Season`s End

In the lifting dock

Arrival at Koilada

Hydra port & town

Hotel Nefeli

Hydra

Hydra in the rain

Ermioni

At porto Heli

Jack Tar is now on the hard at the Basimakopouloi shipyardat Koilada and being prepared for the winter. Our troublesome loose rudder has been removed and we have discovered that the epoxy "glue" sticking the stock bearing to the rudder stock had worn away and disintegrated leaving a large gap between bearing and stock. Prior to arrival here we stayed longer at Porto Heli than planned as the weather did not cooperate. Quite a bit of rain and some very strong winds. We managed visits to nearby Ermioni and on very rainy day, to beautiful Hydra. There we visited new Australian friends Brett and Alex who have a hotel overlooking the town. Now we are organising arrangements for departure to Oz early Nov and plan to return mid April `10.

Time Out - UK

Jack Tar`s crew has returned aboard after two weeks in Britain; London, the southwest, the Cotswalds and north Wales. We were extremely lucky to have good weather for all but one day! Next, a few days sailing before returning to Porto Heli to prepare the boat for lifting from the water 21 Oct, and then departure for Oz 02 Nov.

The Argolic Gulf

Navplion

Navplion

Entering Navplion

Burning the 'Turkish man-of war'

Water taxis with the fire ship awaiting burning

Spetses

Spetses old harbour

Next door neighbour Spetses

Family outing Spetses

Spetses fire ship awaiting launching

When this comes on the market we`ll look for interest in shares!

Porto Heli

Porto Heli

Porto Heli

Koilada waterfront

Town quay, Porto Heli

Kiparissi

Ierakas

Leaving Monemvasia

Well, we have discovered a beaut sailing ground here in the Argolic Gulf. There are numerous lovely harbours and anchorages within a short distance of each other and the coast and islands are green-clad and very attractive. We have fallen in love with Porto Heli where we plan to spend quite a bit of time, making it our base for a while. It is a wonderful protected, natural harbour surrounded by beautiful small bays in which we can anchor, and has a great town quay adjacent to all the conveniences we might need. Our plan is to place Jack Tar at a boatyard in nearby Koilada, pronounced Kilada, for the winter. A new facility with a travel lift and sound storage on the hardstand and much cheaper than Turkey. Before that, we will leave JT for a short while and travel to London to overcome some potential Schengen treaty visa issues and to attend a wedding. Since last posting we have sailed via Spetses island to Navplion at the head of the gulf. It was the busiest weekend of the year at Spetses as they celebrated the anniversary of a long-ago defeat of the Turkish navy using a fire ship. We saw a recreation of the event culminating in the burning of a substantial vessel made up as a Turkish man-of -war. Boats big and small came from all parts and the small harbour was overwhelmed. chaos, as anchor chains were crossed and bigger and bigger stinkboats vied for space. Great entertainment. There we met fellow Aussies Barry and leonie in 'Bella Sogni' their 50 ft Beneteau. Then on to Navplion, a lovely small city with the standard fortress high on a rock overlooking the old town and port. And we have had rain, our first since April and the weather is definitely cooling. Slacks and jacket at night.

Peloponnese Greece

Harbour from atop Monemvasia

Monemvasia old town

Monemvasia

Elafonisos island anchorage

Sheltering at Gythio

Sheltering from the meltemi

Kythira town

Narrows Samaria gorge

Rescue team Samaria gorge

Samaria gorge

Samaria gorge trek

Souda War cemetery

Hania

Tourist transport Hania

Hania harbour

Hania harbour

Hania harbour view

Relaxing harbourside Rethymno

Rethymno

Harbourside market Rethymno

Rethymno

Well, We are now secured to the quay at Porto Kheli in Greece, not far from the island of Hydra, and a lovely spot it is. Before leaving Crete, we sailed west to Rethymno, with a maze of cobbled streets in an old town surrounding its port and on to Hania, another small city with an old harbour. While there, we visited the south coast and the Samaria Gorge national park. There we walked 18 km from the top of the gorge at around 4000 ft where the temperature was 12C to the coast where it was 40 C. It was a testing hike with very steep descents and lots of stoney river beds, but the scenery was majestic. The gorge narrowed to about five metres at one point with cliffs either side towering to 500 metres. Certainly gave the old legs a good workout. Nearby at Souda was the allied war cemetery where lie the remains of 1500 servicemen including 200 Australians who died in the battle for Crete. From Hania we quickly sailed north attempting to beat the meltemi, but not quite succeeding. By the time we arrived at Kythira island the wind was up and our rubber dinghy took on magical powers. Approaching the harbour we had it secured to a forward stanchion when it suddenly appeared flying straight and level in the wind above the top guardrail. Next day we scampered further north torwards Cape Malea, one of Greece`s windiest spots only to have that confirmed, so we scurried away across the Lakonikos gulf to sheltered anchorages and towns. Once things had calmed down we ventured east around the cape and up here via some beaut locations including Monemvasia, an old walled village clinging to the cliffs of a large rock island. We are noticing a slight change in the weather with temperatures a little down in the morning and evening. Still swimming lots and have bleached blond hair. And we certainly back in euro-land; our cost of living having risen substantially. Compensated for somewhat by the much cheaper cost of alcohol and diesel than was the case in Turkey. At this stage we are looking for a Greek boatyard where we could winter the boat rather than return to Marmaris.