Cephelonia

jenna
Jim / Elaine Soens
Fri 26 May 2006 19:53
Arrived in Argostilo in Chephelonia on the 20th having a pleasant and interesting trip
our first nigh after leaving Malta was in Sarracusa we anchored in the bay as it was blowing too strong to try and get on the town quay
having visited before we didn't feel that we missed out. the secod night we anchored in Taormina still blowing but we got well tucked in behind the brakewater
and took the dinghy ashore for a meal and to be seranaded by a small trio plus singer an although we couldn't undersatnd a word of their songs it was apparant that they where of the amusing sort, you couldn't help but laugh.
we then had quite a lively trip across the Messina Straights 30knots plus reefed in but still managing 8.6knotts speed a soon as we where in lee of the toe of Italy
it was dead calm with 2knots of wind-like someone turning off a light switch. We spent the third night at Rochello in a marina that had some winter damage
a lot of the pontoons where underwater. We decided that from here we would go straight across to Cephalonia 26hours away , we set off about 12 noon
and motorsailed across arriving the following day at 11.00hrs with engines on we had 6.5 knots and with sail we had 8.8knots of boat speed
on our trip we had two familys of dolphins come and swim between the two hull staying with us for 15 minites or more- having great fun, also we saw
small turtles about the size of tea plates they seem too small for such a big sea.
anyway the new washing machine blew some elctronic programme and we have been in Argostilo trying to have it repaired - believe it or not the main
agent is here but he just didn't want to know saying he is too busy to come and see in th end we organised the parts from the u.k. and Nigel and family
are bringing them over to-morrow. They are with us for 2 weeks then Amy and friends come for a week.
The weather has been lovely, about 28c untill yesterday since then weve had a blow of about 30knots. Quite exciting getting on and off the boat, where tied
up on the town quay.