At 09.30 on 21st Sept we untied our mooring lines from the stern to rocks mooring at Fiskardo and set sail for Zakinthos.  The forecast of force 5 N/W was ideal to get us south quickly to Zakinthos.

With 14 to 17 true knots of northerly wind  we sailed south down the channel between Kefalonia and Ithaka, the sails goose-winged, which is the forward genoa sail on one side of the boat and the mainsail on the other side, and on this occasion with one reef in it.

 

Tioram bombed along with the wind and a moderate following swell. The wind funnels through this channel and we expected the swell to subside a little once we reached open sea.

In fact by 14.00, after 24 n miles we were south of Kefalonia in 23 t knots and building seas.  The wind speed was fine but the seas were larger than we expected.

We changed the sail configuration to a starboard tack and continued south.  The seas continued to build and were steeper but we were making good speed downwind making between 8-10 knots, sometimes surfing and just touching 12 knots for a moment which is above our hull speed.

 

As we crossed  the channel between Kefalonia and Zakinthos the wind backed to N/W and strengthened with the seas building , nothing to calm them from between Italy and us.  The wind speed was fine 25 t knots plus but the waves became a steep cross sea, substantially steeper than for the wind strength--- quite uncomfortable and foaming on the top edges.

 

Fortunately, our downwind Atlantic crossing gave us good practice for dealing with a large following/ cross sea and so Tony helmed all the way-------- a man in his element !!

We gybed twice to close on Zakinthos but we didnt get very much lee/ shelter from the coast. With reefed main and genoa the ride was still very uncomfortable.

 

Finally we sailed into the bay of Zakinthos town, not dropping the sails until we were safely into the outer harbour breakwater as rounding up into the lee shore wind to drop the sails would have been a bit hair raising in the steep seas.

In a difficult cross wind we finally moored stern to the dock in the inner harbour at 17.30 hrs.

 

Now whilst we both like Zakinthos town very much, the truth of this story is there is a very good hairdresser in the town-------- and actually I wanted my hair cut--------- so 45 miles and steep seas later------ I got my haircut------ was it worth it I ask myself--- poor Tony !!!!!!

 

The next day the wind dropped and we had a lovely time exploring the town and hillside above with fabulous views – and the old Venetian fort---see photos.

 

Lots of photos of-----

Sailing to Zakinthos, a jet passes by, water off the rudder, building seas---------there aren’t any photos when it got rough.

 

Next page of Blog.............

 

Zakinthos town and from the hillside above and cafe

 

The old Venetian fort

 

Tioram on the quay at night, the ferry comes in.

 

A haircut !!

 

Love to all

 

Tina and Tony x x x