End of the season approaches

We set off early morning from Gouvia at the end of October. It was very atmospheric, with mist lying low on the land and a small pod of dolphins playing in the shallows off the point. It was quite still with the sun rising over the mountains of the mainland. It was just beautiful. We had a fantastic motor sail down to Preveza with the sea to ourselves. The winds were light, as predicted in the forecast, but was predicted to change the following day with big winds and heavy rain, hence our decision to go and get straight to Preveza. It had rung Sprios the day before to ask if it was ok for us to go inside the unfinished marina at Preveza where we would be alongside. It would be much easier to do any preperations for lift out to the boat there. He said it was ok, so that was the plan. It was bright sunshine but chilly on the way down.









The original Curly Sue

and Andy too

                                          







As we slipped past Sivota it seemed eerily quiet in comparison to when we passed through about a month earlier. The season had well and truly ended. We saw only two other yachts on our trip to Preveza, one of which followed us up the channel. We motored up Preveza channel against a two knot current which was flowing out of the Gulf of Amvrakia which we had visited what seemed like ages ago. We were just starting to lose the light as we approached Preveza and there were three yachts alongside on the town quay in comparison to thirty or more when we had left. We passed them and found a place on one of the pontoons behind a couple of fishing boats then gave Spiros a ring to let him know we were there. He was out taking students on a sailing lesson and said he would call and see us when he came in, which he did. So this was it, last stop before Curly comes out of the water for the winter. We had quite a few little jobs to do, just getting sorted out for the winter. The genoa came off ( front sail ) and we packed all the sails away in their bags.

Unfortunately Susans knees were giving her real grief that painkillers and anti-inflamatory pills only partially helped. We walked into town to the bus station to buy our tickets to Athens but as Susan was struggling so much it took ages, about 45 minutes each way. Still, the weather was beautiful and warm with bright blue skies. We had already booked the boat to be lifted out on Friday 5th November. For the rest of the week we just enjoyed the weather which was marvellous and polished the boat from bow to stern. In the evenings it was dark quite early so we settled down to a game of scrabble and a drink before dinner about 7.30pm then a game of chess after dinner. Susan is the scrabble champ and I have the title for chess. On day when we were busy we were surprised to see Mark and Angie that we had met in Sivota walking down the pontoon. They were having a day out and just happened to be nosing around the boats.



On Friday morning we set off in plenty of time to go across to Cleopatra marina. Not that its a long way, about 10 minutes across the channel. We hailed them as we approached and were waved in. They were busy lifting a large trip boat out which was causing them a few problems. Well, more than a few actually.

in the cradle

Our 9am lift out became 1015 and she wasn't settled in her cradle until after noon. We stayed on her for two nights with Susan struggling up and down the ladder then moved into a room in the office complex for Sunday night. It was still lovely weather over the weekend but come Monday morning it changed and as we set off for Athens it was pouring with rain. " the sky was crying, the streets were full of tears". We felt sad to be leaving Curly behind.



Curly with her winter cover on