39:27.1N 20:16.5E

 

30 September short sail N and turn right (and beat) into long mountain sided bay to resort of Platarias, used as flotilla base by Sailing Holidays and a Dutch outfit

Depart Mourtos 0930

Arrive Platarias 1145 10nm

Sunny start, then much wind and some rain

 

Dawn “down below” temp of 21degrees. Raise anchor after wake up cuppa. Run with main and genoa 3nm, then 100degree turn to stbd and find strong wind funnelling down bay, so beat in “solo” doing 5knts spilling main a bit. Jane below reading. Wind conveniently dies as we arrive. Sailing Holidays flotilla are in process of leaving so go for recently vacated slot at E end of quay, bows to. Potter. Clouds get lower; some rain. Expect wind to remain from land so happy tied up bows to. Break in rain so go for walk along prom by beach. See 40ft yacht ashore on cradle, but capsized with mast collapsed having hit neighbouring villa! Gorgeous black stray puppy attaches to us. Manage to pass on to Frenchie with campervan. Strong squalls as wind does 180 degree change. Get back to find D`fly has dug kedge in and/or stretched kedge warp and bow has hit quay. Wind now howling in from astern, and waves coming up bay . Small gouge in bow. In lulls heave D’fly further from quay and deploy lines diagonally from midship cleats to reduce yawing in strong gusts. Wind generator making lots of noise racing in gusts. Kedge has obviously (and thankfully) dug in well now. (Was D`fly’s 10kg Lewmar delta bower with 15m 8mm chain and 8strand anchorplait warp.) Neighbouring Germans in big Bav have had to leave as dragged, and come in alongside wall, head to wind and with anchor dropped. Another yacht (49ft) has dragged and just left it along side with many fenders. 1830 wind dies, clouds clear, see sunset 1900. Goes chilly. Rumour is big storm still to come. See Brit in harbour try many times to relay bower. On one occasion hooks and lifts someone else`s anchor. Those already in pretty cross. Beer in bar, but their wifi seems to be down so can’t get poseidon update. Back to D`fly for supper. Heave out a bit further from quay and hang fender out fwd. Awake 0500 to sheet lightening well out to W (no thunder!) and heavy raindrops. Still no wind! Skip has to emigrate to stern cabin to avoid hatch leak. Rain drains fwd and leaks below as two in fwd cabin and loads of heavy chain in anchor locker give bows down trim Cured by skip moving aft!