Friday, 4th October 2013 Stopped in our Tracks or Stuck on Syros

The good progress has ground to a halt. We are still on the island of Syros. We are a couple of miles from the main town in yet another one of Greece's unfinished "marinas". We can see the town across the bay, there is lots of room on the quay, there is power and water there, as well as shower facilities, etc. However. The swell in there is horrendous, those that were there have fled for fear of damage to themselves or their boats. The ferries roar in at about 15 knots, do a handbrake turn in the middle of the harbour, putting themselves at a 45 degree angle and causing huge wash. So we are here, thankfully being blown off the quay, still bobbing and yawing to a certain extent, but definitely preferable. In here with us are 3 French boats and 1 other British.

We have a large supermarket and a bakery within walking distance, 2 good chandleries (amazing for Greece), and more amazingly, free bus shuttles every 20 minutes into town from the supermarket. So we can go and amuse ourselves there. We have also taken other buses - up the hill, across the island to the western side, and random buses as they came along just to see where they went.

And we are still weather watching. Just when we think we have a window to make a dash, first to Kithnos, not too far away, and from there to either Poros or Ermioni on the mainland, the scene changes again and the window is gone. What looked good for Sunday& Monday, is now put back to a slightly worse Tuesday or Wednesday. It is F5's/6's and 7's. Fives are ok, that is not the problem. For a smallish boat, it is the sea state that gets kicked up here in the Aegean that makes it so difficult.

The boat gets lifted at Basimakopoulo Boatyard in Kilada on the mainland a week today. And then we fly home (flights from Athens already booked). We thought we had lots of time and had built in enough of a "bad weather" buffer. That buffer is beginning to look a bit thin! Sailors do not like to have deadlines (or should not sail to deadlines?). We may have to find our window and do one or two long hauls. Here's hoping.

P.S. Just had a Greek man move R's bicycle to squeeze his car past on the little quay we are on. They may not have power or water, but they do have nice big ornate lamp-posts. He said, and I quote: "You must be very, very careful. More wind. These lamp-posts are very old and not safe". There's a new one for the Insurance Companies - I want to put in a claim for damage to my boat caused by falling-over lamp-posts. How far do you think we would get?