introduction – the ‘off’

Barry Latchford – 25^th March 2007

So, having written the obligatory ‘male menopause’ list – twenty things to do before you’re too old to do them justice - within 10 years or so nearly all of them had been knocked off (climbed the Himalayan peak in the shadow of Everest; learned to ski and skied that ‘double black’; learned to dive and dived Blue Corner in Palau; bungee jumped off that bridge in New Zealand, and oh so much more) and in the process, over 50 countries visited. Which left a big, “What now?”

During our travels, my wife Teddy and I met a number of really sound people who were sailing round the world or living happily on biggish boats. So, they suggested, why not buy a big catamaran, become snails and take our much-sought second home around with us until we find a place we’d like to stop? Which is where the challenge began; not least, because neither of us had ever sailed. This challenge rapidly evolved into the much clichéd, but still appropriately nomenclatured, ‘adventure of a lifetime.’

By last June,  having taken my RYA Day Skipper qualifications, chartered catamarans in Greece and Thailand, and learned to tell one end of the boat from t’other at last, I knew just about enough to be able to order a big new catamaran from Alliaura, one of the more upmarket sailing boat builders in the Pays de La Loire region of France.

Looking back while writing this in March 2007, I realise that I had no idea then of the logistical complexities needed to bring this project to fruition – all-absorbing is too small a phrase for it. I sometimes wonder if the Normandy landings weren’t simpler to organise. Arkouda, though, is due to go in the water at the beginning of April, pretty much on time; ‘A’ team and chandlery arrives 21^st April, sea trials start then too; delivery crew – mates really - start arriving last week April and then, once everything has been checked, tested, re-checked and tested again, it’s off across Biscay and onto the long, long schlep south to warmer climes. Total coward that I am, and now wondering in a sheer funk if this was such a good idea after all.

27/05/2007 Update

Barry Sunday May 27^th.

Well, so much for the idea of writing a blog update every week! As it turned out, events became a roller coaster and we are only now, towards the end of May, drawing breath.

The final two weeks of fitting out were, ahem, challenging, and despite the best efforts of the boatyard we set sail on 5^th May with bits missing, notably a working satellite phone; without which, alas, we can’t access the internet and thus update the blog…..

But crossing Biscay turned out to be a breeze – literally – a beam reach all the way, and cats do like beam reaches. 200 miles straight under sail, rolling the big swell as if it wasn’t there, this is one lovely, stable boat. We put into Baiona for fuel and food, sweet little Spanish town with great hospitality and superb tapas. Then off again while the weather was with us, motoring and sailing down the coast of Portugal with big, big swell, but again, handling it well. We have found that cats skate when close to the wind, and as we seemed to have only two types of wind off Portugal – OTN and UYB (that’s On The Nose and the other I leave to the imagination) the engines got a good workout. But as Arkouda will cruise at 8 knots on one engine, not that much of a problem.

All of which made filling up at the duty free port of Ceuta a very good idea. Now, that’s a town we liked – an oddity of a Spanish colony on the North African coast, jump off point for Morocco, good food, great wine, nice people. But it was here that we said goodbye to our intrepid cook – the ability to run a kitchen being something of a pre-requisite in a cook, and apparently beyond this troubled American lass – so now the crew are having to suffer cuisine a la Bazza; so far, no complaints, very New Man…

Which seems a goodish time to introduce the rest of the band, as it were: Prasarn, known as Boo, one of the most sought after racing skippers in Phuket, an absolute treasure who looks after the boat as if it is gold plated (and at this price, perhaps it ought to be) and if we’re lucky, he lets us play with the boat from time to time. Carl, who came out at very short notice to take the last leg to Greece after Boo went back to Thailand for a regatta commitment, and who has set new records for beer consumption in the Ionian. And of course Mike and me.

Playing with Big Boys’ Toys means hitting the technology bit quite often. HOW TO WAKE THE CREW chapter one from me was testing the Raymarine Life Tag system, which sounds a very, very loud alarm when someone goes over the side; alas, without RTFM’ing it first (that’s Read the x*&! Manual!)

Back to the trip – having lost our other crew member Otto – as in Otto Pilot – off the North African Coast we hotted it to Ibiza to the nearest Raymarine specialist, who after pulling out all the entrails found the problem: an overloaded PCB (whatever that is) That fixed, we went on to Menorca, firstly to the west side which was pretty but very ‘egg & chips’ then to Mahon which was delightful. Decided to stay put in Mahon for a good night’s sleep – which turned out to be from 4.30 am to 6 am thanks to a load of bars, booze and … well, let’s not mention Brazilian/Jamaican whores or Mike’s unforgettable comment that “these girls seem very friendly”

Then to Carlo Forte on the lovely island of St Pietro off the west coast of Sardinia, a sweet Genoese outpost. Driving against a Force 7/8 with big seas, luckily not much fell off but we did find the lady’s limits, and broke a couple f blocks doing so. We arrived in time for Giro Tonno, which meant that the town became a tourist attraction for the Sunday; which also meant that a new ferry arrived every hour or so from the mainland, disgorging seeming hundreds of beautiful young Italian girls dressed to kill. All a bit of a strain on the eyes, also very unfair on men who had been at sea for weeks……

From there to Pantelleria, a strange island halfway between Tunis and Sicily – which also seems to be its only reason for being. And then to Gozo, where live my good friends Pete and Jo, who were superbly hospitable. Gozo has much charm, and it would have been nice to stay for a few days, but the schedule – and Greece – called.

Which meant a 48 hour schlep across the Ionian to Cephalonia, to the picturesque  port of Fiskardo, not to mention Ouzo, Metaxa, and other delights.. More anon..

Barry, 4^th July Patmos

Well, flaming June. What a fantastic month. We started the month in Cephalonia, whence Mike rapidly departed to Thailand to sort out his business, and we were joined by the inestimable Yiannis and his lovely lady Martha – boy, can she cook!  They joined us in Agostoli then we went on to Vathi in Ithaca, whence we started east toward Corinth, promptly running into a Force 7, lightning /thunder storm with gusts up to 50 knots or more, bit hard on the ladies but exciting, even if it focussed the mind, especially for the poor sod who had to go forward and sort out the flailing ropes (oh, that was me! That’s when one discovers that harnesses are made for monohulls, you can’t reach the mast from the life lines, so unclip and pray, oops)

Put into Mesalongi for shelter, then under the massive new bridge and onto Galaxidi, through the canal (one of those not-to-be-missed experiences, even if it is the most expensive stretch of water in the world, which it must be). Then onto Poros and a week moored up in Hydra. Great friends made and renewed, especially Veronique and the incredible harbourmaster Pantelis, who hasn’t shaved or cut his hair since he left the army in Vietnam way back in the 70’s, and who wanders round each day muttering “malaka, malaka” at the antics of the charter boats.) Then down to Monemvasia and on to the litany of islands:

Sifnos, Serifos, Kithnos, Siros, Rinia, Dhilos, Paros, Skhinousa, Koufonisia and Amorgos. Each different, each charming, hard to pick a favourite. And sun all the way, and lots of heat – high 30’s C, thank God for airco!

We holed up for a day in Amorgos waiting out a Force 7, but then headed east across the Aegean, stopping at the smaller islands on the way, especially Levithra which is occupied by one, count him, one, goat herder, we’re told. But shelter from the Meltemi. Then we go which way the wind takes us. And so on to Leros, Lipsi and Patmos.

Otto Pilot still giving trouble, hopefully will get him fixed in Kalimnos if the French and Raymarine cooperate. And the Iridium finally fixed we think. But who needs technology when we have Poseidon himself on board in the shape of Yianni, who seems to know every trick of these islands? Though I think between us we’re outpacing the ouzo production capacity of Greece….