Corinth, the Canal and a Cultural Interlude

Corinth Canal (photo courtesy of Richard Williams)

Our friend, Richard, brother of my fellow Stunning Ruin, Mags, announced some time ago that he and his family would be on holiday near Corinth in August and asked if it would be possible to meet up. This fitted well with our plans because we had already decided to head in that direction, in order to escape the summer crowds in the Ionian (see previous post). As a result we kept in fairly close contact with one another as Duncan and I made our way slowly (yet in a dignified manner, of course) towards them. As a result we became very aware of the various trips they were making during their sojourn in Greece to places such as Delphi and Olympia. A number of these we have already visited, but not all and I became inspired to fill in some of the gaps in our cultural resume. (Resume should probably have an accent, but I’m afraid I can’t work out how to do that on an iPad!).

The Williams family aboard Rampage

When we sailed round the Peloponnese a few years ago, I very much wanted to visit the famous amphitheatre at Epidavros but the opportunity didn’t arise, because we were heading north to meet up with my son and could not afford the time. Similarly when we were in Navplion the same year, I should like to have visited Mycenae but Duncan chose that moment to injure himself so we went nowhere for several days and then, once again, we couldn’t spare the time. There is always a concern, too, about leaving the boat unattended, especially this side of the Peloponnese where the winds can be very strong. So having declared my ambition to do some sightseeing, Duncan suggested that we should book into Zea marina in Athens where we could pick up a rental car for a couple of days and safely leave Rampage, without a worry.

Rampage on the quay at Galaxidi. Sorry, we failed to take any photos of the town, having been there several times before.

In the meantime we had made our way as far as Galaxidi, a delightful little town on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth. One of the charms of the town is that it has got away relatively unscathed from local earthquakes over the past 100 years or so. As a result the buildings are old and the town is quaintly attractive. The other notable features of Galaxidi were the geese that used to maraud along the waterfront demanding titbits from diners at the restaurants and the self-appointed drunken harbour master who helped yachts to berth and then expected payment in the form of six-packs of beer. Both were absent on our latest visit, much to our disappointment. The lady who has replaced the drunk is officially appointed and though she is very pleasant, somehow we missed the quirkiness of the way it had been.

Statue of Pegasus by the harbour in Corinth

We stayed a couple of nights and then made our way across the Gulf to the small boat haven in Corinth, spotting porpoises en route – a fairly rare sight of late. We had not been into Corinth before but it was straightforward and fairly empty which was a surprise, so we were able to tie up alongside. This made coming aboard the next day somewhat easier for the Williams family when they joined us for the trip through the canal. As we left the harbour we contacted the canal control tower to request permission to transit and were told to make our way to the western end at full speed and to radio again on arrival. This led to a rather abrupt introduction to Rampage for our guests as bounced across the waves towards the canal at full throttle. We had half expected to have a long wait before being given permission to proceed but in the event, there was very little hanging around. There were about seven or eight boats waiting to go through, including a couple of trip boats and several motor cruisers. We were probably the smallest and slowest vessel and brought up the rear which suited us well as there was no vast boat breathing down our neck as there was last time we made the trip.

Bringing up the rear as we transited the Corinth Canal.

Photos courtesy of Richard Williams

At the far end, we tied up in order to pay the vast toll (€183 for a six kilometre canal) and then made our way down the coast until we were not far from the villa where our friends were staying. There we had a leisurely swim and lunch before Duncan suddenly announced, somewhat unceremoniously it must be said, that it was time for them to leave! Somewhat startled, they gathered their belongings together and he ferried them ashore in the dinghy, explaining as he did so that we had a four to five hour journey ahead to get to Athens, and we wanted to arrive before dark. We had a splendid sail but as it was, we only just managed to get in before the light completely disappeared so the skipper was vindicated, to some extent, for his lack of courtesy!

As a result of our late arrival, we needed to check-in the next morning. Since it happened to be a Sunday the office did not open until 10 o’clock and was then very busy so it was 11 before we set off. In view of our rather late start we decided to visit Ancient Corinth which is only an hour from Athens. We had lunch on arrival, before visiting the site and ordered gyros, thinking this would be a quick snack. However there was a communication breakdown with the taverna waiter and instead of pita wraps, we were presented with gyros portions – a much bigger meal which neither of us could finish. Indeed we didn’t need eat again that day!

Head of Emperor Augustus

Mosaic in the museum at Ancient Corinth

Temple of Apollo

Ancient Corinth was very much what our kids used to refer to as YAPR (Yet Another Pile of Rocks). It was quite difficult to work out what we were looking at and therefore to visualise the old city. I had the impression that even the archeologists had problems as the information boards around the site were rather vague. We also made the mistake of visiting the museum first which was beautifully cool so the contrast when we emerged into the afternoon sun was overwhelming. There was little shade so it was a relief in due course, to retire for cold drinks and ice creams, (yes, okay, we did eat something else that day!)

The theatre at Epidavros

Epidavros the following morning was, in our view, far more impressive. The vast amphitheatre has had some restoration so it can be used for live performances and not just as a tourist site. The Williams family had managed to get tickets for a play and said it was tremendous although they were disappointed that the performers were miked up since the remarkable thing about Epidavros is the amazing acoustics. It is possible to stand centre stage and whisper, and still be audible on the highest rows of seats. Apparently using microphones had the effect of distorting the sounds. I had briefly considered trying to get tickets to a show ourselves, but decided we would be trying to achieve too much in the time available. The Williamses had reported that the seats were very hard and we would need to take cushions, but there was also no back support which D would have found intolerable.

The carved gateway to the city of Mycenae

Passageway leading to the aqueduct system

Views across the surrounding countryside

The burial ground

After visiting the museum at Epidavros, we then proceeded to make our way to Mycenae, arriving some time after 2pm. This time we decided to have salad for lunch – a far more sensible option – and then sat in the shady taverna until venturing out in the late afternoon. We found Mycenae to be utterly astounding. It is far older than the other sites we visited, dating back to the 16th century BCE, and yet much of it remains remarkably intact. Centre of the great Mycenaean civilisation, the city commanded an excellent position, easily defendable with a splendid view of the surrounding countryside. The sea is within a few miles for both trade and conquest and there was also access to fresh water. The palace/fortress even incorporated a sophisticated underground aqueduct system. The tremendously thick walls and magnificent main gateway are still intact and this time we found the information boards far more useful in identifying the various buildings.

Incredible artefacts found in the tombs at Mycenae

Afterwards, we visited the museum which was full of the most incredible artefacts, many found in the burial chambers.  It’s quite incredible to realise the age of these treasures. Eventually we made our way back to the Williams’ holiday villa to join them for dinner at a nearby restaurant. It was a great evening, and it was only very reluctantly that we dragged ourselves away, knowing we had an hour’s drive back to the marina.

Our anchorage today on the island of Salamina

Now we are at anchor in a delightful bay on the island of Salamina, west of Athens. The water is crystal-clear and is the colour of a swimming pool but is teeming with sea life so snorkelling is a joy. In a day or two we shall make our way south to Poros for laundry and fresh provisions but for now, this is enough.

Far from the Madding Crowd …

(With apologies to Thomas Hardy)

The Andirrion Bridge which we passed beneath today en route to Trizonia in the Gulf of Corinth

We have indeed (for the moment anyway,) left the crowds behind in the Ionian. We are now at the island of Trizonia in the Gulf of Corinth- the furthest we’ve strayed from our Preveza base for several years. Partly this is because we have more time this year, not needing to rush back for the start of a new academic year. Partly too, it is because we hope to meet up with friends in a few days time who are holidaying near Corinth. But, even before that was planned, we knew that this year we wanted to beat the summer hoards, and run away somewhere less frenetic and intended to go back round the Peloponnese.

Windsong – the boat belonging to our friends Doug and Josie, at anchor in Vliho bay. Sadly we never managed to catch them on board to say hello.

It isn’t that we don’t like company – it’s fantastic to get together with friends and after saying farewell to Eelco in Preveza (see previous post) we were delighted to spend a couple of days with our Cornish friends, Mike and Sandy in Vliho. The trouble is that everywhere in the Ionian just gets so very busy in July and August. This means that anchorages are crowded, quaysides and harbours packed. Inevitably there is a percentage of people on boats who are either incompetent, inconsiderate or both. The result is that anchors are not laid properly so when the wind builds they drag, or people anchor too close to one another. In the confined space of a harbour, anchors are dropped across other people’s chains and those responsible often have no clue how to resolve this. Alternatively they force themselves in between two other boats on a tightly-packed quay, frequently causing damage. Another problem is really loud music, noisy toys, (jet skis etc.) boats running their engine or generator at night or just crews that are drunk and noisy well into the small hours. Temperatures are high, people get stressed and tempers flare. Yes okay, I’ve become a boring old f**t, I recognise this, but the best thing to do is remove ourselves from all this potential trouble.

A fabulous book of memories

We went to Vliho to pick up post from the yacht club, amongst which was a parcel from our friends Steve and Linda Jeckells with whom we made a transatlantic crossing last year. We had no idea what the parcel contained but knew it was a present to mark my 60th birthday. I was rendered utterly speechless, (not a common occurrence) when I opened it up to discover the most beautiful book dedicated to me, with all the photographs from our transat, linked by the words from the blog post I wrote which described our adventure. It is a truly wonderful souvenir which I shall treasure for ever.

We left Vliho on Saturday, and set off for the anchorage just north of the entrance to the Gulf of Patras, Ormos Petali. As we left Kastos to the north, the number of other vessels dropped dramatically. Coming this far south is not practicable for flotillas or charter boats that are mainly based around Levkas Island. We had commented that we very rarely see dolphins any more here so when Duncan suddenly cried ‘Dolphin!’ I rushed up to the cockpit only to see the splash as it disappeared. However Duncan then said that in fact it he thought is was not a dolphin but a swordfish. It didn’t surface again so we shall never know for sure but I wish I’d seen it.

Contrary to expectations, we did not have the anchorage at Petali to ourselves that evening – in fact there were another six or seven boats in there. We had a lovely swim and then cooked on board, there being no other option because there is absolutely nothing ashore, not even a café. The only signs of human habitation are the fish farms dotted about.

The little houses on stilts in the Messolonghi channel

Next day we made our way to Messolonghi, not having returned since the winter of 2011/12. The marina where we overwintered is still there but not operational and the buildings looked strangely forlorn. We anchored off and next morning we walked into the town to shop for food. Revisiting the town brought mixed emotions; happy memories tinged with sadness for our lovely friend Susan who died in 2013.

Krioneri

Yesterday we stayed overnight in a tiny place called Krioneri, about 3 hours’ sail from Messolonghi. This is notable because it’s the first time for several years that we have taken the boat in somewhere completely unknown to us. There was one other sailing boat there before us, anchored with long lines to the quay. As we approached we saw that depths marked on the chart plotter bore little relation to reality so we slowed to a crawl, Duncan watching the depth gauge closely. We decided to go in bows-to, concerned that there might be debris beneath the quay that could foul or damage the rudder if we came in backwards. In the event, there was no problem and all went very smoothly despite the fact that there was no-one ashore to take our lines.

A system of pulleys to bring Rampage up next to the quay, to allow us to get on and off over the bow.

Later Duncan rigged a very sophisticated pulley arrangement to allow us to get on and off Rampage over the bow.  When we went for a stroll, we discovered that Krioneri seems to be no more than a few bars, restaurants and holiday villas – it is clearly somewhere that the Greeks themselves come to holiday as we seemed to be the only foreigners there, apart from the Germans in the other boat. We stopped for a drink before returning to the boat and were presented with a delicious dish of seafood to accompany our half litre of wine, the bill for which was the princely sum of €3.50. Quite clearly we were away from the inflated tourist prices of the Ionian.
Which brings us back to Trizonia which seems to have smartened itself up a little since we were last here. There are decorative lampposts along the pier where previously there were just hazardous deep holes in the concrete, and the sunken ketch which obstructed the pontoons for many years has finally been removed. There are also signs of new building going on. Later we shall go ashore to judge whether if the changes are an improvement.

Back in Trizonia

 

Cascades and Catastrophes

Rampage ready for launch. (Note the “scaffolding” at her starboard quarter on which we balanced to fit the new bumper, paint the boot-top and polish her topsides.)

Last night was our first night afloat this season and we are enjoying the utter peace and tranquillity after a very busy winter and a hot, tiring, two weeks living in the yard doing maintenance work. Our time on the hard has not been uneventful as I shall explain.

The first hint of a problem was when D suddenly leapt to his feet at about 11p.m. and let out a string of expletives. He suddenly remembered having started to fill the aft water tank before going to cook supper and had completely forgotten about it.  The aft tank generally takes five to ten minutes to fill; the tap had been flowing for approximately two hours, (yes, we ate very late that evening.) Suffice to say we had our very own pond on the ground at the back of the boat, the water tank having long since filled to capacity and beyond. However, having hastily turned off the tap, we thought that was the end of the matter. The yard is very dry and drains quickly, so we retired to bed, feeling guilty for having wasted so much water.

Next morning however, Duncan noticed a reflection through a finger-hold in one of the deck plates and we then discovered that the bilges were filled to capacity and about to overflow. Had we gone to bed the previous evening without turning the tap off, we would probably have been woken at some point by water invading our bunk. We hastily turned on the bilge pump and the water started to pour out of the back of the boat. 

Now it so happens that one of the tasks we have done this year is to replace the rubber bumper on the stern which had been much damaged by all the UV. In order to do this, and also some gel coat repairs on the stern, we had scaffolding set up at the back of the boat. This is not scaffolding to conform with U.K. health and safety regs mind you, but a frame on wheels with two layers of planks balanced on it! Anyway, the thing was fiendishly heavy to move so, rather than keep moving it, we had been clambering up and down it whenever we wanted to get on or off the boat. Trust me – it made using the normal 4 metre ladder feel like luxury.

When the bilge pump was turned on, water cascaded down from the exit point to Rampage’s swim platform, down again onto the first (higher) plank, then on to the next layer before finally dropping the final metre or so to the ground. It was impressive – we created our very own water feature – and emptying the bilges went on for ages. 

Afterwards, Duncan had a happy time contorted and twisted nearly double identifying the source of the leak and then replacing the breather valve on the water inlet which had come adrift and allowed water to fill the rest of the boat. On the plus side, we do now have extremely clean bilges.

This doesn’t really do our water cascade justice but I wasn’t prepared to try and climb down for a better shot while the water was flowing!

Chaos inside as we empty the bilges.

Rampage is, in fact, looking particularly lovely right now as we made use of the scaffolding and the extra time that we’d given ourselves in the yard in order to polish the topsides. Now, you must understand that we are not “Shiny Boaters” and only do this very occasionally as it is very hard work and the result is largely cosmetic. Still, she does now look very shiny and pretty.  

However, as if to prove the point that appearances are not everything, when we were lowered into the water yesterday, the new water pump for cooling the engine refused to work. Since we were blocking the launching berth we were solemnly towed round the pier out of the way and left to sort things out. Duncan spent the next hour or so getting increasingly filthy and oily as he delved into the bowels of the engine bay, taking things apart and putting them back together. Eventually he was successful and with water splurging joyfully from the outlet point, we were finally on our way. 

Our adventures, though paled beside those of others in the yard with us. Our Dutch friend, Eelco, stood up into his propeller and gave himself a five centimetre slice in the top of his head which meant a hospital trip and quite a few stitches. On our final day, a friend of his also cut his head, though less dramatically, by walking into the sharp edge of a solar panel. By far the most serious injury however, was suffered by an American lady who fell four metres off her boat, hit their bicycles below, before landing on the steel framework that supports the boat. We get so used to pottering about the deck that it’s easy to forget how high we are or how easy it is to fall. It has been a salutary lesson to all of us who were there.

As we often do, we have decided to spend our first few days in the anchorage near Vonitsa on the Inland Sea. We have now learned that it is called Ormos Agios Markou (St Mark’s Bay) as opposed to the Bay of Pigs or Goat Bay as we have always previously referred to it. The weather forecast for this week was not encouraging – rain and thunderstorms. However so far, apart from an occasional flash of lightening during the night, it has been very pleasant. This morning we bent on the foresail and prepared the halyard and reefing lines etc. for the mainsail. If it is dry and still first thing tomorrow morning, we’ll do the mainsail – and much bigger job & far more likely to cause problems, frankly.

Rampage at anchor today in Ormos Agios Markou (St Mark’s Bay) in the Gulf of Amvrakikos.

 

 

 

 

 

Start of a new season

Another season of adventure aboard Rampage has begun, albeit we are not yet afloat…

We left the U.K. on the evening of Monday 28th May to catch the night ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff. This was a first for us but made a lot of sense as it reduced the distance to drive on both sides of the channel. Then, because of ferry timings, we had a fairly relaxed trip across France and Italy to catch the ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa last Friday night (1st). We stopped overnight in Tours, Grenoble and Parma. I should have liked to visit one of the chateaux while we were in the Loire, but there wasn’t really sufficient time for sight-seeing.

However I was much consoled on arrival at our accommodation in Parma, to discover that D had booked us into Locanda Abbazia di Valserena. This vast abbey now functions as the 20th century art and design archive for Parma University. The university hold educational seminars and exhibitions etc there plus they have a museum on site, which we duly visited. The accommodation facility is a way for them to help cover costs and we would thoroughly recommend it as somewhere to stay overnight. A very pleasant supper, and breakfast next morning were provided at an on-site bistro and our room with en suite shower room was comfortable and very spacious. We were provided with a fridge, hairdryer and even tea & coffee making facilities – unusual in our experience of Europe though admittedly we normally aim for the budget end of the market!

It’s a bit more expensive to drive than to fly out but it has the advantage that we can bring lots of boaty bits out from the U.K. This particular trip the car was absolutely packed and we even had a whisker pole strapped to the roof rack which made us look rather as if we were about to enter some sort of car jousting competition! For those of you who are wondering, the whisker pole is a new acquisition that the Skipper is much delighted with. It’s designed to hold the foresail out when sailing downwind. It’s telescopic but even at its shortest length, it’s too long to fit inside the car.

Another bonus of driving out is that you have transport while we’re working on the boat in the yard. This is very useful when you suddenly realise you have inadvertently bought a left-handed grommet screw when only a right-handed one will do. Anyway, we enjoyed the journey and it gave us a bit of a break after the frenetic few weeks leading up to our departure and before facing up to all the maintenance work required on Rampage. Everything went very smoothly and we arrived at Ionion Yard near Preveza at midday on Saturday.

It’s noticeably hotter here than in Italy and we are taking a little while to adjust. Trying to to do anything much in the middle of the day is nigh on impossible so on Monday we took the decision to postpone relaunch a further week to take the stress out of doing all the maintenance. It was a wise decision and now that our fridge has been restored to full working order by the excellent engineer here, all is progressing smoothly. An added bonus this year is the little family of semi-feral dogs living about 30m from our boat who have approximately five (it’s hard to be completely sure) round, playful puppies. They are oh so tempting but we will resist…