Sunny days, blue skies - it must be Greece

May 28, 2017

Peter writes …..

Welcome to our new travel blog.

It’s a simple site and hopefully you have been able to subscribe fairly easily for future updates. I know it can be a pain but by subscribing you should get an automatic notification of any new updates as they happen.

Now on to our news…….

After several ‘goodbyes’ to the friends we had made in Cyprus we finally left.

Saying goodbye to the local policeman 'Kosta'

Our attempts to leave however, were hampered by engine problems only a few hours out of Limassol. We managed to limp to the port of Latchi on the Northern side of the island where fortunately we found all the help we needed. The boat ended up having a new fuel pump, the fuel tank and fuel needed cleaning, and for good measure our water tank also needed some welding work. Oh, and during this work we also found that the water pump needed replacing - more money!

I always wonder if boat manufactures ever give any consideration to future maintenance of their boats. My guess is “No”.

The only way to deal with the tank welding was to manhandle it upwards and then rotate it until we could get some sort of limited access. To remove it from the boat would have required cutting it into bits. Even some of the boat wiring had been laid across the top of the tank so tightly that I had to extend more than 20 wires just to get to the tank.

All that being said, we finally got things sorted out

and headed West towards Greece where we are now.

We are looking forward to some good sailing and hopefully catching up with some old friends.

Hope Everyone is OK and speak soon.

Any comments on the new website will be gratefully received. Please contact us using the email address of ‘mailforwhiterose@yahoo.com'.

Bridget writes ……..

Walking the Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus

We put the time of our prolonged stay in Cyprus to good use by walking and cycling along the coast. Always trying to stay fit, it was a 4 mile round trip walk to Polis for food shopping and of course a coffee stop to use the wifi and keep in touch with the world!

After motoring for 36 hours and 160 miles later we arrived at the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo in darkness, dropped the anchor and went to sleep. The next day was special, celebrating the patron saints of the island and after the church service the parade entered the harbour front, led by the army band. A tight squeeze if ever there was one!

The crossing to Symi was another overnight journey and unfortunately just when we were having a good sail, we were called by the Turkish Navy and asked to leave the area as they were having an exercise. We had a detour of about 20 miles and counted over a dozen ships and helicopters, so it kept us awake!!

We started to relax in Symi and although we have been there several times before it was good to be back. The water was just about warm enough to swim in, well for a quick dip. I guess I’m getting older or just impatient for the sea to warm up!! We were invited for drinks on board another Swedish made boat, bigger and newer than ours………so we started dreaming again!!!

Here are some of our photos.........