Adventures of Thésée: Looking forward to Thesee's Greek adventures

Looking forward to Thesee's Greek adventures

Friday 10th September... Linda - Wow. slept well last night and even had a lie in. Marina Brindisi feels so relaxing. Hard to explain why, I guess there's not a lot of people around this time of year. The staff are very accommodating, and best of all it's only 59 euro per night in September. A big difference from the £109 euro it costs in July and August. They have a launderette here and we (well Dean actually) finally managed to get our spare bedding and towels washed. The most ridiculous thing is that the washing machine can take 3 hours for its cycle, and normally cuts out sometime during that time. I reckon Dean walked to that launderette at least 10 times today. Thank you Dean for being laundryman. It was quite breezy today so a great day for hanging out to dry on Thesee's rigging.

We are doing our final checks and getting prepared for Corfu next week. Keeping our eye on the weather for the best day to cross the Adriatic (for the 3rd time I might add!). It's another 120 mile trip but this time we'll be heading down the Italian coast, then across the narrowest part of sea, and then around the top of Corfu and down the channel between Corfu and Albania. Or something similar. So we got around to sorting out the TEPAI payment. It's a cruising tax that you have to pay per month in Greece. For Thesee approx 120 euro per month. Sounds expensive, but when you think that some marinas we've been in charge 100 euros per night, it doesn't seem that bad. And if we can find plenty of free anchorages it'll soon pay for itself.

This afternoon we had a couple of short walks around the marina. There were some new additions to the decor since we came here before. Here's a photo of one of them...

Cleverly made of small nuts stuck together

Saturday 11th September... Linda - This morning we took the bus into Brindisi town, mainly to go to the harbourmaster/port police to ask/get ourselves checked out of Italy for the upcoming trip to Greece. However, surprise surprise, when we actually eventually found their offices they were closed all weekend! Completely typical. How is anyone supposed to function around here?

We decided to do a bit of a walkabout, although as you know we were here a few months ago so have seen most of it. Getting off the bus this morning a few stops too early we walked through some dodgy area, and then past the castle, which is completely encompassed in a Military Zone these days. Anyway, after our disappointment at not getting stamped out we stopped for a coffee, some shopping, and then lunch before catching the bus back to the marina. Funnily, we've quite got the hang of the buses here now. Oh and we also passed a museum which was free entry, but on trying to enter we saw a sign saying you had to show the dreaded green pass. Forget that then, Italy you won't even vaccinate us.

Fort at the entrance to the castle known as

'Swabian castle of Brindisi'

Closed at weekends!

Captitania di Porto offices

Piazza Duomo

Looking inside the big Church

... and outside

Back at Thesee we found out that the Greeks are changing some Covid restrictions from Monday and it's going to make things more difficult for us being non vaccinated. It's really put a downer on the whole thing, and we are now seriously considering staying here in Brindisi. Everything is up in the air and we don't know which way to turn for the best.

Tonight we actually got round to watching a DVD on the telly. It's the first time our TV has been switched on since the middle of May! Does that sound crazy?

Sunday 12th September... Linda - Time on our hands now so we did a haircut/hair dye day. There was a lot of rain last night and the skies have been grey all day but it's still warm. For something to do we took a walk along the breakwater. The sea was up a fair bit. Then we had an ice cream, our favourite sour cherry, but it wasn't as good as we've had in other places. Still undecided about our way forwards. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Monday 13th September... Linda - Not much going on today as we try and decide if, when, and where. Latest thoughts are to head to Corfu in the next day or two. That meant we had to go and pay for another night here in Brindisi, and see what tomorrow brings. We had a little walk to the local shop and bought some crusty bread for lunch. This afternoon I got stuck into my jigsaw, whilst Dean did something useful and made some bags to hold the lines for when we tie to shore. Ever resourceful, he made them out of some old sunshade type material that he found by the bins back in Licata.

Dean's bags

Tuesday 14th September... Linda - Yes, it's 'Go to Greece' day!. The sea was still a bit rowdy, but today is the last day of wind and we don't want to motor all the way to Greece. To be honest, although the sea was still rolly, the point of sail was quite comfortable, as we were sailing with the wind and the swell behind us, so just the genoa out not the mainsail, the waves kind of passing underneath us.. Our duogen wind generator can also turn into a sea generator by fitting a different spinner. We hardly ever use it but today the conditions were perfect. It helps keep the batteries topped up when the engine isn't on.

The duogen with the sea attachment

It's quite amazing

So we made our way down the coast at about 4 knots or so. Although going slowish we were happy and the decision was made to hanger left and go for Greece (instead of plan B option which was go to Otranto for the night and cross next day). There were a few ships in the shipping lanes but only one or two that came within a mile or two. This tanker was the closest one at half a mile.

Close tanker

Through the night the wind came and went and the cruise ships came and went. I guess they all travel through the night for new destinations each day. At about 1am we were about half way across and the wind built up to 22 knots at its peak. We were glad we only had the genoa out as we were doing 7 knots with that sail alone. It's amazing, we have now crossed the Adriatic three times and each time we have sailed the whole way (apart from half an hour motoring at each end). The night did start to drag and eventually daylight came at 6am. We were only an hour off Nisos Ereikoussa, a small island to the north of Corfu. Dean raised the Greek ensign, which happens to co-ordinate perfectly with Thesee's colours. We nipped into the anchorage on the south side of the island, dropped anchor and went to bed, 7am.

Yee Haa we are in Greece

Raising the Greek courtesy flag

Sunrise over Albania's mountains

Approaching our sleep stop, Nisos Ereikoussa

2nd sunrise of the morning, this time over Nisos Ereikoussa

as we make our way down the west side of the island

Wednesday 15th September... Linda - When we woke up 3 hours later at 10am we were roasting! It was 28 degrees inside the boat. It was only two weeks ago that we put the quilt back inside the quilt cover as the nights were starting to get chilly in Croatia. I know we are a lot further south here, but there is such a difference in temperature. So the quilt is now back out of its cover again for now.

Popping our heads outside the boat we soon realised we were in paradise again. The water simply as clear as can possibly be. We hadn't noticed when we dropped anchor at 7am this morning. Looking over the side of the boat we could actually see Thesee's silhouetted mast on the seabed. Wow!

First views of paradise

Back in swimming pool land

YIKES...Thesee's mast silhouette on the seabed

Perfect anchorage

Would love to stay, but we must carry on

There's the anchor and chain

Looking over the bow roller

Our track from Brindisi to Nisos Ereikoussa anchorage

About 1pm after Dean had swam and checked the prop etc, and I had been in for a quick dip because I couldn't resist, and after we had rallied round a little, we moved on. Dean wanted to check all was ok under the boat as our duogen water spinner had picked up a carrier bag last night, and it had wrapped around the spinner solid. Something we didn't know until we raised it out of the water this morning. So we don't know how many hours it had been like that, but very annoying to say the least. Fortunately the boat propellor was all ok.

It was about 5 hours to Corfu town where we shall be checking into Greece. There was hardly any boat traffic around during the 30 mile journey. When we passed the north east corner of Corfu and started heading south the channel between Corfu and Albania was only about one mile wide. We made sure we kept to the Corfu side, but there was a crazy sailboat tacking recklessly from one side to the other of the channel. At one point he had got his genoa all wrapped up in itself. What an idiot and what a stupid place to be messing around.

One of the markers showing the entrance to the narrow channel

Eventually we reached the anchorage south of the castle in Corfu town. It took three attempts to anchor as it is virtually weed all over, but clever Dean found a very small patch of sand and dropped the anchor in it. The water is clear but it looks dark due to all the weed. It's a bit rolly here at the moment, but we need to check in so it's a case of having to do the necessaries. The weather forecast is calm so we should be ok.

Approaching the castle at Corfu town

Thursday 16th September... Linda - It's been a bit hectic so hopefully now I can get back on course with the blogging. There has been a delay in checking in because our TEPAI payment for cruising has not been allocated to our account and we can't check in without this. We spent most of the day trying to sort this out and are finally getting somewhere. Tomorrow hopefully we will be able to complete all the formalities and get back to enjoying ourselves.

Friday 17th September... Linda - Yes, we've done it, we are successfully checked into Greece. We started out early at 8.15am because we had a covid test booked. That done and results received in double quick time, we then went to the Post Office which was nearby and paid our TEPAI (again). Two out of four things going smoothly. Then it was a good 20 minute walk to the Port Police to show our passports etc, Next was a walk around the other side of the port to the Customs control who issued us with our Transit Log. We need this now we are out of the EU. The transit log has caused UK boats a great deal of stress since Brexit. The rules state that if your boat was in the EU on Brexit day then Greek Customs should issue you with an Unlimited Transit Log meaning your boat can stay in Greece indefinately. But the Greek Customs will not recognise this rule and will only issue British boats with a time limited Transit Log (lasting only 18 months), then your boat has to leave Greece after the 18 months are up.

We and all our friends in the same position as us have all only been able to get the 18 month transit log. But what can you do? You either accept it, or you are refused entry into Greece. Anyway, once more back to the Port Police and we were officially checked in.

By 11am we were sitting in a cafe having a bite to eat. Then a walk about Corfu Old Town, which was very underwhelming I must say. It didn't take too long to get fed up so we went back to Thesee and decided to move on down to the south of the island.

Not many photos of the town as it wasn't very exciting.

The local pirates pass numerous times per day in the Corfu anchorage

Statue in town, but I can't understand the Greek alphabet

Norwegian Jade cruise liner in port

Old town views

In the park

Along the seafront

Our Corfu anchorage

We got ourselves together and moved on down the coast about 10 miles to a wildish and quiet anchorage at a small place called Kalyviatis. Only one other boat here tonight. Now to get cracking on where to next??