Sunday, 14th October

We went up the narrow channel to Levkas Town where we did the round of chandleries. We have developed a long list of bits and pieces to be done and / or bought for the boat. So we did some window shopping as well as made a few small purchases, including a tarpaulin to cover the cockpit during the winter. It was hot and dry so we took the opportunity to wash and remove the mainsail, spreading it out and folding it on Levkas quay. A bit of sightseeing around the old part of the town and then we headed out, past the bridge, leaving the islands behind.
To Preveza town quay to continue the winterising. All the usual bits, this time the genoa unfurled, washed, taken off and folded again on the quayside, in front of all the local café clientele. They watch with critical interest, it is a familiar sight to them as many boats hauling out at one of the 3 boatyards across the bay come here first to get sorted out. Preveza is also the place to get one's last fix of some of the best baklava in the region! So we did.
Over the other side then and into Ionian Marine's hoisting slot Thursday evening - we were due to be the first lift of the day on Friday. Although rain and storms have been forecast for the last few days, we have been lucky - they have held off, enabling us to get all the necessary jobs done in sunshine and warmth - important when some of those jobs include getting laundry done and dried for stowing away. Safely lifted, examined, prop polished, engine bits done, etc. etc. etc. A busy couple of days, we had Colin from Silent Wings over for a last dinner (he is in the neighbouring boatyard and has been abandoned by wife Shirley who flew home to care for her elderly father).
And so all tasks done. And the weather broke. Thunderstorms and lightning. And rain, turning the boatyard into a gravelly, muddy mess. Definitely time to go home. Not for us this year the 5 ½ hour trip to Athens to fly home - we managed to get a flight (at a price!) from local Preveza airport just 10 minutes away on Sunday. A good thing too as it poured with rain.

A good flight back to London to arrive in unusual sunshine, followed by a tortuous route to Sophie's from Gatwick that included lovely trains, nice engineering works that overran, transfer coaches that did not materialise and a 2 ½ mile walk at the end of it. We let ourselves in at Sophie's - she was not to arrive home until much later, finishing a sailing delivery trip from Dartmouth to Portsmouth (having arrived back from a week's work in Florida - claimed it was just the thing for dealing with jet lag!). Needless to say, we were all a smidgeon tired.
And so the 2012 cruise has come to an end. After all the miles and progress of the last few years, this year was one of pottering in the islands, and taking it easy. It has been very easy and very nice. But…. We will not get stuck as so many do, next year it is south, around the corner, up and into the Cyclades, Sporades, Dodecanese; and also Turkey (get to Istanbul?) beckons.
So closing for now - we will take up the threads again next spring. We wish everyone a good winter and hope you enjoy the changes of the seasons.