Greece - The Ionia Sea

Hello From A Hot And Sunny Mediterranean

Our last letter finished off with us sailing out from Crete with an ‘interesting’ sea running and rather blustery conditions.  I have to admit our crew from Dubai ,Judith and Graeme, were a little nervous as we motored on out of Khania Harbour with a bit of a swell still coming in, but nothing like the day before when there were 2-3mt seas breaking across the entrance making for some wild surf.   We followed another yacht out, and in turn another yacht followed us.  Once out we put the sails up we pointed for our first Island in the Southern Ionian Group, Kithera, some 65nm away.  Judith and Graeme were great and settled in to the roll of the 2-3mt seas with winds gusting 25-28kts.  The swell was very sharp and short and just after midday Alec noticed we had blown the starboard trampoline – bugger!!  That is the second time that has happened.  The first being on our way into McKay in Australia.  Once we arrived at our anchorage that evening, Judith helped me lace it up again.  It is not a major as only the edging vinyl tore and not the trampoline.  It will hold out till we find somewhere to get it fixed again.  But on the up side of this trip was that Graeme caught a beautiful fat long fin albacore tuna. His third so far, and our fifth tuna for the season.  So there are still good fish in the Med.

Malta And Crete

Yes It’s Us Again

Well Maggie arrived from the U.K. to join us in Malta and that morning we needed to up anchor and motor outside the harbour to empty our holding tanks. The weather was not the best as strong winds were blowing in through the entrance which gave for a very rolling exit and entrance.  Not the best introduction to the boat for Maggie.  She lives on a narrow boat on the English canals. 

We spent the next four days while waiting for the watermaker clutch to arrive, shopping and exploring a bit more of Malta.  On one of these days Maggie and I brought ourselves a two euro sixty cent bus pass which would take us anywhere over the Island – a great deal.  So off we set having no idea where we were going.   Our first stop took us into the old capital of Mdina and Rabat.  Mdina is the walled town and Rabat are its suburbs. Mdina is a very impressive town perched on a rocky outcrop in the southwest of the Island, commanding views over nearly the whole Island.  The narrow streets and wonderful old houses and palaces date back to the 1400’s, but it has been a fortified town for more than 3000 years. We visited another St Paul’s Cathedral.  This one is not as ornate as the one in Valletta.  They were setting it up for a wedding later in the day.