On Sunday night we went to a concert of traditional Naxos music and dancing on the terrace of the Venetian museum (video won't upload).
We left Naxos early on Monday 17th for a gentle sail in a light northwesterly wind to Skhinousa, where we arrived in time for lunch.
After lunch we went for a walk, following the instructions in our walks book, which involved breaking in to the 'Valley of the Muses', a grandiose investment project now abandoned, clambering along cliff edges an beaking through fences, till we arrived at a beautiful beach,
where the one German couple on the beach hurriedly put on their knickers when they saw us arriving (there was a big sign forbidding nudism). After a swim we walked back to the harbour, getting a liftup to the Hora from the German couple in their hotel minibus.
We left early next morning for Amorgos and had a gentle sail down to Aegiali, where we got a place on the quay.
In the afternoon we set off on a walk, using our trusty walks book, but Simon went completely the wrong way and we ended up having a very steep walk up to Lower Potamos. Lin turned back, while Simon climbed up to Upper Potamos and then found some very rough paths back down.
Again we set off early in the morning to sail to Levitha. Off Amorgos there was very little wind and confused seas that set us rolling around. Just as last year we had a problem with the mainsail just off the Northwest tip of Amorgos, but we got it down, sorted it out and set off again.
As we approached Levitha a helicopter took off and flew over us
- it made two more sorties during the afternoon. It turned out that a German company has a contract to construct a wind farm and the helicopter was to carry out the surveys. The family who live on the island are horrified at the prospect. We don't object to a windfarm, but the construction will despoil the last unspolit island in the Aegean.
In the afternoon Lin swam and chilled, while Simon walked over to the hills on the north of the island.
By evening sixteen yachts had arrived - more boats that we had seen in one place since leaving Lakki. The taverna in the farmyard was bursting at the seams.
We left early next morning for Leros, arriving in Lakki at midday, planning to go into the marina on Friday. On Friday morning the engine would not start. We had had trouble starting for the last couple of weeks, but this time it would not start at all. Simon checked the fuel filters, which looked clean, and unburnt fuel was coming out of the exhaust, so we concluded that it was a problem with the glow plugs. Simon took them out and found that two were not working (the two remaining new ones that we had fitted last year). Fortunately we still had two of the old ones and when we fitted them the engine started fine.
When we got into the marina we found that the water pump was not working. That too had been temperamental for the last couple of weeks, but started when bashed. Simon checked the wiring, which was OK, took the pump apart, but could not see anything obviously wrong so now have no hot water, and cold water only from the foot tap in the galley sink.
Now we are in Lakki cleaning and mending and preparing to layup. All too boring for another blog. We take the ferry to Athens on Sunday night and fly to Gatwick on the 3rd and home on October 4th.
We left Naxos early on Monday 17th for a gentle sail in a light northwesterly wind to Skhinousa, where we arrived in time for lunch.
After lunch we went for a walk, following the instructions in our walks book, which involved breaking in to the 'Valley of the Muses', a grandiose investment project now abandoned, clambering along cliff edges an beaking through fences, till we arrived at a beautiful beach,
where the one German couple on the beach hurriedly put on their knickers when they saw us arriving (there was a big sign forbidding nudism). After a swim we walked back to the harbour, getting a liftup to the Hora from the German couple in their hotel minibus.
We left early next morning for Amorgos and had a gentle sail down to Aegiali, where we got a place on the quay.
In the afternoon we set off on a walk, using our trusty walks book, but Simon went completely the wrong way and we ended up having a very steep walk up to Lower Potamos. Lin turned back, while Simon climbed up to Upper Potamos and then found some very rough paths back down.
Again we set off early in the morning to sail to Levitha. Off Amorgos there was very little wind and confused seas that set us rolling around. Just as last year we had a problem with the mainsail just off the Northwest tip of Amorgos, but we got it down, sorted it out and set off again.
As we approached Levitha a helicopter took off and flew over us
- it made two more sorties during the afternoon. It turned out that a German company has a contract to construct a wind farm and the helicopter was to carry out the surveys. The family who live on the island are horrified at the prospect. We don't object to a windfarm, but the construction will despoil the last unspolit island in the Aegean.
In the afternoon Lin swam and chilled, while Simon walked over to the hills on the north of the island.
By evening sixteen yachts had arrived - more boats that we had seen in one place since leaving Lakki. The taverna in the farmyard was bursting at the seams.
We left early next morning for Leros, arriving in Lakki at midday, planning to go into the marina on Friday. On Friday morning the engine would not start. We had had trouble starting for the last couple of weeks, but this time it would not start at all. Simon checked the fuel filters, which looked clean, and unburnt fuel was coming out of the exhaust, so we concluded that it was a problem with the glow plugs. Simon took them out and found that two were not working (the two remaining new ones that we had fitted last year). Fortunately we still had two of the old ones and when we fitted them the engine started fine.
When we got into the marina we found that the water pump was not working. That too had been temperamental for the last couple of weeks, but started when bashed. Simon checked the wiring, which was OK, took the pump apart, but could not see anything obviously wrong so now have no hot water, and cold water only from the foot tap in the galley sink.
Now we are in Lakki cleaning and mending and preparing to layup. All too boring for another blog. We take the ferry to Athens on Sunday night and fly to Gatwick on the 3rd and home on October 4th.
Sounds like the poor old boat is getting as worn out as its owner :-) Hope to se you soon.
ReplyDelete