October 3 to October 8 - Andika
For four days, the weather was calm and sunny, the village is quiet and people are nice, short, a pleasant stay. Recently, we were looking for a small electric oven (useful in port), adhering to specific dimensions in order to enter into a locker ... We found it here.
course, we explore on foot around which are very mountainous and planted olive trees in the flatter parts. Above, it is the scrub and juniper bushes, cysts, thyme and others, but also small clusters of pink cyclamen that dot the cliffs and yellow crocuses. Then there are the steep mountain slopes denuded almost vertical rise towards the sky ...
The location is spectacular but when it's windy, it accelerates impressively.
Precisely, a North-east wind blows violently and moved for two days, we are prohibiting any attempt to exit. Fortunately, we are well protected behind the small pier, the bow is held by her anchor wet forty yards further more one line of mooring and back by three mooring lines to dock, but it's hot! A sailboat
Austrian flag is moored near us, Vati is of Indian origin, born in Malaysia and her husband is Austrian. It is funny, she loves running and is keen to make a run with us, it will be done ... They also planned to spend the winter in Messolonghi ... We'll see.
October 9 - Andika-Itea - 21,000
These two places are not far apart geographically, but we must go around the Cape to join AK Pangalos Itea. This morning we leave so the bottom of the Bay Andika to attack the bottleneck output with the wind on the nose. A first edge
takes us to the former Pechiney plant (processing bauxite) where many French worked. The sea is gray and sheep, we sprinkle good waves, the wind blowing at 20 knots from seaward Algieba barely close the tightest, I start to tell me that it will be difficult to leave this rat hole. However, having tacked, the wind is more favorable and we can unleash even slightly Algieba wriggles with joy and then the foam to size 7 or 8 knots, blowing the waves against the hull.
At this rate, we are fast reaching the Cape Pangalos and immediately after, we find downwind and even full tailwind, cool!
Arriving at the port, the little father in the mini truck comes to us, we told him that he would take us back the diesel, he should not believe us ... He is very happy to see us are full right now!
Every day, he will come and say hello and make small talk, half English half French. One day he arrives with a bottle of homemade pink ... Excellent!
From October 10 to 16 - Stop at Itea
You may have noticed, the Long calls become more frequent, it must be said that the season ahead and now we must join our winter shelter, Messolonghi. So we found the large dock Itea, absolutely empty, with a certain pleasure because we like the atmosphere of this small town, the only problem is that we have no water or electricity. For water, it will because the tanks of the vessel is ample and a tap is a few hundred meters. Regarding electricity, there are many solar panels and wind but the sun and wind are often absent this week! We must therefore manage our energy and for that we will have to run the engine three times, this is the first time we do this since the beginning of the season.
As I said earlier, our little father (his name is Sotiris and is 72 years old) comes to visit us by announcing with a lot of horn, he talks about his country ...
Thursday time degrades outright, violent storms and torrential rains, we now await a weather window to leave.
Sunday, October 17 - Itea-Messolonghi - 58,000
Weather forecasts are pessimistic about the coming days. This morning it's raining but at least the wind, if any, should not be negative. We are heading to the engine in the rain and arriving at the height of Trizonia, we decide we do not stop there as planned and to continue our path until Messolonghi still 35 miles distant.
weak West Wind does not bother us and it switches to the east, still low in early afternoon while the sky is even darker and menacing!
However, under a sky more clearly than we see the first houses on stilts and we embouquons the entrance channel Messolonghi. It will take repeated calls the VHF before the marinero service we meet ... We installed a provisional place ... We have a little tug at my heart thinking of the new season ends. Top
wintering Messolonghi
Bad weather persists for two days, gales and storms follow one another very violent with some short respites. Then the weather improved and we can finally get out the bikes and make our walks and our races!
We already know the city Messolonghi that is lovely and very lively. It is situated on a coastal plain extending over a width of about 4 to 5 kms at the foot of the mountain, the plain stretches over a distance of at least thirty miles.
Many olive groves and orange groves are the main crops, small roads lined with rustic houses with backyard provided including chickens, roosters, guinea fowl and the inevitable turkey! and the small bétail.Nous really like the rural atmosphere that reminds us a little of our youth!
We also find a nice little mountain road that runs alongside a stream and takes us on the heights overlooking the lagoon Messolonghi. This road is very steep and lined ditches and embankments where growing multitudes of small pink cyclamen ... The only sounds we hear are the bells and Biquette sheep and the murmur of flowing water. That completely changes the Sea! We are looking now to
tinkering to do on the boat ... Maintenance after a very busy season and small new developments, including improving life at anchor (more solar energy in particular) ... In preparation, construction of a mini-portal for supporting a solar panel added.
There is a small chandlery in town, young, very friendly and competent, he can provide me with the stainless steel tubes and makes me meet a friend, an engineer, who proposes manufacture steel parts needed to assemble. By cons, we will probably go to Patras to buy the panel.
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