Muskrat - 37:07.738 26:51.318E

37:07.738 26:51.318E

Muskrat

Chris and Alison

Thu 23 Sep 2021 19:40

21/09/21

With more bad weather forecast we decided to try to go into Leros Marina 2 days early. We phoned them and they were very accommodating and said that we could so we very reluctantly took the sails down and stowed them while it was still calm and motored the 5.7nm to Leros marina. After our last stern to mooring experience we were a little nervous at the prospect, especially as we new the marina was quite tight to get into. In the end we were met at the entrance by the Marineros who led us to our berth. Then, with a just a little nudge from his rib, Muskie slid sedately and gracefully into her slot. Muskie had behaved herself very well to our relief! It was also very nice to have someone take our lines for a change. This is Muskies new home until March 2022 once we get lifted out, in the mean time we have showers and laundry facilities :) even a bar and restaurant. The town is only a short walk away as well.

Then there was the formalities to go through. It is a much too long a saga to explain in a blog, but there has been much discussion in the sailing community about whether or not we need a transit log to sail in Greece. There are two types of transit logs, an unlimited one that means your boat can come and go into and out of Greek waters with no restrictions or a limited transit log that means your boat can only stay in Greece for 18 months before it has to leave otherwise you have to pay VAT on your boat. The sailing community have been pushing for all yachts who were in Greece on BREXIT day to have an unlimited transit log and so far the discussions and arguments have been going on since BREXIT. To cut a long story short, we took all our papers to the customs office to ask for an unlimited transit log only to be told that we don’t qualify for one because we were not the owners who paid the original VAT when the boat was new 38 years ago! Just another complication to add to the many that British sailors now face if they want to sail the seas and oceans.

23/09/21

Having had a jobs day yesterday, we thought we would walk to the Merikia War Tunnel a museum that depicts the invasion of Leros by the Germans in 1943. After a lovely walk though tree lined deserted roads, we found the Tunnels, paid our €3 each and had a very interesting and informative hour or two in the tunnels and the museum. Got back to Muskie with the wind picking up and gusting up to 30kts, we are very glad to be a marina for a change. Then there was the water maker to preserve, the engine oil to change, ropes to be washed, just some of the many jobs to be done before haul out.

Skippers bar and restaurant Leros Marina