TIGHT SPRINGS AND LOOSE BREASTS

Envoy is currently wintering in Lefkas Marina, Greece, and we are home in New Zealand.
With a forecast of Force 7-8 NW winds, thunderstorms and very rough seas we moored quayside in Kefalonia’s Ay Eufimia harbour together with Bruce and Lesley from Midi. There had been light easterlies for several days kicking up a slight swell in the harbour, so we deployed our port flopper stopper to reduce roll. This was the first time we’ve ever used one alongside a jetty.

Envoy alongside Ay Eufimia quay with flopper stopper deployed to reduce roll

We prepared for the blow laying our car tyres alongside the rough concrete wall to reduce wear on our fenders and deployed our lines. The correct way to moor a boat alongside is to have both spring lines and breast lines, and as our friend and seamanship guru Kevin O’Sullivan says, you need “tight springs and loose breasts”. The long spring lines stretch aft from the boat's bow to shore stern, and forward from the boat's stern to shore bow, and these should be as tight as possible. In fact the spring lines tend to keep the boat slightly off the jetty. They do stretch and loosen so need occasional re-adjustment for this reason as well as for tidal movement where applicable. The much shorter breast lines go from the boat's bow slightly forward of the bow to shore and from the boat's stern slightly aft of the stern to shore. The purpose of these is to prevent either bow or stern from pulling away too far from the jetty and they should be loose so that the spring lines take most of the strain and the breasts don’t “twang” with tension. These also require occasional adjustment. As we disembark from amidships we also use a third breast line amidships to secure Envoy while (dis)embarking.

Envoy’s car tyres secured quayside as protection from the rough concrete

Laurie holds a stainless steel flopper stopper

The NW wind arrived and stayed for two days but in the harbour only reached low 20 knots and blew across Envoy’s starboard now, keeping her off the quay.
While in Ay Eufimia the four of us had breakfast ashore - Full English Breakfast was 5 Euros each (about NZ$8.30) consisting of orange juice, coffee, toast, eggs, bacon, sausages, beans and tomatoes. Then we were thanked for our custom and given a free bottle of wine! This is under half what we pay at home.
When the weather settled we cruised south to Kefalonia Island’s capital – Argostoli.
Laurie with Envoy’s smaller RHIB on great sandy beach close to Argostoli

Here we found some great year-end sales and even I bought some clothes (a very rare event but their brand was “Admiral” so I couldn’t resist)

 

 Argostoli on Cephalonia

Laurie “modeling” his Admiral brand tracksuit and shoes

At Argostoli, Envoy and Midi parted company with Midi heading to Sicily for the winter. We decided to head up the west coast of Kefalonia to complete our first circumnavigation of this largest of the Ionian Islands. Normally the west coast of Kefalonia is particularly rough but current conditions were ideal.

TECHNICAL – nothing to report
ENVOY LOG as at 22 October, 189 days spend aboard and 1,836 miles cruised for 360 engine hours.