Saturday 17^th September – Messolonghi (Sail training)

38:21.685N 21:25.019E

Today we took a break from jobs on Pyxis and went sailing with Gavin and Mary on Blue Elephant.  This was Mary’s first time sailing on a yacht so Gavin did an orientation course for her, with us aboard as crew to help out.

First we went out of the marina and demonstrated a coming alongside manoeuvre on one of the outer wavebreaker pontoons; then we went out to the anchorage and let Mary helm as I talked her through steering Blue Elephant to an anchoring place and holding into the wind whilst Gavin lowered the anchor and chain.

We then hoisted the mainsail and a small piece of genoa and sailed down the canal with a gentle F3 on the beam, a very pleasant introduction to sailing.  Once out of the canal the wind dropped and became fickle so we motored gently back up the canal, berthed and had a lovely late lunch which had been prepared by Mary (with a celebratory beer).

Late afternoon Russell came round to Pyxis and we had a game of cribbage; Russell led right until the end and was then pipped at the post by Richard (or perhaps I should say pegged).

Messolonghi:  Sailing down the canal

© Pyxis 2011