This posting takes the Blog up to 7 October.
We spent a wonderful two weeks cruising with Bruce and Lesley, the longest time period we’ve spent cruising in company with others.
All boats have maintenance issues, and Midi’s windlass motor failed due to salt water corrosion. They were able get a new one down from Athens within three days for a total cost of Euro 790 (about NZ$1,250).
Bruce and Lesley were due to carry on back to Marmaris, Turkey, but sadly Bruce’s 92 year-old Mum passed away, and they had to change their plans – leaving Midi in Levkas Marina for a couple of weeks while they made a quick return trip to New Zealand for the funeral.
At this time, early October, there were still large numbers of charter yachts cruising, together with cruising yachts, but all of the large power boats and super yachts had disappeared. Cruising from Ay Eufimia, on Kefalonia, to Lefkas Island, I counted over 50 sails up to the horizon around us.
During this day we saw a large tanker approaching from starboard across Envoy’s course.
We generally alter course to avoid commercial shipping even if we have right of way, but on this occasion the tanker was clearly the stand-on vessel, and we were the give-way vessel. The usual procedure is to activate the radar, and position the electronic bearing line (EBL) on the target, i.e. the tanker. If the target moves well ahead of the radar’s EBL, then it should pass safely in front of us. If the target falls well behind the EBL we should pass in front of it. If the EBL stays on the target there is a potential collision situation, and that was the case here. We reduced speed from six to three knots, and made a clear course alteration of 45 deg to starboard allowing the tanker to pass safely about 200 metres ahead of us. If this had been a night-time situation we would have allowed at least half-a-mile clearance.
Tanker with right-of-way passes about 200 metres ahead of Envoy
We spent our final two nights at anchor for 2012 back in Ormos Dessimou, one of our favorite bays, where we again swam in the beautiful grotto we’d enjoyed with Doug and Mary just several weeks before.
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TECHNICAL: There will be a lot more technical comment in the next few blog posts as Envoy receives end-of-season maintenance and is prepared for winter storage.
Envoy has two identical 12 volt ShurFlo diaphragm pumps to circulate domestic fresh water to the taps, showers, and heads, and in the event of failure of one pump we can simply switch to the other. On the very last day of our cruise the in-use pump failed and we switched over to the spare. We’ll get this failed pump serviced during the winter.
LOG (FINAL): Up to 7 October had spent 191 days aboard, and cruised 1,743 miles for 336 engine hours.
We spent a wonderful two weeks cruising with Bruce and Lesley, the longest time period we’ve spent cruising in company with others.
All boats have maintenance issues, and Midi’s windlass motor failed due to salt water corrosion. They were able get a new one down from Athens within three days for a total cost of Euro 790 (about NZ$1,250).
Bruce and Lesley were due to carry on back to Marmaris, Turkey, but sadly Bruce’s 92 year-old Mum passed away, and they had to change their plans – leaving Midi in Levkas Marina for a couple of weeks while they made a quick return trip to New Zealand for the funeral.
At this time, early October, there were still large numbers of charter yachts cruising, together with cruising yachts, but all of the large power boats and super yachts had disappeared. Cruising from Ay Eufimia, on Kefalonia, to Lefkas Island, I counted over 50 sails up to the horizon around us.
During this day we saw a large tanker approaching from starboard across Envoy’s course.
We generally alter course to avoid commercial shipping even if we have right of way, but on this occasion the tanker was clearly the stand-on vessel, and we were the give-way vessel. The usual procedure is to activate the radar, and position the electronic bearing line (EBL) on the target, i.e. the tanker. If the target moves well ahead of the radar’s EBL, then it should pass safely in front of us. If the target falls well behind the EBL we should pass in front of it. If the EBL stays on the target there is a potential collision situation, and that was the case here. We reduced speed from six to three knots, and made a clear course alteration of 45 deg to starboard allowing the tanker to pass safely about 200 metres ahead of us. If this had been a night-time situation we would have allowed at least half-a-mile clearance.
Tanker with right-of-way passes about 200 metres ahead of Envoy
Ormos Dessimou showing beach and Taverna where we enjoyed a few cold beers (taken from Envoy at anchor)
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Snorkelling in the clear water just outside the grotto
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Shrine inside grotto
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A great little beach we swam and sunbathed at
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On Sunday 7 October we cruised into Lefkas marina, where Envoy will be wintered. Once again it was a great feeling to complete a season’s cruise of 1,743 miles without any damage, major
technical problems, accidents or injuries, and to share that time with wonderful family and friends
aboard - Amy, Brooke, Brian and Carol, Doug and Mary, and Graham.
Lefkas marina is sheltered, safe, clean and well-organised
Envoy has two identical 12 volt ShurFlo diaphragm pumps to circulate domestic fresh water to the taps, showers, and heads, and in the event of failure of one pump we can simply switch to the other. On the very last day of our cruise the in-use pump failed and we switched over to the spare. We’ll get this failed pump serviced during the winter.
LOG (FINAL): Up to 7 October had spent 191 days aboard, and cruised 1,743 miles for 336 engine hours.
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