Thursday, 6th June 2019
Under and through Bridges

The forecast chose for us. It was up the Evia Channel and the delights (and expense) of transiting the Khalki Bridge. We carried on to Tinos as planned, renowned for its marble (fabulous marble museum) and its hundreds of dovecotes and pigeon lofts - each individual and very ornate (see entry Sept 2017 for detail). We decided to carry on to large Andros, as we had never been and to keep our options open. We abandoned our plan though to hire a car to explore the island (another time maybe) and headed off next day to the Evia Channel, crossing the bottom of the Kafirea Strait as we did so.

We stopped in some lovely anchorages in the Evia Channel (a stretch of water between the mainland/environs of Athens and the island of Evia) in the company of HR45 Ginny - off a little islet called Xero and into a pretty little fishing port Voufalo, protected by a tiny sandbar. When we were last here 6 years ago (on our way north to collect Sophie & Al) we had the tiny anchorage to ourselves. This time it was full. We arrived in 30+ kn winds; they eventually died, & with little wind, the boats were all dancing around slowly to a different tune depending on size, weight and amount of chain out. Some "cosying up" occurred, but no bodily contact!

Here we parted company with Ginny who wanted to transit the bridge the following evening. As it was scheduled to open at an unseemly 2-3am, we decided to take our time until after the new moon when the projected opening would be at a more civilised 10pm. We meandered more slowly up the channel over the next few days. First we had to duck under a high bridge connecting Evia to the mainland - just squeaked under (that's what it looks like but miles of room really), before eventually arriving in Khalki (Chalkida) on Sunday evening. Monday we spent exploring, first the town, then to the opening bridge to monitor the cauldron and whirlpool that is the result of the current running through the narrows (often up to 7-9 knots). We watched the transit of boats for that night's opening. The Port Authority will not announce the time of the opening until about ¼ hour before, although an estimate is posted on the bridge. They monitor when slack water is beginning to happen and then call boats through one by one at best possible speed. The bridge only remains open for about 15 minutes - north to south went first with a large tanker leading the way at about 10 knots, nearly mowing down a hapless yacht waiting in a very stupid position to go south to north.

Tuesday, we hiked up to the local castle (typical it was closed only on Tuesdays) and had a discussion with locals about the weather being so peculiar and the fact that there was snow still on nearby Mt Dirfas -they had never seen snow there in June in their lifetime. Time then to pay our dues (€35) and have Myrica added to the transit list. We anchored off in the evening to have supper and settled down for our call. The call came just after 10pm, first to all ships, to ready ourselves and stand by, boats going North to South to go through first, then South to North. Myrica was the first sailing boat called S to N following 2 fishing vessels. It all went like clockwork except the N to S going Aussie boat took a long time sorting themselves out to the irritation of the port police, and by the time we went through the current was already picking up and wanting to froth. But all well and soon safely tucked up on the North Quay - very different to last time when it was a disorderly scrum and a bit nerve-wracking.

We are now about 40nm away, somewhere near the top of the channel. Tomorrow we will go up and around the tip to Orei on the north side of Evia - a great place with a beach the other side of the quay, decent little local shops for stocking up and nice tavernas. Next up, Sporades (Mamma Mia land and the wilder islands). Sophie & Al trip revisited…..