Sailing Calista1 July 2024 to 7 July 2024
On the morning of the 1st July 2024 in the anchorage of Kilada, we noticed that the wharf was free of any other boats so we decided that we would lift the anchor and head on over to secure a spot as the following day we were having the new transmission installed. It was a very calm morning with no breeze, luckily, because as I had almost managed to lift the anchor I noticed that there was an old discarded fishing net tangled around the chain. The net had managed to slip further down on the chain as the anchor was being lifted then eventually becoming stuck solid above the anchor.
What a mess! Paul lowered the dingy and went around to the bow to take a closer look and with a bit of cutting away of the string Paul managed to free it enough to slip further down to sit ontop of the anchor. It still needed much more cutting away but that would have to wait until we were alongside the wharf.
Once we were safely tied up alongside the wharf Paul went around to the bow in the dingy to further investigate. It took quite some time to cut away the floating lines of the net and free it.
Not long after I walked up to the bow I noticed a turtle swim swim by. The water near the wharf was surprisingly clear and there were lots of small fish around also.
It wasn’t long before several other yachts came in and tied up alongside the wharf. We noticed a diesel tanker filling up another yacht so we also took advantage of the truck and got our tank topped up. We took on 150 litres @1.70/litre, costing 255.00 euros. With no efpos/credit card machine, the driver offered to drive Paul down to the nearest ATM which was next to the supermarket to get some cash, and afterwards Paul walked back to Calista.
We also took advantage of the local water tanker who was down on the wharf and topped up our water tank for 20.00 euros.
The following day we were going to get our old transmission removed and replaced with the new transmission. We were ready and waiting. The Ermioni Marine team of three arrived promptly around 9.30ish followed shortly afterwards by Antonios from Volvo Penta, Athens. A youngish chap had accompanied him and he was from the Head Office of Volvo Penta Sweden.
We felt very blessed to have five technicians on board trying to solve our transmision issue. It seemed very promising. We felt sorry for the mechanic who was stuck down in the engine compartment for most of the day, removing and installing the new transmission. Very hot sweaty work.
Antonios took numerous data readings from the engine and other components while having imput from the other chap from Sweden.
Once the new gearbox, heat exchanger and new harness were installed and everyone was confident, we took Calista out for a test run. Calista felt like a new boat, she was getting along at great speed and there were no vibrations. The hoses to the heat exchanger were staying cool. What a relief to us and everyone.
We berthed back onto the wharf and around 3.30 pm. The guys from Volvo Penta were both happy with the performance and said we were good to go. Confident that the problems have been fixed.
Still no-one really knew what the issue was, we are special – one in a million 🙂
At 4.30pm we untied from the wharf and motored around to Porto Cheli. We were still paronoid the entire trip checking the hoses every ten to fifteen minutes along the way, and dropped anchor in the bay at 6.30pm.
We dingied ashore to our favourite restaurant, Ostria for a celebratory dinner.
For starters we shared a sea bass cervich and it was delicious.
I enjoyed a yummy sea bass fillet while Paul had a fillet steak with mushroom sauce.
To finish off our scrumpious meal we treated ourselves to apple pie and icecream to share.
The following morning we dingied over to the shore and went to the Port Police to get our transit log stamped in and out as we were going to do an overnight trip to Leros Island while we had a favourable weather window.
We had sailed for most of the day getting along at around 6.00 knots and as we approached Agios Georgios around 5.00pm the wind was starting to drop and so we started the engine and furled in the sails.
We enjoyed watching the sun going down over the horizon.
Paul turned on the radar to get adjusted to it before complete darkness.
It was a pleasent evening motoring through the night while the seas were calm and giving the new transmission a good test run.
We arrived at Leros Island late the following afternoon and anchored in Alinda where we had anchored the previous season. With the weather changing and the winds building, the anchorage was pretty protected.
The following afternoon while we were eating lunch, Paul glanced out the window and noticed that we were dragging. OMG. We pulled up anchor and came back in to our spot, letting out much more chain as there was no other boats close to us. After a terrible night at anchor with strong wind gusts, we left the following morning to head down to Kos Island. The wind was behind us and it was a downwind sail though the seas were rather rolly.
We approached the bottom end of the Kos Island where the marina is situated, and had thought about anchoring for the night as we had a booking for the following day. Our friends on Tipheret were in an anchorage on Kos Island further around on the southern side which was better protected from the winds, so we decided to continue around to meet up with them in the anchorage at Kefalos.
We arrived into the anchorage to see Tipheret had painted a welcome banner for us.
We all went ashore for dinner at Sydney Bar & Grill and enjoyed a delicious steak and caught up with all the news since we saw them last.
The following morning we left the anchorage shortly after breakfast to head back down to Kos marina where we would check out of Greece.
Our friends on Tipheret decided they would also come to Turkey with us. They rented a car and drove down to Kos town to do the necessary paperwork, then called into the marina.
Uli chauffered us around to the Port Police and Customs offices. It was really appreciated as it saved us from having to walk in the heat.
It was quite a rigmarole. First we had to get our transit log and crew list stamped in with the Port Police then go to Customs where they stamped our crew list and passports. Then it was back to Port Police to get the transit log and crew list stamped out, then back to Customs to hand in the transit log.
Phew, we finally stamped out of Greece on the 7th July 2024.
Back at the marina it was time for nice cool G&T and a bite to eat.
We are excited to be going over to Turkey the following day. We arranged to meet Tipheret at Datca where we both needed to check into Turkey though the same Agent.
