Last Post 2016? Khaidhari N37:32.126 e022:55.248

ALKIRA
Charles & Maggie Bevis
Sun 25 Sep 2016 11:47
So, the season is nearly over and we have started packing up!  The evenings are drawing in and it has become quite chilly at night on a few recent occasions.  The days stay sunny and warm for the most part although we have had two evenings of heavy rain.   When we go ashore it is very, very quiet with few tourists, in fact the only tourists now see to be the yachtie brigade. The shopkeepers/tavernas/restaurants all assure us they prefer it this way.  With most of the tavernas and apartments now closed for the winter, the owners have retreated back to Athens, or wherever the bulk of their families are, to work or sit out the winter until they return next Easter to do it all again.

We are anchored in a delightful bay at the little village of Khaidhari with all round shelter and good holding for the anchor.  There is a short quay but it is heavily used by fishing vessels and service vessels servicing the nearby fish farms.  The water in the bay is clean and clear, excellent for swimming.

Actually this is our second visit here.  When we left the islands we headed first for the mainland port of Ermioni with a view to spending several days there in order to run the washing machine and begin packing the boat up.  Although it turned out to be a nice little port, the services provided were excruciatingly expensive and only provided early in the morning or late evening, at a cost. We were also well and truly stung in a restaurant, so it was an easy decision to move on in an attempt to find somewhere more to our liking.

We next went to Kalida, where the boatyard is located.  We met with Evangelos, the manager, and are more than satisfied with the place.  The only draw back is the village, which is DEAD and with very poor facilities.  We spent just one night at anchor there before heading northwest here to Khaidhari for our first visit.  

Charlie had an unfortunate mishap with the water maker whilst at anchor here last Thursday and inadvertently pumped all our precious fresh water into the sea.  Hence, in dire straits for more water and in search of even more elusive shore power, we headed south across the gulf to Astrous.  Again we found a pretty port charging (8 Euros per night) and water at 4 Euros per 500 litres, but no shore power for the washing machine.  

Although Astrous was a pleasant scenic port, and we did climb to all the way up to the Venitian castle overlooking the town, (complete with stray kitten that attached itself to us for the duration of our walk), we decided not to stay for more than one night.  


The view from the fort looking down onto the port area.




Mermaid on the harbour wall showing Maggie how to do exercises to strengthen her arm!

Instead we chose to buy a little more petrol for the generator and to return to Khaidhari to continue packing up items and to get all the laundry done whilst at anchor.
    
So here we are; the generator has been running almost all morning to power Dolly, (the much loved by Maggie washing machine), and CJ scurries to and fro in the dinghy to a tap situated close by on the shore to fill water containers, meaning we still have a full tank, which brilliantly means we still have plenty of water for showers, washing etc.

The mainsail is now off and packed away; the cockpit dodgers and cushions are washed and stored away; the water maker has been pickled and made ready for the winter.

We originally booked to lift out on Monday 26th, but we realised that would mean living on board, on the hard, for 8 days, which is hard enough at the best of times, and will be difficult for Maggie to haul herself up and down the ladder. However, having managed to do so many jobs whilst at anchor, we have now put back our lifting day to Thursday 29th September.  So, the plan is to return to the vicinity of the boatyard on Tuesday, giving Charlie enough time service the engine.  Once we lift out, the hardest job is fitting the large winter cover which is quite a challenge, but well worth the effort.  As Maggie is still incapacitated due to her poorly arm, it means this falls entirely into Charlie’s court this year, but it helps to keep him fit!

Maggie has been trying out various improvised exercises in order to help strengthen her arm/shoulder, but has been finding it difficult, and although there are still painful times, it has improved. However, we’re now keen to get home so that she can get some professional physiotherapy. Having spoken with other folk who’ve had frozen shoulders or similar problems, she’s not looking forward to it as everyone says how painful the exercises are.  We just hope that she’ll be able to recover as much movement back as possible over the forthcoming months.

We are flying home on Easyjet, via Athens again, on the 4th October with hire cars booked, one to get us to Athens and the second from Gatwick to Lymington.   

To those in Lymington and Maidstone - we are (almost) on our way!