38:57.0N 20:45.7E

Monday 2 June Hasty exit. Nice sail due N to Cleopatra Marina. For boat shopping Day Three. Ozzie hits us and snaps stanchion.

Depart Lefkas marina 1045

Arrive Cleopatra marina, Preveza 1315 9nm S2.25 M 0.25

Cloudy. NW flicking more W f3/4

Sm shop, meet Mary 1030 for boat inspection to find being driven to Preveza. As today’s destination decide go by D`fly. Leap aboard; hasty cast off, race up canal to get 1200 bridge opening, just. My how N entrance to canal has been changed by winter storms. Hoist all sails and fetch due N. Ease sheets as freshens. 3knts gradually increases to just about 6knts.Turn 90degrees to stbd and run down buoyed fairway to Preveza. Drop sails just off marina entrance. The three big boatyards are across the sound from Preveza Town. Need new prop`s effective reverse to hold D`fly off pontoon as have downwind berth bows to with laid lines. Start touring massive boatyard. Helpful Mary arrives to go via road tunnel and arrive town quay to inspect SO35. Lovely wood interior but a bit old. See Bernard again! Driven back to D`fly to find apologetic Ozzie alongside. Despite fairly calm conditions they managed to stick racy bowsprit between guard wires and snap stanchion. Their 10m dinghy, Italian design, Turkish built, has twin rudders. So can`t spring or use prop wash when stationery. Need decent way on to steer. Probably has slim keel so no lateral resistance when going slow. Must sail vfast, but a bugger to park.  Skip has spare stanchion on board, but unable to extract remaining short base from foot fitting (aluminium and SS corroded together after 24yrs) and elderly guard wires bent need replacing. Loads wind forecast (by some) for tomorrow, so instead of planned early departure S to see sunsail boats looks like will be awaiting repairs here. Only 25euros a night, and better loos. Beer in marina tavern cheapest too – 2.50 for 1/2L bottle. Probable additional day seems bearable. Might try taverna “English” breakfast, Just 7euros. Will take own Yorkshire tbags!

Tuesday 2 June Bad weather, and awaiting engineer/new guard wires, so stay in marina another day

Didn’t make taverna breakfast – sorting out new guard wires. Get good deal on doing stbd (undamaged side) too. Should be ready by 2000. Catch 1000 marina ferry across sound to town. Put another 30euros credit on OTE dongle. Get extravagant in lovely fruit/veg shops, but still can`t find lardons. Meet Bernard yet again. Get hailed “Mr Cooke” by passing car – Chris and Kay Coomber driving down side street! Just arrived Igoumenitsa from Italy, on way to Levkas to launch boat for season, dropping off headlining somewhere in Preveza. Rough chop on town quay as f5/6 E.  Get noon ferry back. Good driving, only one load spray over bows –most passengers coatless as warm and calm at 1000! Engineer digs out old stanchion base.Thunder rolls in, with heavy rain. Batten down. Need Heinz tom soup but supplies ran out last year. Skip does more blogs. Jane cooks veg. Gas runs out when raining! Last bottle changed 15 May, so has lasted nearly 3 cool weeks. Think have always had bad connections on wind generator. Not got round to testing as lots of amps from PV cells, but still getting up to 5amps in gusts. Just as well – no amps from PV cells today, and too mean to pay extra for marina elect/water. Rain stops after beero`clock, so head for café/ttaverna just down road from marina. Have best ever beef and aubergine dish. Vv reasonable price. Despite three massive lay up yards here, nothing else this side of sound – so prices keen to attract custom.