Crete !!!!! The windy Island

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Doug, Michelle & William Gardiner
Sat 11 Aug 2012 20:07
For all you people who are following us, and have been wondering if I have either drowned or fell off the boat well ... Here I am.

Since the last blog not a lot has happened really other than naked men and women !!!!!!

When Mark, Nicola and family left Crete which was very sad has William had the most fantastic time, we had no choice but to sail a few miles down the coast to the Marina Aghios Nikolaos as the Lagoon was getting far to windy and the sea was too choppy. At one point Doug was heading off to shore when before he could get into the dinghy the wind picked it up and flipped it over, engine included.  It was a stressful time for all of us as the dinghy is our life line to the shore, and until Doug had spent a few hours working on the stripping down of the engine we didn't know if it was irreparable. Thank goodness he tested it and bingo... it fired after the third attempt. This made us rethink our plans as to what we do next.

We didn't  realise that the North/ North Easterly winds are very strong this time of year and whilst it made it very good for sailing down, though some of the seas where rough, once in Crete you are here to stay till September as a trip North would not be an option. So.............. What to do now.

Sightseeing in Spinalonga Lagoon

In the lagoon where we first stayed we met a wonderful couple from Hampshire, John and Tessa. Doug first noticed them firstly from the union jack ensign, but I think it was, noticing Tessa in the water swimming with only her pants on !!!! that he noticed first and or course the blonde hair. He then passed me the glasses to spot John S.B.N (stark ........ Naked) for the slow ones. 
It's the normal procedure to spot the English flags when in an anchorage and try and make contact. Anyway we did have a great night out with them lots of laughing and lots of vodka & tonic.

A couple of days later we decided to come to the marina where guess who we bumped into. Yes you guessed it John and Tessa. We have also met a great number of people,who are living aboard their boats and are here for the winter, it has as great community and everyone has made us very welcome. 

I think we have made the right choice to stay here in the marina for a few weeks till the wind settles, plus we are so,so,so excited as we are waiting the arrival of our friends Mark, Cathy and Charlie who are coming to Crete for their summer holiday.   



Classified II