Overnighter ( Astipalaia - Crete )

 

19th Oct 2018 (Astipalaia - Crete)

Well this is it: Heading back overnight to our current home-base of Crete at the end of our first season on the water. 

Left the quay at Astipalia in convoy with Debbie and Lachie (Mistral), who have extra crew of Steph and Andy on board.

Departed at around 5pm, and motored away from the lee of the island as the sun went down. Once clear, conditions were good to get the sails up, which we did, and spent the first few hours going along quite nicely. The ever diligent Lachlan was our frequent radio companion, advising speed adjustments, other vessels, milk bottle floats in water, super tanker dimensions etc. etc.

We’d put a 2.5hr turnaround watch roster in place - but this went out of the window early on. The reason for this was a combination of Chez not finding it easy to rest on a rolly boat, and me royally mucking up my first watch within minutes of taking charge ( I’d mis-read the situation of lights on the water, interpreting Lachlan’s disappearing tail incorrectly and changing course in error)..

Anyway, after an hour or so of me sulking and Chez looking exasperated, we cheered up. I was able to get my head down on a couple of occasions - and managed to sleep quite soundly.

Passage diet was left over pizza, cheese straws, a banana and a bar of fruit and nut.

The sky is now salted with stars, and as the boat cuts through the water, the foam spray is alive with little phosphorescent twinkles.

The air tonight feels chilly and damp, so regardless of how much I wish this summer would go on and on, it really does seem now that it’s finally waning into Autumn and Winter.

We’ll probably anchor in Elounda for a day or so to relax - and in Chez’s case catch up with some sleep, before heading back to B pontoon and the associated politics and bullshit!