Lefkas

S/V Monterey
Les Crane
Sun 6 May 2012 09:28
38:49.8n 020:42.8e



Preveza Lefkas May 6 2012



We had a successful winter over at the Ionian (Prevesa) Marine. The staff
were very pleasant and efficient. They do not have a problem with outside
contractors working on your boat which I have been told can be an issue at
Cleopatra next door. Bob Phelps a English ship carpenter looked after the
boat for us and supervised a few repairs - did a great job.



Ronnie Dagleish and I arrived in Athens Tuesday afternoon. Bob picked us up
and we drove 5 hours to Preveza. There are only occasional flights into
Preveza in the off season and the connections via Corfu would have required
a day layover in London so the drive was the best option. It was quite
beautiful - surprisingly green - once past Patras you climb through a lake
district and then down to the Gulf of Amvrakia.



Ronnie sorted out two bilge pumps and installed a lamp in the engine room
Wednesday. I collected our trip log from Customs who authorised another 6
months and we prepared for our launch Thursday.



We launched at 8:00 Thursday. Bob had organised a rigger to come by to check
the mast. He was also the refrigeration specialist and we re-installed the
all important ice maker. It was mid afternoon before we crossed over to town
to tie alongside the quay and install the mainsail.



We crossed back to Ionian Marine and tied alongside the travel lift dock for
the night in order to get together with Steve and Karen James who had just
arrived to commission Threshold that had spent the winter at Cleopatra.



Friday morning, I went into full on bureaucracy mode. I got a letter from
the marina attesting to the fact the boat was in the Marina from July to
date. I went to the Harbour office, got my Greek boat residency bill (E1250
for one year) then found the Tax office. The Tax office could not process
my credit card and so I had to suck money out of the hole in the wall -it
lets you take E750 a shot. (So much for Greece attempting to tighten up the
tax system by requiring electronic payment streams if the Tax department
only takes cash.) While I was at the Tax office I went down to the ground
floor and applied for a Tax ID # (requires a copy of the residency letter
and a copy of your passport but is free) . With these in hand I was able to
get a new SIM for my WIFI box at Vodafone.



Ronnie and I got underway about 2:00 Friday for Lefkas.



We got to the Lefkas Canal about 3:30. I could see a Amel Super Maru bounce
twice while we approached. Moving at 1 knot, we kept a boat width (5M) from
the north shore and had a minimum of 3.8 metres depth so all went well.
There is a ferry boat serving as a temporary bridge. After trying to anchor
with poor result, we hovered for 15 minutes until it opened at 4:00.
Apparently it has a temporary schedule and does not open every hour. The
schedule is posted at the marina office.



We took a berth in the Marina (E90) Ronnie returned to sunny Scotland and 4
friends from Bermuda arrived about 8 pm. Bob Phelps recommended we try
Estiatoriio Frynh which is on the harbour front opposite the marina - it was
excellent - a bit more expensive than your typical taverna E30/head. (The
wine came in bottles not pails). The best value in Lefkas is La Vinera off
the pedestrian walk north of the main square - really nice people - Ronnie
and I had dinner there Friday for E10/head.



Bob is back aboard this morning trying to sort out the new water non-heater
which was installed over the winter. There is no resistance in the heating
coil. He still has the old tank in his shop and hopes the element from that
may fit this unit ( same manufacturer). It must have been a Monday morning
build - the diverter valve did not work and the element blew after a few
hours. Anyway we hope he can fix it. It will not be that much trouble if he
cannot as we will get hot water off the engine.



Bob was successful. The temperature had been turned too high and it had
tripped the reset in the thermostat which is hidden under a cover.



We should be off to Vathi, Ithaka by 1:00.









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