The big decision of 2014 has been to bring our Mediterranean cruising to an end! Once that decision had been made we could turn our attention to how to get Stratagem back to the UK. Sailing her back ourselves was a non starter as Sandra downright refused to do the trip, which is predominately against winds and currents, not to mention that the passage is close on 3000 nautical miles! The alternatives were :-
1. Have her shipped - discounted on the ridiculously high costs quoted.
2. Have her brought by road on a low loader. The overall height from keel to top of the arch prevented this option as it exceeds the maximum height transporters are prepared to accept.
3. Me to sail with a hired-in crew.
4. Use a delivery crew.
We chose (4) and finalised our choice as Nigel Woodcock of Falmouth Yacht Delivery, with a total of 3 crew.
We returned to Corfu on 21st April to complete last minute (below waterline) maintenance items prior to launching on the 23rd. The launch day was fine and sunny with no wind allowing us to get Stratagem back on her berth with no fuss. Sails were delivered from the sailmakers, Kastos appeared as pre-arranged to change both primary and secondary fuel filters on the main engine, and we set to, to get Stratagem all spruced up after a long winter ashore. By the time the delivery crew arrived on the 28th April, Stratagem had been returned to her usual clean, shiny and well maintained self, fully prepared for the long passage home. All was left for us to do was to spend time with the crew giving a full briefing on Stratagem's systems and general location of seacocks, safety gear, spares and the like.
It was a rather surreal experience handing over Stratagem to people we didn't know and leaving her in Greece whilst we returned home. The next time we see her she should be tucked up in her marina berth at Woolverstone on the River Orwell where we started this adventure 11 years ago........
