Sailing CalistaApril/May 2024
We arrived in Athens after a one hour flight from Instanbul. After the fiasco with Immigration and having to pay our fines of 2400.00 euros we were granted entry into Greece. We proceeded to the baggage area and found our bags which were still on the carousel going around and around and looking forgotten. We collected our bags and exited through the arrival door and went outside the terminal where we waited for our taxi driver Timos to arrive. The temperature was much warmer than Istanbul and no jumpers were necessary.
After a relaxing 2 1/2 hour trip being chauffeured by Timo, we were dropped outside our accommodation in town where we would be staying for three days while we got Calista prepared for launching on the 1st May 2024. Following the instructions we had been given by Irene from the shipyard, we accessed the lockbox to obtain the key for the upstairs apartment.
The Basimakopoulos Apartments are one bedroom units and located a little further along in the centre of the township. The apartments were compact and with being on the top floor we had a lovely view out across to the harbour.
The only downside with any of the accommodation in Kilada is that the drinking water in not potable. The water tank on the roof is heated by solar power so we had plenty of hot water for showers but unfortunately the water is salty. It is disgusting for cleaning your teeth so we always had bottled water on hand.
After settling into the unit we headed off to walk down to the shipyard to see Calista.
The sides of the hull were shinning in the last afternoon sun from recently having been polished.
The hull has also had a new coat of antifoul which hopefully will last for two years.
On our way back to the apartment we stopped off at “Retro Cafe” for a wine and a bite to eat before turning in for the night. We shared a plate of pork pieces, roasted rosemary potatoes and pita bread. Very tasty.
The following morning we went back to the shipyard and called into the office to let them know we had returned and to collect the boat key. Evangelos advised that our new dingy crate was over by the workshop and he was happy for us to leave the boxing to one side as he will use it for his chicken coup at home.
Paul was eager to open up the crate and wasted no time in dismantling the crate and opening up the box inside containing the new 9.8hp outboard.
Paul removed all the screws from the marine ply packaging then we wheeled the new tender out of the crate into the sunshine and proceeded to unpack the motor then lifted it onto the rear transom. The motor was a 9.8hp (four stroke) and was much lighter compared to our previous 15hp outboard.
With the motor on the OC Tender, the two of us were able to wheel the dingy over to where Calista was in the yard.
The next day we hired a rental car and drove to Napfio to pay our Tepai (cruising tax) of 124.00 euros for one month. A fellow New Zealander, Al was also in the shipyard and we offered him a ride. At first we waited in a line at the local Post Office to pay our Tepai. After waiting around for a half hour with the queues not getting any less and time was ticking. I approached the counter and after some translating was told we had to pay at a Bank. So off we went to the Bank around the corner and paid the Tepai at a stand alone terminal. At Customs we collected our Transit Log and paid the 15.00 euros. The lovely Custom’s lady spoke good English, informed us that the boat is okay to stay in Greece until December. Initially it was until June but because the boat had been on the hard for six months, this extended the time for the boat. This was good news as we won’t be pressured time wise in case things don’t go to plan with Calista.
Later in the afternoon we drove up to Karandi and bought a local data sim card for the router on Calista. 20.00 euro for one month with 75 gig of data.
On the day that Calista was being launched it was a lovely morning and the anchorage was calm.
We were advised early in the morning that Calista would be first to be launched. We also needed to have the old dingy brought to the holding pen by forklift so that we could secure the dingy onto the davits.
We wheeled our new OC tender down to the waterfront, and we would come ashore later to tow her out to Calista
Calista was launched without any dramas and we proceeded to motor out into the anchorage at 1000rpm taking it easy. Unfortunatley we still appeared to have transmission issues, and we were unable to back up on the anchor and we were losing drive. We however deployed the anchor and plenty of chain.
Ermioni Marine came out to Calista to reassess the issue and it appears that it could still be the transmission unit. Nothing further can be done till the following week as Greece was about to go into their Easter celebrations and business’s closed until the 7 May 2024. Oh well, it is what it is.
It was very peaceful out in the anchorage, the sun is shining and the scenery isn’t bad. We just have to make the most of what we have until the issue can be resolved. Paul was able to play with the new tender and getting the feel of how it handles in the water and start “running it in”.
Our NZ friends on Mistik who were also in the shipyard, have given Paul a new Indian name – “two dingies Paul”.
There were a number of Easter Egg displays around the town. The Greek Easter is the same as Orthodox Easter and is considered to be of the most important religious and cultural celebration in Greece.
We could only wait until the Easter festivities were over before we could get some action. It is not a bad place to be living on our yacht in a lovely anchorage. Restaurants were open.
Calista is very low on water so we dingied to shore and used the local laundromat to do some much needed washing. 5.00 euros for a load.
With a nice breeze blowing, it didn’t take long for the clothes to dry.
After several days of rough weather and strong winds, the weather improved and we made use of the calm morning before breakfast and decided we would hoist the sails.
We tackled the genoa sail first and all went well, then we hoisted the stay sail. One hour in total, a good morning’s work.
After the Easter break, we had Ermioni come out to Calista to check out the transmission issues.
The latest visit they were in discussion with Antonios from Volvo Penta in Athens. They swapped the hoses on the transmission as advised by Antonios which seemed to work. The next day we lifted anchor and motored around for abit to test and we hadn’t gone far when the heat exchanger hoses got very hot so we dropped anchor again. It looks like the gearbox will need to come out again and be sent back to ZF to be rechecked.
We didn’t want to stock up the freezer with meats etc in case we have to be haued out again. We dingied ashore and decided to have a gryos (yiros) for dinner washed down with a Greek beer. Paul opted for some kebabs instead. It’s a simple dish – chicken meat, tomatoes, red onion and tzatziki – all wrapped in a flatbread/pita bread with french fries, it was delicious and very filling.
From the anchorage it was a very calm evening and the reflections were stunning.
Ermioni Marine advised that we would need to come to the wharf to tie up for removal of the transmission, so early next morning we motored in to the dock and tied up in the only space available which was in front of the ship and in front of the fishing nets. The two guys repairing the nets gave us a hand with our lines. The Harbour Master came later that evening to collect the fees – 13.20 euro per day/night to stay on the wharf.
On our first night we had an elderly gentleman fishing from the wharf between ourselves and the boat behind. When we went to the bathroom during the night we peeped through the blinds and could see him still sitting there fishing. He left the next morning around 10.00am. We don’t think he caught much, mostly small sprats which he was giving to some of the wild stray cats who were hanging about.
