Afloat and underway sailing - Porto Kheli 37:19.3N 23:09.0E

Ticketeeboo
Sue & Alan
Thu 1 Sep 2016 16:29
Our early Sunday morning airport transfer pickup didn't arrive at the pre-booked and agreed time of 03:40 a.m. One or two phone calls later our freshly awoken driver (sounding just like we woke him up) made the short journey and collected us. OK we'd lost some of our pre-flight coffee time and thankfully all's well that ends well. Once in our allotted Squeezy-jet seats the captain announced and improved flying time of just 3½ hours. Mumbo-jumbo because 4½ hours later we landed - on time. Our 203km car hire ride went OK after we realised fussy-Nora (our devoted satnav voice) was programmed to avoid tolls. Definitely wrong setting 'cause no one fancies driving through centre of Athens when there's a perfectly good motorway been built to avoid such calamities On time, 5 p.m. we were being embraced by Mrs Matula who owns the local apartments - one of which destined to accommodate us that night. I dropped Sue off at our one-night abode and immediately pointed our hire car towards the boatyard where abundance of work and millions of hungry mozzies awaiting my presence. One hour later Ticketeeboo's decks are almost clean and Sue arrives to help put the binimi and sprayhood back on, whilst being feverously bitten alive by these soddin beasties. Once dark and after 9 o'clock (knackered and low on blood) t'was time to visit the apartment and shower-up before picking-up Matula and Adam, who we'de invited to join us for evening meal. Now 10 o'clock and we're feelin' more than knackered. However, 2nd wind kicks in when we discover Matula's cookin' for us tonight. Kilada prawns spagetti, local & Dutch cheeses, Matula olives, salads and finally local cactus fruit. Not far short of midnight Sue's eyes started to close firm and we were told to go to bed.
Dutiful awoke when alarm marked 06:00 a.m. and not fighting to be first in the shower we made our way back to the boatyard to complete pre-launch jobs in readiness of being launched. Thankfully we had time to do a local shop before taking hire car back.
Launched at midday and then happily floating with hook in supa-mud. The rest of Monday was spent eating, drinking and dozing before working up the energy to launch our RIB and get heaviest in world 10hp outboard attached. Job done. Final meal of the day and bed 'cause next morning would be another early start to get genoa sail and jibsl out of bags and re-attached to rigging - ready for next sailing to begin. First untimely surprise this time is when the outboard refused to run at low speed or idle. Such a fault can cause nasty words and sore bodies. Trying to berth a RIB when it won't do low RPM is to be avoided. "Fix it now" me says. Changing plugs had as much benefit as widdlin in the sea. Plan 'b' returned the benefit. Plan 'b' meant fitting the old carburettor. The one I cleaned-out 3 years ago. The one Tohatsu said will be buggered after I modified the idle-jet. My baster-sized old carburettor works a treat and our RIB is now ticketeeboo (again) and we have a cleaned semi-baster-sized used spare carburettor ready to meet future needs.
Oh yes, nearly forgot. The other job I needed to do was to strip our troublesome Cummins Onan generator seawater pump. The one which regularly chews-up impellers and awaits Onan to sort. It's only 7 years ongoing trouble and just as well we're patient pleasantly minded people. Latest report and pick's now sent to Onan in hope they can finally get a permanent fix sorted?
Yesterday we enjoyed a 'slow' morning and with first signs of bit of wind, pulled hook out and set-off round the coast towards nearby Porto Kheli. A lovely mostly sailing afternoon plus sorting couple outstanding jobs and a very pleasant and quiet overnight (again). Earlier today we decided on another 'slow' morning, then gave the RIB more exercise and went ashore to one of our favourite restaurants, where they prepare their own Gyros (pork kabab) and it really is some of the best we've ever had and one between two is plenty too.
That's about it for now, except to wish our Grandson - Seth, a very Happy Birthday. He popped-out six years ago and is showing all the signs of being a lovely person. Happy Birthday Seth.
Tomorrow is likely to start with yet another 'slow' morning and we're thinking we might go little further around the coast towards Ermioni, where we fancy droppin' the hook for a night or two. We've already met a local shop owner who vocally found my driving 'intolerable' when I parked our hire car in a free space directly in front of his shop and flattened most of his non-British-deterent floppy cones.
xxx