Mooching about

After John left on July 13 we decided to hang around Lakki, waiting for our new mattress, cleaning up and doing some maintenance. The town quay was too hot, and the water had been disconnected, so we went out to anchor in the bay, which was much cooler. The mattress was promised for Wednesday, but did not arrive on the ferry, the next one not being due till Saturday, so we went into the marina for a couple of days to get water and electricity and to clean and polish the hull.

In the marina Simon went up to the top of the mast to change the bulb of the anchor light for an LED bulb and to try to change the bulb of the deck light half way up the mast.

Ian and Jo came over for a drink and a good meal at To Petrino – we each shared a steak, which was enough for two. Ian and Jo had heard the latest story from Agmar, that there had been an emergency management meeting to see if they could ask the workers to work for six months without pay to save the company. How stupid can you get! Russian managers, who are experts in non-payment of wages, just tell the workers at the end of the month ‘sorry, we can’t pay you this month, but just hang on and we will pay you when we can’. People then keep working because if they quit they are afraid they will never get their back pay.

After two days in the marina we went out to anchor again. On Saturday (21 July) we were walking back from the greengrocer's when we were almost run over by Yanni, the mattress man, driving back to his shop with a load of foam. At last the mattress was ready. We went onto the town quay, filled up with water from Costa's tanker and Yanni delivered the mattress at midday. We decided to stay another night, and left early on Sunday morning for a windy beat up to Arki.

We stayed two nights on the quay in Arki, having dinner both nights at Nicolas.

On the second day we were asked to move along the quay to make room for the ferry. The little ferry came alongside the quay, perilously close to us, but with brilliant driving he managed to avoid both us and the boat behind him.

On Tuesday we left Arki for Agathonisi. The wind died on us so we had to motor most of the way. In Agathonisi we managed to get onto the town quay, but on Thursday morning were asked to move off to make way for the boats coming in for the festival that night, so moved over to anchor with a line to the rocks. The festival that night was as good as last year - good cheap food and drink, a great band and energetic dancing, though not for us!

We got home about 1 am and collapsed into bed. Next morning the beach was littered with bodies sleeping off the night before.

We left early on Friday morning to come up to Pythagorion ready to meet Becky on Sunday night. Simon went off in the dinghy to take off the lines from the rocks. As he came back, ducking under the lines of the neighbouring French boat he did a backward roll into the water. As he surfaced he saw our boat swinging onto the French boat - Lin had not realised that the engine was in neutral. Fortunately she reacted fast and drove us off very neatly, avoiding the French boat's anchor chain. Meanwhile, Simon revovered the dinghy and swam back with it and we were on our way. What wind there was was on the nose, so after a vain attempt at sailing then motorsailing we dropped the sails and motored.

There was no room on the quay in Pythagorion so we anchored off. A short time later the port policeman whistled at us to move - we were in the way of the ferry coming in. We upped anchor and moved over, only to drag on the weed. Just as we got the anchor off and cleaned off the weed we saw a couple of boats coming out of the harbou, so we belted in and got a good spot on the quay, with free water and electricity (free so far, the port police have not come by). Pythagorion is a bit of a shock - a busy tourist resort - the St Tropez of Samos - with noise, crowds and prices to match. Becky will love it, but it is not quite our cup of tea!

On Saturday evening a large (36 metre) Russian flagged motor yacht, Esperanza, came in. Boats were told to leave the quay to make way for him - money talks - and he dropped his anchor just off us and drove back over about 20 boats' anchors, so that nobody would be able to leave until he did.

Fortunately he left early next morning - probably just coming in to pick up his owners/punters, though we didn't see any.

Today, Sunday, Becky arrives in the evening and we have booked in to the garden restaurant that gets top marks on Trip Advisor. We shall see!