We had a great couple of days in Paxos with Maria (Michael's daughter) and then Micheal himself. We managed to pack two potential disasters into a single 24 hours although we managed to get away with both - more or less unscathed.
Firstly, in Lakka, we anchored with long lines ashore. Unfortunately, while using the engine to back up towards the shore (taking the pressure off the rope) we managed to let it go slack and round the prop it went. Jammed Solid! And the rope cutter didn't chop through it - in fact it made things worse by jamming the rope in its teeth and making it impossible to unwind without cutting it. I found yet another reason to bless Rosa's designer who put the prop well towards the stern and only a couple of feet down. Relatively easy to dive on. The lesson learned is to take the long line in the dinghy (easily done as the reel fits snugly), attach it to the shore, and then unwind it towards the boat (which can then freely motor astern to help) but without taking a risk with the prop.
Next day we sailed the spectacular Western side of Paxos, enjoying the enormous Northern cave and then anchoring by the middle set for lunch. After some lovely swimming in crystal water and exploring the caves by dinghy, we got back on board and pulled the anchor up - stuck solid under a rock in 10M of water with no diver within 20 miles. We tried pulling backwards, pulling up and pulling forwards. Nothing shifted it. L came up with the idea of using the bow thruster to give it a hard jerk sideways and amazingly it came free in one piece. We were very lucky! Lesson learned: rig a trip line if there are rocks where you're anchoring - particularly if it's too deep to free dive.
After putting Maria and Michael on the ferry in Gaios, we set off for Levkas where we had the engine serviced (serious ouch) and finally figured out what had been wrong with the batteries for 2 weeks (a cell in the new one had gone short-circuit.
We then spent a night in Vlicho (amid loads of jellyfish)then two nights on the Nielson pontoon in Nidhri. The charge an extremely reasonable €10 for a night including water and electricity. Their staff were helpful and friendly and the only slight disadvantage is that you act as a target-to-miss for all the first-time sailors they are teaching. Lindsay managed to get all her washing and shopping done in the two days without having to flog around in the dinghy and without having to do it all by hand.
We met Ian, Sue, John and Carol - friends from Malta - and had a couple of raucous nights of shared dinners and late-night drinking.
After Nidhri, we spent a night in Abeliki on Meganissi then had a great sail over to Fiscardo. It was crowded even this late in the season (mid September) at 1500. Luckily with our shallow draft, we were able to go stern too on the quay to the right of the pontoon. By the way - the pontoon is now fixed and operational again. We thoroughly enjoyed the tiny museum but the rest of Fiscardo is not quite as we remember it from 8 years ago. The tavernas and tat shops have expanded, the Captains table has disappeared and the high-class boutiques are being squeezed out. Nevertheless, it's still a nice place to visit.
With the weather closing in on Monday, we went down to Sami on Saturday and met up with John and Carol again. We made a dogs dinner of stern-to mooring including a rather public dispute between L and myself as to which rings we should tie on to. She was right - dammit!
L then contrived to get on the gang plank just as the end of it was slipping off the quay - and fell backwards into the drink. Luckily she didn't hit anything on the way down and the water was clean!
In the afternoon, we crazily set off on an impromptu hike to the Acropolis - flip-flops, no water, and stuff in a shopping bag. After an hour of hard climbing we had got about half way up the steep, rocky path through the woods - and after a rest, said "sod this for a game of soldiers" and came down again much faster than we went up. I was knackered!
After a late night session with John and Carol (sadly the later parts without L who was sightly the worse for wear) we set off early in the morning for the 8 hour slog to Messolonghi. The wind was light and on the nose so we motored until we entered the Gulf of Patras - where it was heavy and on the nose with two Meter waves very close together. Most uncomfortable! We arrived in late afternoon to find the Marina (still free) much improved from our last visit. There are toilets, showers and water - electricity now on-site and promised in the next few days. We signed our winter contract and are now hunkered down for the promised storms tomorrow.
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