The last post.....Putting our baby to bed for the winter.

We ended staying an extra day at the Grecotel. The weather had greatly improved and Sal and the kids only needed to catch their taxi from the marina at 4:00pm on the 24th September. And so it was. They were on their way home and I had until the 14th October to prepare the boat for next season and secure it all for a Greek winter, which apparently are more severe than I would have imagined. It snows here!

Sunrise on the 25th and the day she was to come out of the water and onto the hard. It was only due to come out on the 1st October, but at over 100 Euro a day in the water, "lets get her out!."

Haul out time was arranged for 12:00pm.

By 12:30 I'm thinking they must have been talking 'Greek time'. Not something I wanted to experience right off the bat given we would be leaving the boat in their hands for 8 months. I hopped on my hired scooter and bowled over to the office.

"Where were you Mr Wilkinson, the boys came to the boat, nobody there, the crane is waiting, where were you?". I must have been taking a shower and they'd arrived early! Things were looking up. Assisted getaway and into the slot for the crane to lift her out. There was a cross wind but no biggie.

This crane is capable of lifting 200 tonnes. The Summer Amy weighs 60 tonnes but the width requires the use of this Big Mofo.

And slowly away into this vast, desolate boat park only about a 25 - 35% full. Many of the boats obviously having been here for years and fast deteriorating, all giving the place the feeling of having been abandoned like so many businesses in Greece.

Ah well, I was only going to be here for another 20 days!

An immediate confidence booster was the arrival of the bum cleaning team only moments after the crane was removed.

While they got busy, I dropped into the office to explain I'd be here for a while and there were jobs I wanted done before I left and what to do while I was away.

This was seemingly a strange request... "Just leave me a list in the morning and we will get it all done during the winter"


Not acceptable and anyway, what was I going to do for 20 days. Change my flight date?

Early the next morning I popped over with my list. Nobody around? He didn't actually mean the 'next' morning, it was Saturday!

I started on those jobs I could do without the use of tradesmen and the more I looked, the more there was to do but all the kind of stuff I love doing. Back into the office first thing Monday morning, only to be told to leave the list and he'd be at my boat "first thing tomorrow morning."

So, we are already 5 days in...

Today, at 9:30, just about the time I was building up a head of steam, a delegation of six arrived. Sail maker, electrician, stainless steel dude, engineer, glass fiber rep and the Boss.

Not bad boys.... as the steam subsided.

We went through the lot and I am now hoping they all come through before I go. I did decide to use the last three days in Greece to explore Athens. Something I have never done. I booked myself into yet another Grecotel, a boutique version this time right in amongst where Athens 'happens' apparently.

And so, here I sit. All the Cats together...enough to do to keep me busy until I go and strangely I am enjoying this total solitude on the boat rather than in a hotel. I have everything here and a scooter to get me to the can...

Before I go, here are some statistics for the 2015 season...

Mileage sailed  - 1,415 Nautical Miles or 2,620 Kilometers
Places visited    - 46
Highlight           - Too many to choose. Most impactfull was anchoring in ANZAC Cove
Fuel used           - 1,610 liters
Total Engine hours - 364 (includes Port and Starboard plus Generator)
Fuel Usage        - 4.42 Liters per engine hour - not bad!
Guests               - 11
Page views on this Blog - 11,994 at this moment. Should pip 12,000 by the morning... Sincere thanks to you all, it's been fun.
I won't bother with the wine, restaurant and ice cream count, wouldn't know where to start.

A very different season than last but just as enjoyable. The Cyclades, The Corinth Canal, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and winter in Venice next year... That's the plan anyway...

Bye for now!