Explore Sailing Voyages in Greece 🇬🇷

Molly Moo left at about 9:30 and I followed at just after 10. The anchor needed some firm motoring to get it out of the mud after the bad weather but once up I gently motored through the chicane. a Dutch boat came on from the left and has not even seen me in Tranquil Bay. I had to go into reverse to avoid hitting them and then I followed them out and turned right to head for Ithaca. I started sailing straightaway but the various attempts I made along the stretch before exiting the Meganisi Strait were all short lived as the wind was flukey and light. When I actually entered the strait itself it was a horrible motor into the wind. There was no way I could tack as although the true wind was only say 10-12 knots, there were wind waves from beyond the strait and lots and lots and lots of boats most of them not considering anyone else. This applies equally to the large superyacht going at 20+ knots as it does to the little speedboats going past unnecessarily closely. Eventually I exited the strait and I had to bear away to get about 45 degrees apparent. there was enough of a sea to upset the toilet again!! and between 17 and 23 knots apparent. the sail down to Ithaca was good and as the wind veered I adjusted the course. I sailed with 2 reefs in the main and 1 reef in the genny and did between 5 and 6 knots pretty much all of the way. once I got to Ithaca MollyMoo said that the anchorage they had suggested was out because of gusty winds and they were heading to Vathy. the wind in the lee of the land was dying so I shook out all the reefs and then dropped the mainsail but the wind was gone and I had to motor. Despite the engineer coming along I remain very very concerned about the oil pressure. I will keep an eye on it but it seems to be dropping below 0.5 bar at idle which is terrible. I think I need to get myself some of the thicker oil as soon as I can. I dropped the anchor at Vathy in about 7 metres. I was very close to land but would have to drag 40m to run around. the wind was basically just blowing straight in though. I think it may be a place to move on from soon