After a very early flight from Gatwick, we arrived back at the boat yard at about 1300 on Sunday, letting ourselves in with the key hanging on a piece of string near the gate. Fortunately the guard dog was very pleased to see us, and greeted us with some friendly tail wagging.
We’d had some work done on Jacana while we were back in England, specifically cutting a couple of inspection hatches in the top fuel tank, and replacing the flexible hose behind the oven. The old oven hose had been removed, but not replaced, and on looking in the top tank with an endoscope (a surprise Xmas present from Fern) bits of mastic were present. So the 2 inspection covers had to come off again the tank recleaned and then replaced. Launch on Tuesday was looking unlikely. Additionally, Lampros had insisted on fitted a bolt in the prop shaft assembly despite being told that the the boat was only designed to have one. However come 11am on Tuesday, the jobs had been completed and all bills settled (with cash!) at 1300hrs we were back on the water.
The first night we took it easy, checking things at the anchorage on the south side of Thessaloniki Bay. (where we had anchored 6 weeks earlier). Then on Wednesday with little wind unfortunately (sailed for about an hour) we did a longish slog of 53 miles to Neo Skioni, mooring up portside-to in a berth normally taken by a fishing boat. A neighbouring fisherman said we’d have to leave by 8 in the morning however. We’d wanted to get fuel, and a young waiter in a Taverna was able to translate our needs to the Taverna’s owner who rang the fuel man but he seemed to be away.
Before we left the boatyard, we’d bought a roasted chicken sufficient for 3 or 4 days, so after feasting on chicken again we popped back to the taverna to complete our ‘balanced’ meal with a plate of fried potatoes and courgettes. However halfway through this they gave us a free plate of grilled octopus! which given the earlier chicken was too much so we boxed it up for the following day.
In the morning we moved Jacana across to an empty pier with only one bollard, hence it was empty, tried the fuel man again a couple of times and gave up and headed for Porto Koufos.
We’d had some work done on Jacana while we were back in England, specifically cutting a couple of inspection hatches in the top fuel tank, and replacing the flexible hose behind the oven. The old oven hose had been removed, but not replaced, and on looking in the top tank with an endoscope (a surprise Xmas present from Fern) bits of mastic were present. So the 2 inspection covers had to come off again the tank recleaned and then replaced. Launch on Tuesday was looking unlikely. Additionally, Lampros had insisted on fitted a bolt in the prop shaft assembly despite being told that the the boat was only designed to have one. However come 11am on Tuesday, the jobs had been completed and all bills settled (with cash!) at 1300hrs we were back on the water.
The first night we took it easy, checking things at the anchorage on the south side of Thessaloniki Bay. (where we had anchored 6 weeks earlier). Then on Wednesday with little wind unfortunately (sailed for about an hour) we did a longish slog of 53 miles to Neo Skioni, mooring up portside-to in a berth normally taken by a fishing boat. A neighbouring fisherman said we’d have to leave by 8 in the morning however. We’d wanted to get fuel, and a young waiter in a Taverna was able to translate our needs to the Taverna’s owner who rang the fuel man but he seemed to be away.
Before we left the boatyard, we’d bought a roasted chicken sufficient for 3 or 4 days, so after feasting on chicken again we popped back to the taverna to complete our ‘balanced’ meal with a plate of fried potatoes and courgettes. However halfway through this they gave us a free plate of grilled octopus! which given the earlier chicken was too much so we boxed it up for the following day.
In the morning we moved Jacana across to an empty pier with only one bollard, hence it was empty, tried the fuel man again a couple of times and gave up and headed for Porto Koufos.
