Monday 26 August 2013

BASINS, BRAVERY AND BLOTCHES IN THE NIGHT


BRINDISI, ITALY TO VATHI ON THE ISLAND OF ITHACA, GREECE
24th - 25th August 2013

BRINDISI MARINA ITALY

Brindisi Marina at 34 Euro a night was a welcome stop. It's a funny old spot, perfectly nice as marinas go, good staff etc. but one gets the feeling it was meant for bigger things than the few itinerant yachts that were there. Either that or the enthusiastic architect had an incurable penchant for vitreous basin ware.

Maybe the season is past the high point and now well on to shoulder but those basins in the ablutions block were standing sentinel, steeled for an invasion of simultaneous regattas. Not many toilets, but no waiting for a basin. There were rooms of basins. There was even a room with rows of basins, the purpose of which I can only guess..

We stayed two nights at Brindisi waiting not for a basin but a weather window. After the rough weather that drove us in to Brindisi, Anne was a little reticent to face 30 hours straight of that kind of weather again. She researched ferry timetables and considered her verdict on whether to sail another overnight passage on Pave or take the ferry to Greece and rejoin there. In the end she screwed her courage to the sticking place, put on the big shoulders and stayed on board. It was a good move. We left at dawn and motored out on to very calm seas. In fact we motored and motored. We sailed a bit but we mainly motored....


The whole passage was calm and uneventful but for a delightful visit by some dolphins. I was below getting my camera so I missed the one show only seaworld demonstration of a dolphin leaping out near the boat and powering backwards on his tail. Yeah, yeah, guys, I'll take your word for it.
I think Anne even came close to enjoying the passage, very little shipping with the only activity converging on Brindisi just after we left in the morning.

I've quietly been nursing the notion of somehow, somewhere in Greece, getting to cook up fresh squid that I've caught myself. It almost happened last night despite not yet having any gear to catch them. The morning light revealed squid ink splattered liberally on the deck, on the sails and it even came through a hatch into the galley sink. We searched but no squid wedged under the dinghy or elsewhere. Seems we ploughed through some and must have upset one or two. But they are here and my squid ambition may yet be realised.

We arrived at the picturesque quay in Vathi, lined with Australian gum trees,  reversed in and tied up to Greece.

ANNE CHECKS THE SEA STATE




BASINS
BASINS
AND BASINS

LEAVING BRINDISI HARBOUR FOR GREECE

SMOOTH SEAS AT DAWN

WE LEFT THE HARBOUR JUST BEFORE THE FERRY TRAFFIC
FERRIES TO THE RIGHT
FERRIES TO THE LEFT
ANNE'S WINCH WORKOUT
THERE IS GREAT BEER IN LIFE FOR THOSE WILLING TO TAKE THE JOURNEY

DOLPHIN DELIGHT


DAWN OVER SMOOTH SEAS MOTORING TO GREECE

FIRST VIEWS OF GREECE BY SEA
VATHI, SCRUBBING OFF SQUID INK

Friday 23 August 2013

THE RHYME OF THE NASCENT MARINER


TEA TALE


I've come to learn something while out here at sea

Concerning the making of two cups of tea

When placing the cup and dropping the bag

Pay attention to which side you are placing the tag.


If the tag be to windward,

And the breeze should pick up,

The tag may flutter

As would the adjacent cup.


It may look quite pretty, like butterflies courting,

But it is knots in the making that will need some sorting.


Then when you pick up those cups with the strings entwined,

To deliver to your partner this gesture so kind,

This simple act of love may come to nought,

One bag pulls another, when the strings are taut.


A soggy bag will strike like a Marlin,

Arcing through the air to target your darlin',

Trailing exhaust of boiling hot tea,

 An airborne disaster imminently


But then, from it's target will suddenly swerve

When the string on the other tightens the curve.

So now you have that rogue Twinings Chai

Like a yo-yo returning, flicking tea in your eye.


Of course it all could be worse, if you were to trip or to fall,

Or the boat heeled over, and you then wore it all.

So my lesson learned for future brew ups,

If breeze is apparent, distance the cups.


 Or perhaps one needs to learn when about to make tea

Consider the wisdom of adopting plan 'B'

Namely, to ask your darling, so gorgeous, so dear

Whether perhaps she'd mind pouring you that icy cold beer.

 



DONKEY CHOPS ANYONE?


 

Thurs 24th August 2013. Monopoli to Brindisi.


The still, overnight anchorage at Bari, once we got off the hot quayside, was the best, most tranquil night's sleep so far. Next morning with just enough time for shipboard espresso, we motored south on a sea as smooth as a K-Mart mirror. Fisherman were returning, some rowing all the way home.

From the glassy conditions of the morning, the wind picked up and strengthened during the afternoon to the point that gales and thunderstorms were predicted and a harbour was sought. That was the only reason we pulled into Monopoli but what a stroke of luck. Monopoli is a beautiful laid back old town, jam packed with locals, replete with castle, cathedral, crypts, polished cobblestones, narrow streets, ancient quay, fishing port, cafes, restaurants, etc. No grid, no masterplan. Higgledy piggledy as the centuries would have it. It generally oozes with charm.

Bill was even in seventh heaven when he discovered that they make plywood sheet boats here. Fishing trawlers, some as long as 60ft, were being made in a similar method to the yacht that Bill built himself. He came back with a grin from ear to ear.

The weather forced us to spend two nights in Monopoli but who's complaining? No facilities but free tie up to the ancient stone quay with nice yachtie neighbours. Ringside seats to the rustic working fishing town and a moment's walk to cafe's and restaurants with sensational coffee and gelati.

Monopoli closes down for several hours during the heat of the day but at night it goes off. The squares and narrow streets are packed with people eating and carousing. At 11.00pm kids are playing while their parents dine. When we sat down at a restaurant at nine we were one of two tables occupied. By 10.00pm people were queueing.

In the spirit of gastronomic adventure, Bill considered for a moment the tempting menu option of donkey chops but unsure of the local donkey Q.A. chain, opted for the known safety of pizza.

There was a free concert by a student folk/rock/gypsy/I'm too out of touch to categorise band, which was lots of fun. Something like Woodford does Monopoli. The crowd loved 'em. In another piazza there was an outdoor play with the stunning old town backdrop. It was, as they say, an enchanting little town.

We cast off from the shelter of Monopoli after two nights, bound for Greece across the Adriatic. After five hours of adventurous sailing down the coast of Italy with 20 knots of wind behind us in a following sea we changed plans to fit the circumstances and steepening sea. We pulled in to Brindisi marina and managed another med mooring reversing caper in a good breeze. No one was more happy with the decision than Anne. I hope she isn't too scarred from the experience of her first big sea. 



BARI FROM OUR ANCHORAGE
HARBOUR ENTRANCE FROM OUR ANCHORAGE
BYE BYE BARI BYE BYE
MORNING CALM


















FINISHED THAT ONE
SATELLITE WIFI WEATHER DOWNLOAD
BILL READS, RAY STEERS
MONOPOLI. PAVE, BILL, ANNE BEFORE OTHER YACHTIES ARRIVED



































WIFI IN THE SQUARE
'PAVE' MONOPOLI  HARBOUR
MOVING HOUSE? JUST GET IT TO THE WINDOW
PROVISIONS




































WIND AND SEAS PICKING UP

























ANNE HAPPY IN BRINDISI HARBOUR!

Monday 19 August 2013

DID I MENTION ITALY?

BARI

 I've previously arrived in Italy by plane, train or car. This time we just tied up at the local quay and stepped in to Italy. Within moments we were walking the old streets of Bari in Puglia. Fantastic.

We left Croatia the afternoon before and did an overnight passage for 106 nautical miles. Bill had a crankshaft to pick up for his boat 'Lati' in Greece and this is where he had to come.

It was another first for Anne and myself in very good sailing weather with dolphins often swimming alongside for brief intervals in the almost full moon light.

So here we are somewhat zonked after getting snatches of sleep. Bill has successfully picked up his parts and we will be on our way soon.

LAST MEAL IN SREBRENO


BYE BYE CROATIA, JUST CLEARED OUT

BILL DOUBLE CHECKS THE NAV LIGHTS



FULL MOON PASSAGE




DODGING FERRIES AT DAWN


ARRIVAL BARI

LUNCH!


































HAPPINESS