Last Post for 2015

  Rope Sole has been lifted and is now safely chocked in a cradle and tucked away at the back of the boatyard in our regular spot. Now our elevated view is of olive trees, scrubland and hills flanking the bay. An amiable Albanian goatherd strolls his frisky nannys along…

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Sunday Best

It is one of those late-summer-going-on-early-autumn days which wrap their soft warmth into every nip and tuck of body and boat. Slung into my hammock which Simon cleverly whiskered across Rope Sole’s ample bow, I have been reading, gazing and musing while Kezzie knuckles down to the serious business of…

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The Sting

Our last run out to the Cyclades was the usual 12ish hours and uneventful, we happily anchored in Kezzie’s favourite bay. For me, ‘phew!’ Once the sprinkling of beach devotees had disappeared we took her ashore for a well deserved run. What a sight…our patient little lab who generally takes…

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Encounters

On Tuesday we went to see Mr. Holmes at the open air cinema. The previous two evenings we’d turned up, only to find the advertising posters had been a little Greek tease.  Anyway we sat amongst a sprinkling of others in comfy director’s chairs and enjoyed the breeze-born aroma of…

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One euro well spent

I have just made a short trip across the Poros channel in pursuit of ‘grandchildren food’…ie. sliced and soft cheese, plastic ham, chicken nuggets, spinach pie, chocolate spread and pizzas On the return trip I suddenly had the notion to make a little blog of the expedition which is so…

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Father and father

So….here we are seated in the plane and the occupancy of the third seat in our row is bartered….then resolved. A tall striking lass slips in beside me and we prepare for take off. The next three hours are full of her story and a little of ours. Magda has…

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Under the Caravan

The trip back through the islands to Poros enabled us to spend our wedding anniversary on land. We couldn’t resist another walk up the ancient path to the chora, especially as it wasn’t too hot. 17 days since the last expedition and lots of changes. Previously it was May Bank…

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Vanishing

A couple of nights in one of our favourite anchorages gave us such a peaceful and still night. We sat in the cockpit and listened to the layers of evening noises whilst the stars appeared like bright, freshly popping corn. From the mainland we could hear one bird relentlessly calling…

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Ola Kala….everything is fine!

Eight days in a familiar fishing harbour and we’re off again. This has been a great place to shelter from 30knt winds, especially as we held out against worse than this on the same quay last year. Unfortunately the lazy line which Simon heroically retrieved from the harbour floor in…

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Looking Around

Our slower rhythm of day is mostly a real joy. The exceptions are windless,  grey voyages and unrelenting storms but I’m not thinking of those right now. We have just left a small Cycladic island where we spent a happy few days. moored alongside a delightful English couple. Each day…

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