Envoy is currently wintering in Lefkas Marina, Greece.
Temporary problem loading images so text only this posting.
In early October it was starting to get cooler, and in Gouvia Marina we had some heavy rainfalls and needed to dig out our jeans and sweatshirts again - it was now getting too cold to sit outside after dark. It looked like our long summer had ended.
From Gouvia we cruised 22 miles down the east coast of Corfu in perfect conditions, being in the lee of a moderate westerly wind. We were heading back to Lakka Bay on Paxos Island, about seven miles south of Corfu. But this seven miles is highly exposed to 150 miles of fetch all the way to the Italian coast, and with a 20 knot westerly wind directly on our starboard beam we took a bit of a hammering from breaking two to three metre seas, spaced so closely together that our hydraulic stabilisers had trouble coping and our inclinometer showed Envoy rolling up to 20 degrees each side. Normally we don’t need to re-stow things like ornaments and fruit bowls under way as there is negligible movement, but this time the roll was sufficient to require Diane to do a quick re-stow.
You encounter some unusual sea conditions in the Med where the “roughness” of the sea seems out of proportion to both the wind speed and the size of waves, and this was one of those times.
After one night in Lakka we cruised 46 miles to Ormos Vlikho on Lefkas Island, to re-join our Kiwi friends, Bruce and Lesley, aboard their Catamaran, Midi.
Conditions in the Med are mostly great, but not always and we stayed in the well-sheltered Ormos Vlikho for five nights waiting for a front to pass over, during which we had gloomy grey skies, regular showers, mild thunder storms, but only light winds. Here the jellyfish-infested water is a bit grubby for swimming as well. We wondered if we’d done the right thing booking our return to New Zealand in six weeks time, but blue skies finally appeared again and temperatures went back into the low-mid 20s.
Anchored in Ithica Island’s Ormos Vathi we awoke to a thunderstorm, lightning, heavy rain and 25 knot squalls. The forecast was for a Force 6 SE wind, changing later to a Force 7-8 NW wind with thunderstorms and very rough seas. I discussed the situation with Bruce (from Midi) and we both decided to head to Kefalonia’s Ay Eufimia harbour (which opens to the east) and moor alongside the quay.
I have commented before about the surprising speed difference that different wind and sea conditions make to a heavy-displacement motor vessel and during this trip I made some interesting observations. Aficionados read on!
With a 20 knot wind on the port bow and 1.5 metre breaking seas we averaged 4.7 knots (range 4.4 to 5.0) at 1,475 rpm. The speed was taken from GPS so is speed made good. - In the same conditions with wind and seas just aft of the port beam rpm increased to 1,488 and we averaged 5.6 knots (range 5.2 to 6.0). - In the same conditions with wind and sea on our port quarter to almost astern rpm again increased to 1,494 (with the same throttle setting) and we averaged 5.9 knots (range 5.5 to 6.3). Conclusion – the wind and sea conditions affect Envoy’s speed at the same rpm by an astonishing 25%.
TECHNICAL – nothing to report
ENVOY LOG as at 16 October, 183 days spend aboard and 1,780 miles cruised for 347 engine hours.
Temporary problem loading images so text only this posting.
In early October it was starting to get cooler, and in Gouvia Marina we had some heavy rainfalls and needed to dig out our jeans and sweatshirts again - it was now getting too cold to sit outside after dark. It looked like our long summer had ended.
From Gouvia we cruised 22 miles down the east coast of Corfu in perfect conditions, being in the lee of a moderate westerly wind. We were heading back to Lakka Bay on Paxos Island, about seven miles south of Corfu. But this seven miles is highly exposed to 150 miles of fetch all the way to the Italian coast, and with a 20 knot westerly wind directly on our starboard beam we took a bit of a hammering from breaking two to three metre seas, spaced so closely together that our hydraulic stabilisers had trouble coping and our inclinometer showed Envoy rolling up to 20 degrees each side. Normally we don’t need to re-stow things like ornaments and fruit bowls under way as there is negligible movement, but this time the roll was sufficient to require Diane to do a quick re-stow.
You encounter some unusual sea conditions in the Med where the “roughness” of the sea seems out of proportion to both the wind speed and the size of waves, and this was one of those times.
After one night in Lakka we cruised 46 miles to Ormos Vlikho on Lefkas Island, to re-join our Kiwi friends, Bruce and Lesley, aboard their Catamaran, Midi.
Conditions in the Med are mostly great, but not always and we stayed in the well-sheltered Ormos Vlikho for five nights waiting for a front to pass over, during which we had gloomy grey skies, regular showers, mild thunder storms, but only light winds. Here the jellyfish-infested water is a bit grubby for swimming as well. We wondered if we’d done the right thing booking our return to New Zealand in six weeks time, but blue skies finally appeared again and temperatures went back into the low-mid 20s.
Anchored in Ithica Island’s Ormos Vathi we awoke to a thunderstorm, lightning, heavy rain and 25 knot squalls. The forecast was for a Force 6 SE wind, changing later to a Force 7-8 NW wind with thunderstorms and very rough seas. I discussed the situation with Bruce (from Midi) and we both decided to head to Kefalonia’s Ay Eufimia harbour (which opens to the east) and moor alongside the quay.
I have commented before about the surprising speed difference that different wind and sea conditions make to a heavy-displacement motor vessel and during this trip I made some interesting observations. Aficionados read on!
With a 20 knot wind on the port bow and 1.5 metre breaking seas we averaged 4.7 knots (range 4.4 to 5.0) at 1,475 rpm. The speed was taken from GPS so is speed made good. - In the same conditions with wind and seas just aft of the port beam rpm increased to 1,488 and we averaged 5.6 knots (range 5.2 to 6.0). - In the same conditions with wind and sea on our port quarter to almost astern rpm again increased to 1,494 (with the same throttle setting) and we averaged 5.9 knots (range 5.5 to 6.3). Conclusion – the wind and sea conditions affect Envoy’s speed at the same rpm by an astonishing 25%.
TECHNICAL – nothing to report
ENVOY LOG as at 16 October, 183 days spend aboard and 1,780 miles cruised for 347 engine hours.
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