shopping, including trying to find a new wind scoop.     Ours has been blown to pieces and is of little or no effect anymore.      When we were here last week the chandlery said they would have them in the next day.   But when we got there today we found that they had never arrived. Back at the boat we had to fill up with water and get the boat ready to go.  Time was tight if we were going to make the 11am bridge lift. In the end we just made it. As forecast the wind was only a force 3 and on the nose most of the time. It was a long boring motor of 4 ½ hours.  We were very surprised when we got here.  The place was full of boats.  One was anc

We slept late for no particular good reason.    It was cold when we went to bed and we put the duvet on.     It was my first night sleeping without a fan on.     When we got up it was only 17C in the cabin.     Downloaded the newspapers, paid the mooring fees and left shortly after 11.      Richard found that the wind would be on the nose all the way, so we didn’t bother to unwrap the main.     We motored for just under two hours.     We saw loads of boats coming out of the canal.     I have never seen it so busy.   We thought this would be a quiet time, but not so it seems. We stopped for lunch at an anchorage we were introduced to by the Dutchman Jaques when we came here and chartered the 44ft Cat with three other couples from IYFR.  It is under a castle just before the entrance to the canal. We had a swim and a bite of lunch before proceeding to the marina. First stop was the fuel pontoon.  We have been motoring so much we actually took on 110 litres of diesel (almost ¾ of

Really not much to report today.     We have had a rest day.     The town of Vathi is sweet and the marina, though expensive is charming and small.   We sat in the bar in the morning using their WIFI.     Had lunch in town and then an ice cream.     We were going to go swimming (there is a little access to the sea just past the marina wall – not really what you would call a beach) but the wind got up to 15-19 knots here in the harbour, so the water would have been a bit rough.     The only excitement was when most of the marina staff brought a small sailboat into the berth next to us.     It had it’s mooring line snap and had to be moved.  There was no crew aboard so we presume it was a permanent resident. Dinner in town.  The town was quite busy because there was a wedding. 

Today did not turn out at all as planned.     The idea was to have a quiet morning and then to have a gentle sail out a bit to dump the holding tank.     After that we would find a local anchorage where we could spend the day swimming and stay overnight.     It has been very warm and a swimming afternoon was something we both were looking forward to. First hint of change was when the man who organises the moorings came and asked us fairly early when we were leaving.  Then he said we would need to book into a marina for the night because the weather forecast was for winds of force 5-7.  That was not what our forecast said and we suspected he just wanted to get rid of us.  We then left the mooring just after 11 and there was some breeze so we put up the sails. As we had no real destination in mind we were in no hurry so sailing at 2-3 knots was OK. Richard had planned a route bearing in mind the weather forecast so the wind would be on the beam throughout, but that didn’t work out a

I had a disturbed night when woken in the early hours by a strong wind.     I asked R to see we were OK and he said it was only 15 knots.     But it was noisy.      Having had our night disturbed we had a bit of a lie in and didn’t leave the anchorage until 11:15. We emailed Lefkas marina to reserve a berth for two nights and telephoned their engineers to get a fridge expert in to see what is wrong with it.    That being organised we set off to Lefkas. The weather had changed a lot.  It was cool and completely overcast.  However the barometer was rising so it didn’t seem that rain was likely although there was still the warning about thunderstorms.   There was a force 4 breeze in the right direction so we put the mainsail up before lifting the anchor and sailed for about the first 30-40 minutes before the wind dropped off and we were motoring again.  However shortly after 1pm the wind started to get up. We had a nice 15 knots on the beam and were going along beautifully.  I notice

The technical department told us to contact them at 9am to find our when the plumber was coming to do the work. With this in mind we set the alarm for 8:30 with a view to going over before breakfast.     It was therefore something of a shock when at 8am as we were half asleep and undressed that there was knocking on the hull and shouts of ‘hello’ from the cockpit.   The workmen were here ready to get going.     Hurriedly we put on some clothes to make us decent and let them in to start.     They worked on the heater for 2 ½ hours and seemed to have no trouble.     They took it out without incident and rotated it by 90 degrees as instructed by the manufacturer.     They did not think it needed a non-return valve.     After many goes the water seemed to come out at the right temperature from each side.   The problem with charging from the engine was caused by the internal water system for the engine being empty!   Heaven knows why the engine didn’t overheat, but for a change luck was wit

Nothing much to report.   We went to the technical department as they opened at 8:30 and they said they would try to find someone to come.   In the end they could only get someone tomorrow.     So Richard bought a non§-return valve in the chandlery, though heaven knows if it is the right sort.     So with nothing to wait for we used the marina’s free water bus to Preveza town.   The boat goes at 10am and then returns at 1pm.     We had a walk around the town stopping for cold drinks and ice cream and did a bit of top up shopping at the supermarket.     Back here on the boat it was much cooler with a stiff breeze this afternoon gusting 17 knots.     But there is still no sign of the much warned thunderstorms. So we will see tomorrow what they can do for us.     In the meantime we have booked a third night here, just in case.    Though the marina is now filling up. 

Up fairly late and had a slow breakfast leaving the anchorage at 10:30. The swell had gone down a lot over night so it wasn’t a disturbed night.     Richard unwrapped the mainsail again, but for most of the journey there was only 3-4 knots of wind and that mostly on the nose.     Despite Richard’s cleaning off the prop and the fishes in the anchorage eating the weed on the hull and prop we were only doing just over 4 knots at 2,500 revs.     We think there must have been current against us.     Then for the last hour and a half the wind went around on the beam and got up first to 8 knots and finally to 15 knots.    Because we were so close to our destination we didn’t put up the main, but did put out the Genoa and that took our speed eventually to just under 6 knots. We really didn’t know exactly where the marina was (speaking personally that is – R has a plotter which tells him exactly where we are going), but the channel to it was buoyed and we found it with no trouble.   The m

We had a leisurely morning and left our anchorage at 10am.     Richard unwrapped the mainsail, but it was in vain.     There was little wind and it was mostly on the nose, so again we had a three and a half hour motor to Two Rock Bay.     It was all pleasant enough.     We have been to this anchorage a number of times before and always enjoyed it.     There is nothing here except a lovely sandy beach with a beach café on the cliff above it.   It is much less crowded than Lakka.   When we got here there was only one other sailboat and a handful of day boats.    Staying overnight now there are just 4 other boats. The only problem is that the boats are rolling all over the place.  We can’t exactly work our why.   We haven’t had this problem here before.  The wind is light and there is no real swell out to sea.  But bouncing around we are and it is not as comfortable as we had hoped. The weather forecast is still predicting thunder storms.  For the first time we have seen big cumu

It was a bit swelly overnight, but we slept quite well.     The threatened rain never came.     Had breakfast in the cockpit.     We gave up on trying to find a place on the wall.     It looks solid.     We took the dinghy over to the town for lunch.     When there it was clear that most of the spaces on the wall were reserved for flotillas with staff there to show them in.     Anyway we finally used the dinghy.    First time this entire year! Had a nice lunch of fried red mullets and a walk around the town.  Driving here is weird large vans and SUV’s were going along the front with only inches away from the water. I kept wondering how many people miscalculate and wind up with a tyre over the sea wall. We are still suffering from the non-working water heater.  So we decided to phone Cleopatra marina at Preveza and see if they have a plumber who can help.  They say they should be able to find someone on Monday so we have made reservations for a berth from Sunday night until Tu

I didn’t blog yesterday because there was little to say.     Eventually the workmen came but they didn’t take matters any further.   They insist they have installed the water heater correctly.     All they did was put the thermostat up. The idea is for us to just see how it goes.   So we put the electric water heater on to see what will happen and we went to the swimming pool.     When we got back the water was very hot, but unfortunately is was running from the cold side of the tap as well as the hot.     So it is the same problem. The workmen we have cannot help further.     We will need to find a plumber, something that is apparently not so easy around here.   Anyway, we will go away tomorrow and see how we get on.    We might get used to cold showers! Had dinner our at Zorba’s, the cheap taverna in the town which serves massive portions. Early to bed for an early start today. The weather report is not too good.  There may be rain on Friday.  So we have decided to get to La

Well, we are still here and our water heater still doesn’t work!     We have been in touch with the company who made it to our specification.     They say the people here did not install it correctly and amongst other things it is upside down!     The mechanics here don’t believe them and say they have installed exactly as the old one was installed.     We are caught in the middle and have no hot water.     We waited all day for the engineers to come and they never arrived.   They have promised to come tomorrow, but have other work scheduled.     We are a week into our trip and other than 1 ½ days out we have been in the marina and we are both very fed up.     If they can’t sort something out tomorrow we will just go and manage without hot water on tap. We will just have to boil kettles and have cold showers.     Bearing in mind that the temperature has been    in the 30’s, cold showers sound attractive.

My optimism about getting away quickly was misplaced.  Here we are back in Gouvia.  We had a slightly uncomfortable night at anchor due to a swell which came in and rocked the boat from time to time.  So we decided not to stay.  The choice was to go further south and then return for repairs to the water heater or just come back to the marina.  We opted for the latter as it is clear the water heater is not working.  In fact unlike yesterday, after three hours of motoring today we got no hot water at all. We decided not to go straight back to the marina and anchored in a small anchorage outside. It was very pleasant and we swam and had a late lunch.  The only problem was that the holding was lousy, being mostly weed.  But we were fine for a couple of hours.  Then back into the marina.  The staff helped us in with our lines and we are well settled. We only hope the workmen can do something to put the water heater right.  We put it on mains and it is only heating up to a slightly wa