• Sami, Cephalonia.   Monday 16^th July, 2012.

We made an earliest start for Sami as we were hoping for a space on the quay or even along where Ariel had been left while we were in the UK.  We passed several bays on Ithaca with the big boats tied up to the rocks enjoying the quietness of the area with very few taverna’s or houses. When we arrived in Sami our only option was the wall where the ferries come in.  What an experience that was and especially as they arrive and depart during the night also.  People on foot, cars, lorries and taxis all arrive within thirty minutes of the ferry’s arrival.  The ferry arrives drops its anchor and reverses up onto the quay.  The line thrower throws the weighted wire and the man on the quay catches it and pulls the very heavy lines from the ferry.  The ramps are lowered before they even get to the quay.  The man is tying up the lines while people are descending down the passenger’s ramp followed by the lorries from the middle ramp and the cars come down the third ramp which is very steep from a higher deck.  A port policeman blows his whistle, the people wander between the lorries and cars who are all moving along the quay and it appears to be utter mayhem but ten minutes later the lines are being dragged up onto the ferry and the ramps are going up and the ferry is off again to another port.  There is no point in being late for the ferry as they all appear on time and leave exactly on time and you do see a few late souls running along but there is no time for the ferry to wait, off it goes.  Unfortunately, the ferry does arrive at 3.30 a.m. and the lorries come and go.  Need to get off this wall as soon as possible.