A guest and Greek Easter

Sandpiper is launched for the new season

19th April We are finally back in Kilada, Greece where our boat is out of the water in the yard. She’s been on the hard for 11 months but, apart from needing a good clean and polish, she’s looking good. Our plan this year is to bring Sandpiper back to the UK, which will mean sailing her down through the Corinth Canal to the Ionian islands, then across to Sicily and onto to Sardinia, the Balearics, Spain, Gibraltar and up the Atlantic coast of Portugal before crossing the Bay of Biscay to the UK. The plan is slightly complicated by the fact we also need to fly back in the UK for our son Chris’s wedding at the end of June.

20^th April There’s always something that needs fixing. Today we found that the anchor windlass (the device that raises and drops the anchor) has stopped working. We had some problems with it last year and did a temporary fix, but now it needs a permanent solution. We call Andreas the electrician and he helps us re-route the wiring and install a deck fitting for the control unit.

25^th April Sandpiper is finally launched. We sail round to Porto Heli as my friend Liz is arriving tomorrow from Canada to spend 10 days sailing with us.

Cleaning out the bilges

26^th April Liz has arrived but we can’t leave the port as our automatic bilge pump has stopped working. We call Andreas who tells us the problem has been caused by oily water in the bilges. He can replace the pump and sensor but first we need to clean out the bilges.   So I spend the day on my hands and knees scraping gunk out of the bilges and scrubbing them clean. Liz appears to find this very amusing and takes lots of pictures.

Liz at Ermioni

Is this what happens to naughty children in Greece?

28^th April While Andreas and Cliff sort out the fitting of a new pump, Liz and I take the bus to Ermioni, a lovely little town just along the coast. We walk around the pine-clad peninsular just beyond the town where you can still see the remains of the ancient city. Then we stop at a waterfront  taverna and tuck into a delicious lunch with wonderful views across to the island of Dhokos.

Great lunchtime view

29^th April We are now in the port of Epidaurus where we will be staying for the weekend to see the celebrations for Greek Easter. Easter is almost as important as Christmas for the Greeks and everywhere we go there are decorations,  from  special street lights to wooden cut outs of rabbits decorating the verges.

Easter bunnies and (in video below) the midnight celebrations

On Good Friday evening we follow the candle lit parade up to the church above the town where we can hear the sombre sound of priests chanting. Then at midnight on Saturday the mood changes as we join the crowd down by the harbour.  Candles are lit again, but this time Church bells ring, boats sound their horns, fireworks are set off and Chinese lanterns are released high into the sky.

Liz emerges from the Sunken City

During the day Liz and I walk through orange and lemon groves to the small Roman amphitheatre  and then on down to the beach where Liz swims out and snorkels over the ruins of the sunken city. It’s chilly, and as I’ve already seen them I opt to stay on the beach. Later, as we walk back we see people walking down from the hill above the amphitheatre. A German tells us the remains of the temple to Apollo is at the top of the hill so we climb up and are rewarded with stunning views across the Gulf.

Liz at the Temple to Apollo 

1st May On Greek Easter Sunday all is quiet as families stay at home to feast on roast lamb. Andreas told us that the lamb’s entrails are considered a special treat! We spend the day doing boat chores while Liz goes on a long hike round the coast. On the way back she stops at a beachside shack for a glass of retsina and the owners refuse to let her pay for it. Our Greek Easter meal is a delicious vegetarian chilli cooked on board by Liz.