Saturday 10th May

Saturday 10^th May

Last full day here today, just getting up but already a lovely sunny day outside.

Monday we had a yacht for the day and sailed over to Meganissi for a picnic in a little bay on the top end and I had a nice swim ashore.

Tuesday and Wednesday we stayed local and sailed a variety of boats from the base including a Laser RB3 which is a keeled sailing boat that is a bit like a cross between a dinghy and a yacht. It has an enormous spinnaker that once up and catching the wind really drives the boat along. It needs three people to sail but was good fun. I even had a go on a windsurfer but not really enough wind.

Thursday we got offered a yacht that someone had booked but wanted to cancel as they were not feeling up to it. It seemed rude to refuse so I skippered it for the day and we sailed over to a little bay on Lefkas Island at the top of the Meganissi channel and had another picnic and swim. The wind got up as we were sailing back and even with a reef in the sail we were still doing 7.4 knots. Getting into the marina was very awkward though in the strong wind and a bit hairy but as they say a “challenging learning experience”. At least I didn’t bend or put any additions on the hull.

Thursday evening we went out for a meal in the local town and shared portions of local Goat and Lamb with the odd glass of wine! The walk back in the dark was great as there were loads of fireflies winking on and off and flying around us. It was a bit like small Christmas lights randomly flashing among the bushes and sometimes across the path in front of us.

Yesterday Viv and I went out on the SB3 again with two friends we have met Richard and Barbara but after a good start the wind dropped and we had to get towed back in. Then just as I was tying the mooring line the wind kicked in again and we decided to go back out, Viv hitched a lift back to the shore whilst the three of us left had a good blast up and down the bay flying the huge spinnaker again.

In the afternoon I went out on a Laser Vago with a spinnaker on my own, I’d tried it a few days ago without the spinnaker and this was much more fun and really got shifting at times causing me to hike right out to keep it going. The wind really kicked in at four late afternoon, so I had a short blast on a windsurfer then as it fell off a bit took out the RS 100. The RS 100 showed me who was boss as each time I managed to get the spinnaker up it tipped me out and I had to stow the spinnaker away before I could get it up and sailing again. Today and possibly tomorrow morning will be the last chance to try and master the RS100 in decent winds for a while but I think it will probably win.

Looking forward to tonight’s meal as I think it will include deep fried prawns again they were beautiful last week. All told the meals here have been great with a wide selection of meats, fish and local dishes and cheeses. I will be surprised if we are still the same slim svelt couple we were when we left!

It still seems strange at times looking out across the bay at all the places Viv and I visited in the Wayfarer a couple of years ago and the fact I will be back here with Sam in just over a weeks time sailing again.