| We recovered after our big night at sea, and enjoyed Brindisi It is a commercial port, there is no denying, but also a nice little town. We stayed at the marina near the centre, and had a prime spot right outside the restaurant. At 10 pm it comes alive, and the second night we ordered a pizza, which the waiter delivered to our doorstep, “pizza for New Zealand?” the waiter asked, didn’t even get our toes wet. Then we settled back down to listen to the newstalk zb live on the back of the boat through the computer.
Yesterday after getting fuel, we used about 60 litres coming from Bar, 119 miles, about $3.86 nz an hour, a bit different to those super launches sucking through $1300 nz an hour, we then set off out of the harbour. As we were coming out through the harbour we saw a most horrifying water spout. These water spouts come out of smallish black clouds, start at a cylinder, and join up to the water surface, they can suck water up to 100 metres out of the sea, and in their vortex can reach 120 miles per hour. There were a couple of other clouds which looked a bit ominous, and our neighbouring boat in the marina came racing back in waving his arms hysterically, so these are not to be taken lightly. We were a bit gun shy of course after our Bar to Brindisi debacle, and this put doubt into whether we would venture out or not. There were a couple of other boats stalling, with the same predicament, and finally the clouds moved on, and we all edged out cautiously, and ended up having one of the best sails we have enjoyed in all the 5 weeks we have been on the boat. We put the genniker up in about 10 to 12 knots, and skooted along at 6 and 7 knots. This we were able to do for 30 miles, having to hold our course up because there is a firing range along the way, which we are to keep 5 miles out from shore to avoid a hole being shot though our brightly coloured Genniker. Joe quite rightly thought they would be at church today, and their flags were not flying, so we allowed ourselves to edge inside the zone slightly to keep our Genniker happily flying. So 45 miles later we arrived at Otronto, a very busy port with thousands of little boats going hither and tither. We called at the visitor area, it looked like there was enough room for us, but they told us it was full, when I called on the VHF channel 10 nobody would answer, later I said to Joe “I would rather think the spare berths had no laid lines, I would had to think nobody wants us” We anchored out in the bay, and when all the little craft stopped coming in and jobbling the water, we got a steady night to sleep, well apart from the party revellers ashore. We had been srongly recommended Otronto as a must see town by two different people, and it was quite nice but seething with people, very few of course who would smile at us, or speak English. The old town itself was not a patch on Rovinj or Korcula or so many we loved in Croatia, but I;m pleased we saw it. The last night however was a bit torrid. Firstly our evening entertainment from the cockpit armchair wasn’t at all stimulating, speeches which went on for hours. After OUR bedtime, music banged on, ok to start with, but later some rather scary looking Gypsies we had seen in the day rather painfully thrashed away on their bongo drum and chanted out, til ¬4.30 am. When the drums stopped one of their free radicals spent the next half hour screaming out to sea, probably some imaginary spirit or a lecture to us. Just thinking a bit of shut eye round the corner, and the tunny fishing boats started their procession, and with it the rock and roll of the boat. To add to all of this a phone call at 3am, text at 4am and another at 5.30. The final insult to injury, to be blasted out of the cabin with 7 canon booms just over the rise at 7am. We took this final one as our cue to leave. We had perfect conditions, 12 to 15 knots breeze from NNW, we were travelling SE, a good reach. Rightly or wrongly I understand this Otronto Canale to be slightly feared, so not to leave anything to chance, we gently motored also, getting us along at 7.5 knots. Besides, the ice needed to be made for the evening aperitif. Well we had studied a good forecast for Southern Adriatic and also The Northern Ionian, both clearly stated a steady Force 4, which was just nice. We were only going to go as far as Othoni Island, 45 miles on the way to Corfu, but we read of sand and rocks which may snag an anchor, and decided to go the full distance, making it 75 miles for the day. Well again our luck was down, the wind started rising, to 20 knots and before we knew it we were fighting the waves, well Wrighteau was, she was marvellous, her little wheel went this way and that, and of course so did we, so it was back to life jackets and harnesses and into the Force 7, going over 30 knot wind. This for about the last 5 hours, I can tell you yacht brokers in Corfu were even discussed at this point. We felt great relief to get around the corner where shelter should prevail, and Joe fought the 22 knot breeze and the main sail, or the little we had up by then, and I have to say the atmosphere was a little tense. We finally settled at anchor, the theory is that the wind dies down after sunset, sunset turned out to be about 10pm instead of 8.30. Enough said about all that, but we did wake to a glorious morning, and after our first swim in the Ionian, we motored into the Gouvia marina. We have struck some people who have said that the Greek people are rude and useless, but at the marina here we have only met very friendly and efficient people, especially after coming from Italy, but we do the customs thing tomorrow, so that will be the crunch time. It is very hot, and time to go out and explore.
Now next day, last night at 9.30 pm it was 29 degrees, it is going to be a hot one this Greece
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