Although
the sale of Envoy was finalised late last year, the new
Brisbane-based owners don't plan to use her until they retire and
part of our sales agreement was that we are able to still use Envoy
this year.
At
the time we left Envoy we were inclined towards not using her again,
but having been away for several months we've changed our minds and
now plan to return around mid-May and cruise through to about early
October.
This
of course will be better for Envoy and her new owners since it's
preferable for machinery to be used than to sit in storage.
Under
normal circumstances NZ passport holders are allowed to spend up to
90 days out of any 180 day period in each of the Schengen Treaty
countries, which are similar to but not exactly the same as EU
countries. Using an agent we've previously managed to get that
extended to the whole 180 days in Greece and if we can do the same
again we'll spend the whole time there. However this extension is
becoming more difficult and we may be restricted this time to 90 days
in Greece, in which case we'll spend 90 days or so in Italy. In
either case we'll visit Albania again for a few days in order to
re-set the 18 month clock for Envoy's time allowed in EU waters as a
non-EU registered vessel.
So in
Greece we plan to first cruise north to Corfu, both because it's a
great venue and so that our B&G Network wind speed and direction
transducer repaired there can be re-fitted. Then we'll head
south-east through the Gulf of Corinth and the Corinth Canal to
Piraeus so the repair of our Naiad stabilisers can be completed
there. Our return to the Ionian will be going south around the
Peloponnisos.
Our
most regular visitor Chris, aka McGyver is already planning to spend
about a month with us and some family members are also looking at
joining us.
So
watch this space for any updates.
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