Our last Med cruise?

Our journey back to Messolonghi   worked out well, the car we had booked was at Kalamata airport as arranged and the drive up to the marina was interesting and an easy drive up the west side of the Peloponnese.

Stratagem was filthy and covered in spiders webs as it was last year! Nothing that some hard work in the blistering heat can't sort out but the main problem we found was a burst cold water pipe which meant no water supply on board until I did the repair. This is not the first time this has happened and I suspect the problem is the excessive heat in the pipe during the hot summer where the pipe lies against the side of the hull. An awkward job but it got done and so a few days later we got underway for the mainland anchorage at Astatos.




 This was a new place for us - and we liked it. Unfortunately we had strong winds coming into the bay, but our anchor held and the worst was the loss of our bucket off the deck!





Another repeat cruise around the Ionian islands (is it all becoming a little repetitive?) trying to find anchorages away from the crowds which seem to be busier than last year at the same time. So long as you stay away from the charter routes, reasonable seclusion can still be found so long as the weather remains settled.

On the 14th September my sister, Pat came out for a week on board and we had to make sure we located Stratagem in Ay Eufemia so we could pick her up from the airport. The weather had been breezy so we arrived early and tied stern to the quay so she could get on board easier. Unfortunately her week on board coincided with a week of (relatively) poor weather but we still managed to cruise and visit a number of anchorages through the "inland sea area". After Pat left, again from Ay Eufemia, on 21st September we started making our way northwards, spending a few days in Levkas whilst a storm ran through and then on to Paxos and then Gouvia on 4th October.


The thunderstorms started early this year and were more intense, lasting over several days rather than passing over in 24/48 hours. In fact just after we arrived in Gouvia we had a period of wet and windy weather which lasted well over a week!






One thing we did see a lot of this year were jellyfish and some were really beautiful. This photo is of a group of three, and on this particular day we were surrounded by them!

 

Laying up for the winter included having a number of outstanding jobs done not least of which included essential work to the main engine. An intermittent starting problem was solved by a new starter solenoid and some rewiring including fitting a relay at the solenoid. Research shows this to be a common problem to these engines brought about as a result of a failed electrical harness from the starter switch to the solenoid which gives a voltage drop at the solenoid. The same research also shows the solution adopted is the right one.

We were blessed with a lovely calm sunny day for the liftout on the 22nd October which went without a hitch. The bottom was clean and the pressure wash simply removed all that lovely, and expensive antifoul paint. The Gori prop had a little crud on it but that came off easily with an old credit card. The new travel lift shows the weight being lifted and Stratagem was showing 15.1 tonnes after deducting the weight of the slings. Taking account of the fact that water tanks are empty and sails are off the yacht, she is presently displacing a heavily loaded 15.8 tonnes!

Two days later we flew home with a lot to think about. I seem to think we are in the same position, and indecision as last year. Are we finished with cruising in the Med, or do we do another year? Time will tell!