Wednesday 21st May

 Got up early this morning and headed into the village to find somewhere open as the lentil soup I’d made for tea last night was having the desired effect if not a little too pressing for comfort!

Came back to find Sam had bought Pain au Chocolates for breakfast so sat in the sun with a coffee and played guitar for a while until Eddie arrived with the post. Some good news in that Insurance cover has arrived but no Greek copy which is annoying. Sam had gone to great pains to request it so means further delay in being able to get the boat in the water. Also no sign of the Small Ships transfer of owner document, it looks like it’s been done as a copy on line but no hard copy in post yet. We went up to Eddie’s and used his phone to chase up offices in the UK to find they are all apparently in the post so down to the vagaries of the Greek Postal system now.

We were both feeling a bit cheesed off at the delay so went into Vonitsa so Sam could get a mobile phone and our spirits were raised a bit by seeing a lady Greek Tortoise wandering across the road. So like good gentlemen we stopped and assisted her across so as she didn’t get run over. Unfortunately both of us had forgotten our cameras. However, she reminded me of the tortoise I had had as a kid. We also spotted a couple of Stork nests on to top of the telegraph poles entering Vonitsa and loads of Sparrows nesting below them.

Vonitsa was hot and sticky, strange in a way as the mountains in the background still have quite a bit of snow on the tops. We both went for a snorkel around the bay on getting back, the local chaps are pulling out quite big Sea Bass they are spear gun fishing but we didn’t see any. Apparently they are quite common in the harbour this time of the year.

We had a local chap come and look over the boat tonight and he said it seemed very well maintained, we also had a beer with a couple of the Sunsail/Ionian Cruise lads and made a few contacts for advice and boat services so feel much more confident now about actually getting the boat in the water before the weekend if we can make contact with the Crane Man.

I made a coffee for one of the local fisherman the other day who was painting his boat and tonight he brought us a bottle of local fortified wine in return. Not bad but tastes like a cross between Sherry and Rose wine, pretty strong but Eddie says it doesn’t give you a hangover, although I think I give it a miss trying that out.

Thursday 22nd May

Eddie has phoned Sam to say he has made contact with the Crane Man who will try and lift boat into the water Saturday morning so fingers crossed we could be on our way!