As most of you know, Andy and I went on our first holiday together. A "Learn-to-Sail" holiday in Greece. A very active holiday and not for those who want to lie next to the pool or on the beach and relax....
We arrived at Preveza airport on the Sunday, and had a coach transfer to the port where we were to be based for the first 4 nights - Nidri. Really beautiful surroundings!
We were shown straight to our 32 foot Moody yacht, which would be our home for the next week. Her name was "Merlot".
On Monday morning we started our training with our assigned trainer - Owen. The next 3 days were spent learning how to work the radio and protocol to speak, sail under sail and motor, man over board procedures, parking bows-to and stern-to, anchoring, rights of way on the water and navigation and route plotting. Each day was spent out on the water, which was great fun.In the evening we could join a group meal organised by the Nielson staff, or just do your own thing. The food in Greece was amazing, and we tried traditional dishes such as Souvlaki, Saganaki, Gyros Pita, Stuffed Squid and of course the local beer - Mythos. For lunch we either ate at a taverna in a port where we pulled in, or anchored up in a bay for some home made lunch on the boat.One day we anchored off an island called Skorpios, which belongs to the Onassis family. It's private property and you are not allowed to set foot on dry land. As long as your feet are in the water, even ankle deep, you are fine! Here we jumped off the boat for a bit of a swim. No one ever really visits the island anymore, and apparently Bill Gates viewed the island in the summer to possibly buy it. Estimated price: $200 million.
On Thursday Owen stayed on the boat with us, and we sailed to a new port to join the rest of the Farfalla flotilla. We were 5 training boats with a couple on each to that joined the main Farfalla Flotilla in Sivota. This evening we had a punch and dips night on the quayside, to meet our fellow sailors. Paul Jarvis, the ex-England cricketer was one of them!! Lot of banter between me and him......On Friday was our first day on the boat alone, and we sailed out of the bay at Sivota, to be faced with gale force winds and a force 7 storm. Crazy!!! We motored into the Meganisi Canal, and sailed back to Nidri for some lunch and to go to the bank. We then set sail to Little Vathi, where me moored for the night with the flotilla. On Saturday we sailed back to Nidri, for the last night group meal, games and drinks!The scenery was amazing and Andy and I really enjoyed ourselves! A great holiday, and will definitely go back to do a 1 week flotilla in the South Ionian.
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