Stella welcomes Harriet.
 
Before I get going I’d just like to interrupt this broadcast to say ‘Congratulations & best wishes’ to Rich & Meg, who have just had a ickle lickle bambina. Take an independent lady (not sailed before) who enjoys her own company, backpacking and meeting new people. Add a yacht, 2 men, 1 woman, 5 nights at anchor, a storm and a very very roly bay!! You’ve guessed it, it’s ‘Big brother’ on the high seas!! We were in a bay (Panayia) ready and waiting for Harriet to arrive. As we went ashore for some supplies the outboard for the dinghy conked out, even putting fuel in it didn’t seem to help. Never mind the rowing would keep the Captain and Shipmate Marcus fit. Harriet called to say she was on a bus to Ayios Nikolaos that was 2.5km from where we were. She arrived to find no taxis, so rucksack on back she set off on the 2.5km walk to us. Turns out 2.5km was a slight underestimate. So it was a rather hot and weary Harriet that we met on the beach. The perfect time to break the news about the boat being in a bay and us having to row out (4 up plus luggage and water containers, I’ll tell you about my water obsession another time) to it in the dinghy. Everything looks better after a good nights sleep. After a lazy morning we decided to go for a lickle sail around and anchor in Mesopanayia bay for the night. A nice spot that would have been nicer if it wasn’t for all the speed boats and jet skiers that insisted on doing speed bys close to stella. We feasted on salad and feta (save the tuna pasta for another night). Another lazy morning saw us leaving around lunchtime to sail across to Nisis Ammouliani, the plan to try and anchor on the town quay and go ashore for the night. The plan went a bit awry as there was no room on the quay. No matter we anchored very close to shore and myself and Harriet rowed in to do a reconnoitre (nautical term not often used when referring to towns). We returned to the boat took part in some top bombing (yes it is jumping into the water trying to make as big a splash as you can). Not content with this the boys (always ones for upping the anti) did a couple of ‘can opener’ jumps (I know I’d never heard of them either). Later we got ready for a night out on the town. Glad rags, jewellery, perfume the lot (and that was just the boys). All in the dinghy to go ashore, the clouds that had been looming all day were taking on a slightly more sinister stormy form. We arrived at the quay and were just about to get out of the dinghy when the lightening started. After much deliberating and faffing it was decided to return to Stella, she really doesn’t like being on her own in storms. So whilst the Captain and Marcus kept an eye on things. Harriet cooked up some tuna pasta (I passed her the ingredients). There was a lot of rain but no real wind which we were quite relieved about. After dinner there was nothing else for it but to play a couple of hands of poker, which the Captain (the sly old fox) won. The next morning was a bit dull and grey. The perfect time to go over towards Mount Athos and look at some monasteries. Women aren’t allowed to go within a mile of them so I changed my pink hat for a brown one to fool the monks! After the monastery viewing we then headed back to another anchorage (Sikias) for the night (all probably hoping that there would be a taverna ashore, so we could get off the boat). Alas there was no taverna, so after some more ‘top bombing’ we settled down to drinks, dinner and rounds of ‘guess the song on Marcus’s i-pod’. When we retired that night the wind had got stronger and there was a swell coming into the bay. As is so often the case with these things it got worse and worse. I don’t know if you can use the word ‘untenable’ when referring to a bay but if you can I’m fairly sure it was. We left the next morning with crew in bed, Harriet having had to sleep in the saloon as it was so roly. We set off for Porto Koufo anchorage that was about 15 miles around the corner, the waves and wind were behind us not the best motion in the world. It was at this point that Harriet joined our new ‘Poorly bunny club’ founded by Marcus. Northern Greece calms winds and seas my bot!! It’s supposed to be a holiday not an endurance!! Anchored in Porto Koufo, we finally made it ashore for something to eat, although we were all pretty jaded after the previous nights rocking and rolling. That night there was no wind and we all slept like babies (somewhat cream crackered ones). The next morning we looked at the forecast on our Weatherman 7-8 gusts of 9!! I repeat again Northern Greece this is not what we expected. Time to hot tail it to our last destination the rather plush Porto Carras marina. A night in a marina for our crew before they jumped ship to Blighty. We made it there without incident and tied up on a finger pontoon, which was a first for Team Stella. We went for a farewell meal in the town of Nea Marmaras and the next day we said our farewells as Harriet and Marcus left on a bus (Marcus would have preferred a taxi, but hey it’s all about experiences!). Cheers to shipmate Marcus for all his help on our months adventure North. Harriet you were a star, I don’t think there is really anymore we could have thrown at you for your first (I hope not last) sailing holiday!! We spent another night in the marina, then moved to the wave breaker pontoon at Nea Marmaras, we will probably leave tomorrow to go back to Porto Koufo bay. The skies are clear and it’s hot hot hot!! Love & chillout time The Captain and his bird XX
Sunday, 3 August 2008