Corinthian spirit

Corinth to Aigina to Poros

Corinthian Gulf

 After our arrival in Corinth we went to explore the town. A bit like Patras, from the harbour it did not look terribly auspicious. There is a huge commercial port, and as in Patras it was completely empty. I am not sure if this is a reflection of the overall economy or whether it is a manifestation of the Athensocentric problem I have heard rural Greeks complaining about.

Pegasus symbol of Corinth

Corinth is a town of around 50000 people having been rebuilt several times following earthquakes. It was historically a very important crossroads and trading hub and had a reputation for the free living of its citizens and hedonistic lifestyle. I have always considered myself a bit Corinthian, well when younger, so off we set to sample the night life.

Smart Streets (slippy though)

Again, like Patras, the centre of the town was really nice. There is a huge pedestrianised area with marble side walks, smart shops and smart people. We were attracted towards the sound of full volume Queen’s “I want to be free” being belted out expecting a party of some sort, to find a dais with flowers and a large group of people standing around waiting for a politician to come and address them. Very refreshing to see the interest that was being shown by people, I wonder if UK politicians could improve their reputation by mixing it up with the populous a bit more.

The cafe areas are separated into clear groupings. One is for wizened old blokes who sit facing the street watching the world go by. There are a few restaurants, but not that many and a whole street of really smart venues full of beautiful young people watching each other. The girls are dressed to kill and the cool oozes across the marble pavement.

A dank morning

We were a bit torn as to where we would fit in. Please keep any responses respectful.

The next morning we had an early start. It was a cool, grey morning and raining a sort of Scottish drizzle. But not to be deterred off we went. We were keen to achieve the objective of reaching the Aegean which meant passing through the Corinthian Canal.

The procedure is fairly straight forward. You have to call the controllers on Channel 11, call sign Isthmia Pilot. Instructions are then given to hang about at the entrance and await orders. There is not enough width for two way traffic so convoys are formed up to go through in either direction separately. In ours there was a passenger ferry, a catamaran, us and a motor cruiser.

Corinthian Canal

Steps to heaven

The canal itself is impressive. The first section is low and rough cut land with tree roots hanging off the banks of wild flowers. Later the wall become higher and higher until towering over obscuring the light. The walls have series of footholes, presumably used by the construction workers to descend into the pit. The canal was completed in 1893 having been started under the orders of Nero using 6000 Jewish slaves. It is now too narrow for commercial shipping and its maintenance for light traffic must be in doubt economically.

Normally in canals you are required to go slowly to reduce wash damage to the shore. I was therefore a bit surprised when Isthmia Pilot radioed the cat ahead of us to tell him he was going too slowly. I imagine they have a time schedule, to get convoys through.

The East end of the canal is at Isthmia. We moored up alongside the office and went to settle up. Greek officialdom is in a strange interregnum. Everything is computerised but it is all duplicated in paperwork reminiscent of the 1960’s, using books of forms pressure written in triplicate. Having said that the officials are helpful and efficient, especially when they efficiently relieve you of 205 Euros for travelling 3.4 miles. Probably the most expensive journey per mile I have ever undertaken.

We filled up our fuel tank. The vendor was and Irish/Greek chap which is a mix I have not come across before. He also used a novel technique which I was impressed with. Normally the little mini tankers pump the fuel directly using their engine for power. The problem with this it that it is easy to overflow through the vent in the system and run around with oil absorbers and detergent. This chap used gravity to syphon the fuel down from his tanker into the boat, and spent ten minutes hunkered down listening with his ear to the filler hole to avoid spillage. Very impressive.

I struck up conversation with a nice chap going West. It turned out he is a professional skipper who owns a sailing school on Marmaris. When he heard that was where we are heading, he kindly provided the details of his agent who might be able to help us with the immigration process in Turkey. Well worth a conversation.

Silent, deadly

We continued on some 20 miles to our destination Aegina, mostly under motor and a grey sky . The harbour was pretty packed and the only berths available seemed to belong to a charter group. But with no other options available we parked there. The harbourmaster came around and was obliging in allowing us to stay there. However we had some grumpy looks and a bit of interrogation from some of the other ‘ private’ occupants.

Southerly Gales

A correspondent has enquired about costs associated with the cruising we are doing. The Greek town quays have a lot to commend them in that it is a regulated system of charges and are generally very reasonable. It is also the case that out of the main season and tourist areas the fees are not always collected, presumably the revenue does not justify the personnel. For most of the quays we have used for our boat it works out at 11 Euros a night plus costs for water and electricity.

Our next destination is Kithnos in the Cyclades some 60 miles to the East, so a 10-12 hour trip. The forecast was for strong West and Southerly winds. We are just at the Northern edge of a fairly major blow coming down from France and the Adriatic and blowing through the Southern Aegean at 40+ knots. We might be just about all right to make the trip but as the forecasting is not accurate enough to be sure we were not going to be exposed.

Raspberry Pi in its tupperware

So we decided to stay put until this has blown through which might take 2-4 days.

New AIS antenna (homemade)

So the next day was a “down” day spent doing boat jobs. A bit of cleaning and repairing was undertaken. The main item on my agenda was to get the Raspberry Pi AIS setup and working including the manufacture and fitting of a second antenna for the AIS. I will post a separate technical blog describing this to avoid boring the technically disinterested.

Rescue skiff in action

Later that afternoon the predicted winds piped up on schedule. As the yachts arrived I met the harbour Master who was genuinely worried, He explained they rarely get high Westerly winds and they represent a dangerous scenario, especially he stated “as this lot know nothing about boats”.He gestured towards a bunch of charter boats from Athens.

On cue mayhem occurred. One boat trying to berth by reversing across wind at high speed, failed to get its anchor dropped in time and ended up across the bows of four other boats. Eventually the harbour diver/rescue boat pulled them off and dragged them to a berth. The crew, in full oilies and harnesses, sat in the cockpit for about half an hour, silent and with with the thousand yard stare. They had clearly had a bit of a day of it.

AIS screenshot

Margaret went for a wander and found the Greek equivalent of Poundland – an ‘everything for a Euro shop’. Joy. She managed to get several items we actually needed.

The following day the forecast still looked a bit dodgy so we planned a short trip South to the island of Poros, some 15 miles away.

We had gentle sail down and I played with my new AIS system, which worked pleasingly well.

A bit close.

As we turned through a narrow strait into the large bay in which Poros town is situated, a gigantic ferry passed about a hundred metres away giving us a huge wash.
At the same time the predicted W wind arrived. We parked again in 20-25 knots of wind, but all went well. We made a secure berthing with the anchor well dug in and the wind dead on the nose. We spent the next couple of hours enjoying more parking antics as a variety of charter boats came in. Most of them had at least 3 goes at mooring up. Some gave up.

An Aussie couple on a catamaran a couple of boats away stopped M as she was passing their boat and asked if we wanted their electricity as they were leaving. They had had an electrician on board doing something and he had told them that with the wind that was planned by the forecasters, they would be better off somewhere else!

I was in the process of acquiring their electricity supply when the young Aussie skipper called me over. “Can I ask your advice” says he. I wondered what advice I could possibly give. “When leaving should I pull up on the anchor or motor out of the berth. I advised that the pilot book said there was a large chain some 25m off the harbour wall ready for the unwary and he should motor out to avoid dragging his anchor towards him and hooking something. He thanked me for my sage wisdom and off they went. I then wondered why he had asked me. Had he been hugely impressed at our skill in berthing, or my rope handling skills when helping in other boats. I glanced at myself in the mirror and realised that my shorts full of holes, the lack of shaving and the mane of windswept grey hair I now sport does make me look a bit of a salty old seadog. Hmmmm.

Shortly after this a Beneteau 57 berthed alongside us. The young Greek skipper spent the next half hour getting his boat prepared for adverse circumstances. He motored out hard against his stern warps and pulled the anchor up as tight as the windlass would pull. He then reversed hard against his anchor and tightened up his stern line so they were rigid and he was some 5 metres from the shore. I thought this all seemed a bit excessive but he was clearly a competent bloke.

After his crew of paying guests went ashore he asked me what I thought of the forecasts. His source was that there were dangerously high winds coming in the late afternoon and evening. We went through the Windy app forecast together. Since I had checked in the morning it had changed significantly was now showing Westerly winds blowing force 6 gusting 38knots in our location.
I then remembered a youtube video I had seen of boats moored in Poros getting a doing during high winds. He told me he had been in this situation a couple of years ago and there were 2metre waves hitting the moored boats with many damaged. I tightened everything up as well.

The winds came through pretty much as predicted and while we we fine and did not move an inch I was mighty glad we were well prepared.

Poros Foreshore

I admired the Beneteau 57 which was in fantastic condition for a 2007 boat. The Greek skipper paid complements to my boat saying that it was one of his favourites. He said he delivers several boats every year and made the observation that each year the new boats get cheaper and the quality of the build goes down as they are made to a budget. In particular he said he liked the solid hardwood interiors of the earlier boats rather than the chipboard of today’s offerings, which may or may not fit together such that doors might both open and shut. Clearly a man of taste.

Mayhem ensued elsewhere on the quay. Suddenly a Jeannueau 45 shot out of his berth with the anchor down and started driving at high speed round the harbour. The skipper was a single handed elderly French chap. When he got his anchor up it was clear he was entangled with another anchor. At that moment a second boat left the quay, presumably the owner of the second lifted anchor and a waltz ensued with these two yachts charging round in circles with their front ends tied together by the anchor chains. Waves were breaking, there was a group of helpers from other boats running up and down the jetty shouting advice and instructions until the old chap basically gave up, slumped in his cock pit and his boat drifted onto a pontoon where the assembled throng of assistance took control of his boat, tied him up and the pair of mating anchors were disentwined. I felt very sorry for the single handed skipper. Presumably his boat was coming to harm from the waves on the shore and he had little choice but to leave. He did look completely deflated by the experience.

Poros from the East

Our neighbour on port is a singlehanded French gent. I say gent because he has the most splendid curly moustache in the manner of Napolean's Vieille Gardes.

He has had an accident with one of his spreaders and is patiently waiting for parts to arrive from Beneteau in France. Perhaps 7 days, perhaps 10 days. I have to say he is bearing this with great fortitude.
Poros is another very quaint town. Good supermarkets on the foreshore, plenty of tavernas, coffee shops and bars and very pretty. Said to have one of the most picutesque approaches from the sea. I won't disagree.