...sailing holiday. Part two of the triology

The crew returned to the pretty little bay of Spartakhori to check on our fallen comrade.
Still in a poor way, the skipper made the decision to stay while she convalesced.
Plans were concocted, re-mixed & drank down, becoming more hazy as the situation changed.
We had a few days free sailing away from the group, 'PLAN X' utilised the route of these days.
The plan would work , this time it was good.

The morning after the night before our brave Scots leader called the morning pow wow & gave the news of bad weather ahead. We would stay in harour for the day & wait it out.
'PLAN Y'
Only the most fool hardy would venture out on such a day. The fool hardy crews of "Mintaka" & "Neith" considered these wise words and then set off anyway.
(In truth it was to avoid the long walk up the hill to civilisation one more time)

The wind was wild , the sailing was good. We grinned as we had fun.
We returned to harbour that night to celebrate with yet another walk up the hill.
Pizza was good. It's was worth it all. We slept the sleep of achievment.

The course for the next day was set at breakfast.
'PLAN Y' soon changed to 'PLAN Z' & we had no where left to go.

WE WOULD GO NORTH.

We would return in two days & pick up our lost man, skipper would join us again. Hurray. All was good.
We gathered provisions for the long journey.
We dropped provisions in the water & went for a long walk up the hill to replace them.

It was envisaged for the fleet to go north through canal , hold up the traffic to the Island at the only road bridge (such fun)
We would meet again when we had crossed the open sea to find the inlet of the Inland sea & the fabled Vonista.
There we would face the horrors of the Group Meal. Enforced fun was the overheard description..
Secret birthdays were celebrated on the key with a gallon or two of Jock Juice & nibbes.
(Read into that what you will, then go and wash your mind out with soap)

Our group of teachers on "LEDA" would loose one of there crew that day, they swear she went home of her own accord. The committee had voted. The log records and knows better.

On route we were promised we would gaze on the wonders of nature. Leather back turtles, dolphins, giraffe and antelope.

The log of the 'Mintaka' would report attracting no such fabulous beasts.
Not even an earwig.

The boys were the ones communicating with nature. Netting it all. Stripping keys and harbours clean of living creatures.

...& so the long journey north began. The fleet set out from Spartakhori. Glad to leave the hill climb behind.
The wind began to blow. We navigated around the rocks of Skorpius & on toward the canal to the open Ionian.
'Mintaka' exited the Lefkarda canal after negotiating the shallows, swing bridges & lunch.
The world then turned upside down.
At this point it would be apt to mention how the weather forcasting system in this part of the world functions.

This is as follows:

Think of a low figure. Apply it the the Beaufort wind scale.
Disregard it. Issue a random number to radio stations along with a fabricated wind direction from the compass picked in true 'Pin the tail on the Donkey' fashion. Whith eyes closed.
Pick a card form a standard pack of playing cards. Apply the random number value of this card to the Greek version of the beaufort scale & again issue to a the Greek meteralogical depatment.
Repeat this until the situation is confused and there are a minimum of 42 conflicting reports.
Check all bunions for signs of rain fall.
When all infomation has been gathered take an average of all the data, consider it, analyse it & ignore it.
Then look at the sky to see what its doing. The system works beautifuly.

The wind blew, the swell rolled in directly from storm ravaged Italy hit the shallow sloping shores creating somewhat large waves.
As the boat bucked and corkscrewed it's way along the crew of the 'Mintaka' decided it was a good time to try out the safety harnesses. No panic.

After several hours we fixed our position & headed for the marina entering into Preveza & onto the inland sea Vonista in reach, All safe, if a little shaken.
The ground still moved that evening.
Discussion that night was of how much fun everyone had had that day.
(Not)
This shall continue....