I have referred to these often as "The Book" and they are absolutely essential for amateurs like us. They provide detailed information on every harbour, port and anchorage in Turkey, Greece and Italy.
I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones we have.
There is also information about the surrounding area for each stop, what to see, what to do and what not to do.
The area that Rod and his wife Lucinda do not cover is the Adriatic. That being Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia, the very area we are now entering. Without that book, we are sailing blind. Trevor and Dinah Thompson's Adriatic Pilot covers this space and I tried every which way to obtain a copy before leaving Australia. All I could find was old editions selling for upwards of $450! I contacted the publishers and was informed that the new edition was due out in July for $80.
Ok, so we'll pick up a copy in Corfu before leaving Greece was the decision but as it transpired, no chandler or book store would have it until September....
Oh dear. On the 27th July, very close to the point of exiting Greece I contacted the publishers again and was informed that the new edition had arrived in their warehouse in London that very day.
Sally has a Facebook friend in Kalami Bay. We are talking a one mini-market, two taverna summer hang out and our very last stop before entering the Adriatic... No other options.
Sal contacted her Facebook friend Marios, the mini-market owner who, after some confusion was happy to take delivery of the book. We ordered a copy and for a further $80 had it couriered, but would it find Kalami Bay?
On Monday the 1st August it arrived as promised. We are without doubt, the only proud owners of this edition in the Mediterranean. A fact confirmed by Maureen of Imray the Publishers in London. What a relief!
We found Kalami Bay to be a little different this time. It was the first place the kids had a swim two years ago. It was pre-season then and still quite chilly. It is now high season and bloody hot! The bay was full of yachts. Ski boats buzzed around and in between us towing knees bent, bum out, first time water skiers but it all added to the holiday atmosphere.
This was also the place I had the time and inclination to start this blog 163 Posts and over 16,000 page views ago. Yep, I have created my very own monster!
Here are some interesting stats: These are the top 10
KGB maybe??
The Uno challenge continues. It is turning into a great lesson in gambling for the kids. You may have seen the YouTube video of Summer drinking a live fish? So the next penalty for the loser was 15 clothes pegs attached to any part of the body above the armpits.... Summer lost yet again!
A total sucker for punishment she upped the anti... 20 cloth pegs above the neck... Finally she was victorious!
Sal and I also won a date night at the White House. A restaurant that was previously the home of Laurence and Gerald Durrell. Gerald was the author of the best seller and award winning "My Family and Other Animals"
And so it was time. We had yet to hear anything encouraging about Albania. Too much Admin. Watch your gear. Don't leave your boat unattended. Dangerous winds off high mountains... all advice provided by people who had not been there.
So why go?
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