Another expensive week with new engine mounts, and a couple of nights with Gwen and Pete.
With the engine still vibrating when in forward gear, we didn’t want to go far until the new engine mounts were fitted, and at the same time we didn’t want to stay anchored off Nidri. So on Sunday, with a bit of breeze, we sailed across to Varko Bay and anchored for the night then on Monday morning back to the Iris pontoon in Nidri for a couple of nights for a chance to catch up with Gwen and Pete on What’s the Rush and a chance to treat them to a Cosmopolitan and Sex on the Beach with our new cocktail maker that friends recommended last year. (it has the measures and ingredients on the shaker). So after nibbles on board we then dined at the Iris with Argy, the barman, hosting. With the Iris owners now divorced Christos owns the left half with the Sailing Holidays pontoon and Effi owns the right half with Nisos pontoon.
Second night we went to Taverna OK Ola Kala with George hosting. He is hilarious with his English one-liners Arrrright Chuck🤣, with his charming 9 Yr old daughter serving us alcoholic drinks and tea towels of UK towns, including Weymouth, hanging from the ceiling. We finished the evening with a drink in the Bluebird and watched the Salsa class from Lefkas dance the night away.
The engine mounts were fitted on Wednesday morning but after engine realignment we discovered that we still had vibration at about 1200 and 1900rpm. We’re not happy, especially bearing in mind that 4 engine mounts cost over €1200! but the old ones certainly needed replacing as one of them had split. €300 for a lump of rubber in a steel housing, robbery!
So Thursday we motored/sailed across to Palairos for a night on a pontoon then a couple of nights at anchor.
The great attraction of Palairos remains the Panorama Taverna where they serve unbeatable onion bhajis and good, cheap and fairly authentic (by English standards) Indian curries, so Friday evening we indulged. The young waiter suggested Paul tried Eza beer – he really enjoyed it. However as we dinghied ashore the heavens opened and we arrived at the beach looking like drowned rats!
Saturday afternoon was even more eventful weather wise. At about 4 we heard thunder and half an hour later, thunder, lightening, torrential rain, hail, and wind gusts of over 40 knots. The anchor held well thankfully, but the dinghy floating off the stern with the outboard attached managed to flip over. Fortunately we noticed it fairly quickly and in the 30 – 40 knot gusts managed to right it and get the davit line on to the outboard and bring it on board. (lesson learnt!) Once the rain stopped, we rinsed the engine with fresh water, took off the carb and cleaned all the water out of it, sprayed the engine, cylinder and electrics with WD40 and changed the engine oil and surprisingly it seems to work OK. Hopefully no long term damage! After a peaceful night, back to Vliho on Sunday.
