BLOG 1: Partheni, Leros – 6 March to 12 April 2018

We are now back on our boat in Nisos [the island of] Leros in Greece. Indeed, we’ve been here since 6 March, when we flew in from the U.K.

Airport and boatyard viewed from the south

We’d left Island Drifter [ID] in Agmar Marine’s excellent boatyard at Partheni, at the north of the island on 21 November last year, having sailed to Greece from Portugal and cruised Crete, the Dodecanese and Eastern Sporades islands during 2017. 

 

Aegean island groups highlighting Dodecanese and Eastern Sporades

This year we intend to cruise part at least of the Western Aegean. During May we’ll be joined by Max and Sue Walker, who have sailed with us before (in the Canaries), and in June by Peter Coy, a fellow Countess yacht owner.

Our winter was spent in the U.K. where we visited family and friends, and gutted and rebuilt our kitchen in Harrogate. We even found time to give a joint presentation on ‘Sailing in Greece’ to members of the Countess Owners’ Association at the Cruising Association’s excellent HQ in Limehouse Docks, London.  
 

Helen giving part of our joint presentation 

to the COA in London

Suffice it to say that it was much colder in the U.K. (2°C on average) than in Leros (12°C).  We’re told, however, that it rained a great deal here (as normal) in January and February.  This no doubt explains the plant growth that is currently burgeoning in what is normally a fairly barren landscape.

Some of the many beehives that proliferate on Leros

Unusual lime tree with lemons grafted on!

Unfortunately, Helen came down with pneumonia just before Christmas and has only really fully recovered from it since returning to the warmer climes of Greece (currently around 20°C).

We left five tasks for the boatyard to resolve while we were away, including in particular repairs to the prop and hull which were damaged, in our absence ashore that day, when the boat dragged on to rocks in Pátmos while at anchor – not that the damage was such that it stopped us continuing our cruise until mid-November.

Prop and hull after repair by boatyard – and antifouling by us with a local product topped with lanolin

We have spent the month since returning to Leros living on ID in the yard and working on the boat.

Helen servicing deck fittings

Living on board is made much easier than in some boatyards as this one has good showers and laundry facilities. It also has a very large feral cat population which sleeps all day and works all night to keep down rodent visitors.

ID on the hard in Agmar Marine boatyard, 

viewed from adjacent road 

The weather has been perfect for working on the boat. It’s been rather like a good spring or autumn day in the U.K.  We have, however, had three southerly gales.  One brought so much dust from Africa that the sky turned red and ID was completely coated.

Saharan dust turning the sky an ominous red

We’ve managed, given the time and weather conditions, to not only complete routine servicing and maintenance tasks, but to make improvements and to address issues that we never seem to get round to – until things go wrong!

Having gained confidence in the boatyard, we’ve taken the opportunity to get done some additional work that required either more skill than we possess (e.g. quality joinery and serious work on the engine) or specialised tools that we don’t have (e.g. welding equipment and lathes).

Unfortunately our 20-year-old GPS and electronic Autohelm system, which were beginning to give trouble last year, ‘died’ during the winter, so we have also got the boatyard to replace it.

Olly Ballam, our electronics expert and friend in Ipswich, sourced the appropriate replacement parts and advised throughout.  We are most grateful to him.  At the same time, we’ve taken the opportunity to sort out various small issues with the interface between the NMEA and Seatalk electronic systems that if left might well come back to haunt us.

We have been fortunate that the boatyard was temporarily employing a highly experienced sailor and retired Italian electronic engineer. He keeps his boat in the yard and has lived locally for 18 years.

Angelo, our Italian electronics engineer, at our chart table installing the new GPS

The boatyard in Partheni is in the ‘middle of nowhere’ – it is however located close to a military establishment that regales us throughout the day with bugle calls (reveille, meal times, lights out, etc.!).  We came to recognise those calls and enjoyed the atmosphere they created in our isolated location. 

Our only other neighbours were a flock of sheep and one of goats that were herded past morning and evening. If the army’s bugle hadn’t already woken us at dawn, then the animals’ many bells tinkling melodiously as they grazed on the roadside did!

Regrettably, the island’s only bus, which ran past the boatyard four times a day on its way to the two main towns, has now been off the road for over a fortnight following an accident, somewhat marooning us in the boatyard. 

Fortunately the pleasant staff of the very well-stocked supermarket in Kamara, an invigorating 3-mile walk away, were happy to deliver both Helen and her shopping back to the boat, as was the owner of the wine store in Lakki, who was even prepared to take telephone orders.   

Artemis, a local taverna about two miles away at the head of Plakoudhi bay in Blefouti, is now open, so we’ve had Sunday lunch there several times with fellow cruisers.

Plakoudhi bay at Blefouti

Eating at Artemis Taverna, Blefouti, with fellow cruisers Kelvin and Caroline Lowe from New Zealand

We have spent a couple of nights, after launching, on the outside wall of the boatyard’s quay.  It is more convenient remaining here, rather than sailing south to Agmar’s marina in Lakki, since we have a few small issues following the launch that can be better resolved here while we are adjacent to the boatyard and technical support.

Launch

Moored on outside wall of launching quay

We plan to sail the ten miles south to Agmar Marine’s Port side marine in Lakki this afternoon where we aim to complete jobs on the rigging  – those involving pulling Helen up the mast – that can only be done when in the water  to avoid endangering the stability of the boat which they would on the hard.

  Lakki marina (to the left behind the ferry dock)   

[aerial drone photo courtesy of Markos Spanos]

It’s been an enjoyable and satisfying month in Greece. We can’t imagine having completed what we’ve achieved here in the time available in the ‘Arctic’ conditions of the east coast of Suffolk.