Cephalonia to Glyfada

This web page describes a portion of a 7 week trip with S/Y Thetis in 1996 from Greece to Malta, Sardinia, Ustica and Calabria in Italy, and back to Greece. The portion described is the solo passage from Ayia Efimia in Cephalonia to Glyfada, near Athens. This is the end of the trip. It is illustrated with maps and photographs, also included are some historical and geographical descriptions of the places visited as well as several links to other related web sites.

 Overall Route 

Detailed Route

Monday October 21, 1996 Day 39

The alarm woke me up at 3:00. The sky is clear other than the inevitable distant lightning. After a cup of coffee I pull up and lash down the zodiac, raise the anchor and leave. By leaving this early I should easily make it to Trizonia before dark. It is a fairly calm night with a light breeze which allows me to sail on and off. The engine is still very well behaved. The night is very cold and I keep putting on more and more clothes but I still feel the chill.

By sunrise we are passing the island of Oxia and are sailing nicely with 15 -18 knot winds from the North. This point is the end of the Ionian Sea and the beginning of the Gulf of Patras (Patraikos).

By 11:00 AM the wind dies completely and I start the engine again. Fortunately the sun is out in its full glory as I have many wet clothes to dry. Now it is getting warm and I start removing the clothes that I put on during the night. The color of the water has changed completely from the deep, deep blue to an almost emerald green. The sea is almost calm and it is absolutely beautiful again. Gone is the darkness of yesterday's afternoon. We have come a full circle from the glorious morning of yesterday, to the utter wet misery of the afternoon, to this perfect Greek autumn morning. When one moves with a slow boat like this, one must enjoy these peaceful moments because this loveliness and serenity can quickly change into shear terror. I cannot help but remembering sailing past the Aeolian islands during the night. That night must have been one of the loveliest nights of my life but it ended in the nightmare of the Messina Strait.

Around 2:00 PM we passed the Rio-Antirio channel which separates the Peloponnesos from the mainland and is the end of the Patraikos and the beginning of the Korinthiakos (Gulf of Corinth). By 4:45 we reached Trizonia. I anchored offshore without any problem as I did not feel like going inside the half-finished ugly marina. Now I am beginning to believe that there is an end to this trip. I take a lukewarm shower (during this time of the year it does get cold early, and strong sunshine lasts for a short time) and relax over a glass of ouzo. Definitely I am now on the "final approach." The last obstacles are the Gulf of Corinth, which can get nasty, and the Corinth Canal. I do hope Nikos comes as he has promised to do.

Later I went ashore. There are several sailing boats in the "marina." I met a Frenchman, he and his wife came from Tunisia and are planning to winter here. Almost all the boats plan to do so, some owners will stay with their boats, others will leave them here. The attraction is that although it is a well protected harbor and very secure, it still is absolutely free. There are several places that the permanent boat community uses for wintering: Gibraltar, Malta, Tunisia, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kusadasi, Trizonia, Pylos etc. Word of mouth determines which are less expensive and most reliable. Every one of these boats is now either at its wintering harbor or on its way there. The boats that are planning to cross the Atlantic have been moving toward Gibraltar, their goal is to be at Gibraltar by the end of October or earlier and wait there for December before starting on their crossing.

I have been thinking about how I feel towards an Atlantic crossing next year. I have some mixed feelings. I definitely need better communications and access to weather information. If I had at least one person to go with me I would definitely say yes. Being all alone on such a long trip has some drawbacks, mostly that there is so little margin for error during any form of trouble. Also I now see that in foreign places, especially away from the Mediterranean, there can be complications with leaving the boat unattended. Most serious cruisers are couples either retired or with young children and have very flexible time schedules, where few months more or less make little difference. Anyway I will wait and digest my experiences from this trip, after it is over, and see what to plan next.

I went to the local restaurant but, unlike last time we were here, they did not have much of interest. It is definitely late in the year. So I had a small meal and went to bed by 8:30 PM.

Tuesday October 22, 1996 Day 40

I must have been very tired because I did not wake up until 8:00 AM almost 12 hours of sleep! It is another glorious morning with many small clouds interspersed with blue sky. There is a very light breeze and everything is very quiet. The amazing thing is that the boat's cockpit is perfectly dry, no evidence of any humidity whatsoever. I cannot even remember when was it the last time that the boat was dry. I suppose that as we move towards Eastern Greece the climate is changing to a drier one.

I am in a very lazy mood today. In many ways I am glad and relieved that this journey is coming to a close. I have also missed Alice and my daughters, and at the same time I feel a little sad to be leaving Thetis so soon. Despite some loneliness, I just love the sailing and the life on the boat.

Later in the morning I went ashore and called Nikos. Yes he will come and help me go through the canal, I think Pitsa pressured him, but he cannot find a convenient way to go to Galaxidi so we arranged to meet tomorrow evening at New Corinth. I then took a long walk lasting about 2 hrs. The island is quite nice and very thinly populated, I met only one donkey. It is full of cyclamens and other autumn flowers. The day turned out to be sunny and not cold. After the walk I went back to the hamlet and did some light shopping and then called the weather information number. The forecast calls for light winds and scattered clouds for both today and tomorrow, with the temperature dropping. I decided not to go to Galaxidi after all and stay here, which is so pleasant, for tonight also and to go directly to Corinth tomorrow.

I spent a very lazy afternoon reading and sunbathing. After a warm shower, I visited the S/Y Claewen with David and Mary Cliffe from Hampshire, England. They have sailed their boat from England and have been cruising in Greece and Turkey for 4 years now. During the winters they leave the boat in a safe anchorage and fly back home. She is a practicing nurse and he is retired. They usually spend 6 - 9 months of the year living on their boat with visiting children and grandchildren. Their boat is smaller and not as well equipped as Thetis but they do have a Navtex system which David demonstrated. He considers the Navtex even more important than radar.

After the visit I called Nikos for the final arrangements for tomorrow. He will take the train and we will meet around 5:00 PM. I also called Alice and actually spoke to her.

Back onboard I cooked and had dinner. Altogether a very pleasant, restful, and uneventful day. Cooking when the boat is still and upright is actually a pleasure, it is so peaceful. During the long passages cooking was an exercise in balance and acrobatics.

Wednesday October 23, 1996 Day 41

"In the middle of the night, something was not right..." Actually the wind had picked up speed to almost 20 knots and shifted direction 180° so that the boat had moved uncomfortably close to the land. I had to re-anchor before I could go back to sleep.

I woke up at 6:30 and listened to the weather forecast. In the Korinthiakos the wind will be force 4 - 5 from the NE with an occasional rain. Not so bad!

By 7:30 we are underway. The sea is choppy, not rough, and the wind which was earlier from the NE has changed to SE almost dead against our course. It is an uncomfortable ride and we are motor-sailing without the jib. There are a few drizzles. Nikos called, via Hellas Radio, to verify that I will be in Corinth this evening. He will meet me there but he is not sure at what time. My estimated time of arrival is 5:00 PM.

After reaching Xylocastro the wind died out completely and the sea became glassy calm. Here there were floating some of the largest jelly fish I have ever seen, close to 1/2 m in diameter. As we are getting close to Corinth, I siphoned fuel from the jerry cans to the main tank without a single drop of spillage. I am getting rather proficient by now in these transfers while underway.

We arrived at Corinth at 4:45. There was no one there to help with the lines. The second anchor controller, operated from the cockpit, is indispensable in this case, with it I managed quite nicely, keeping the proper tension on the anchor chain as I backed up towards the dock. When we were close enough, with the chain preventing Thetis to go any further back, I jumped ashore and tied one line. I then jumped back onboard and tensioned the line. Then once more I repeated the process with a second line. As I was installing the passarella, I was hailed from Hellas Radio. It was Rozina who told me that Nikos is on the train and will be at Corinth by 6:45.

While waiting for Nikos' arrival, I went to a gas station and refilled the jerry cans with diesel fuel. Corinth has changed a lot since the days that Alice was staying at the Belvue hotel. Now there are boutiques, and specialty stores, and malls, all the makings of a modern nondescript town.

Back on board I am having a relaxing glass of ouzo when the people from another sail boat come and introduce themselves. The husband is Brazilian and the wife Irish, they are traveling with their three children and the husband's brother. They have just purchased their boat used from Olympic Marine in Lavrion. It is not in the best of shape, and they do not seem to be too experienced. They are heading towards Gibraltar, and then to Madeira and the Caribbean. They have no weather information, very few charts, no pilot books, nor do they know where to get most of this information. I loaned them my Heikell pilots. They seem surprised to hear that November is not such a good month for sailing in the Mediterranean.

Nikos arrived full of pent up energy after sitting for several hours on the train. We go out to eat. The dinner was fine and we go back on board. The Brazilians come back and we have a friendly conversation, mostly giving them advice for their journey. Nikos is very doubtful about them.

This could very well be my last night on Thetis for this year. I am glad to be nearing the end of the journey, yet I do not seem to get enough of the boat and the sea. I have traveled altogether 969 nmi together with Lewis and 715 nmi by myself. These last miles were difficult miles and now I am relieved to be back and safe without any major damage to the boat or myself. Yet, I just love living on board, I am so envious of the people I meet who live 5 to 6 months of the year on their boats. A sail boat is such a self-contained cozy little universe that is floating on the sea "endless and full of variety." Well this it! Tomorrow the Corinth Canal and the Saronic gulf.

Thursday October 24, 1996 Day 42

We got up by 7:30 or so after an uneventful night. I went to town first to change some traveler's checks and then to buy a loaf of bread. The wind was coming rather strong from the East. I called the Canal from the VHF and informed them that we want to transit and that we are about 20 minutes away from the west entrance. They said that the canal was clear and we can transit right away. We raised our anchor and departed the Corinth marina at 9:30 AM. We motored to the canal entrance where we were placed on hold so that we could follow a large tourist schooner (with sails which were never used) that arrived a few minutes later. Altogether we did not wait more than 5 minutes.

In the canal there was a strong current but since there were no large ships we could easily proceed at a speed of 4 to 5 knots so the current did not affect us very much. At the Isthmia end of the canal the sea was fairly calm so there was no problem docking the boat sideways. We went ashore and paid the dues at the canal office and then cast off for Glyfada right away.

We are now in the Saronic Gulf. Near Isthmia there was practically no wind and we had to use the engine but as soon as we left the area the wind started blowing 30 - 40 knots from the North. So we were able to sail, with a reefed main and reduced genoa, very fast averaging better than 7 knots. We sailed all the way to Glyfada, where we arrived at 4:30 PM.

The situation at the Glyfada Marina 4 was very bad, They are doing some excavation work and all the boats which are normally docked at the south side had been moved to our side; as a result our normal slot was taken and there was no space for us. We tie rafting on to Nikos' Faneromeni and to another boat. Thetis is not very secure but should be all right unless the weather changes.

This is the end of the voyage.

Conclusions

What have I learned from this trip? If anything, I have learned to value reliable communications which include good and timely weather information. These become paramount if one is sailing alone.

Telephones are of course not available off shore. The VHF can be used, but one must have an international account to be able to place calls when traveling in foreign countries. In harbors, of course, there is no problem as almost everywhere there are public telephones but even there I had problems placing calls to Alice from Fiskardo. Receiving calls is another matter. I went through hard times in Sardinia getting in contact with COMSAT so that I could attend to business, as much as possible. It would have been also highly desirable to have a reasonable facility for sending and receiving e-mail. To do so with the use of public telephones is very complicated, one will need several access numbers and will have to use an acoustic coupler which is very low speed and very clumsy. There are two possible technological fixes to this problem: cellular phones or a new service provided in Europe and other countries, including the U.S., called Autolink. Cellular phones will work within 25 nmi of an antenna and can be expensive. Autolink will work over the VHF for 50 nmi from an antenna and will also work with a SSB and is much less expensive. It also has several advantages in that it allows distress calls and better weather information. On the negative side Autolink is more complicated to use for a caller. Another drawback is that to use Autolink with a computer (e-mail) one has to have a full duplex VHF (Thetis' is simplex) which is not inexpensive. Even with Autolink one is range limited. One answer is a HF SSB marine radio. This is expensive (about $2,000) and requires a substantial installation and its communications are not always reliable. Nevertheless, I now believe that it would be foolish to attempt an ocean crossing without it. Satellite based systems like Inmarsat are very expensive (over $7,000) but with the new generation such as the Inmarsat project 21 and the Motorola's Iridium when they become available will be the real answer. Unfortunately no one knows when they will be available.

Low cost weather information, other than what is available via a telephone or a marine operator like Hellas Radio (in Italy they do not speak other than Italian), comes from either broadcasts or Navtex. Navtex is a small automatic MF receiver that tunes to weather stations and prints the weather report. Its main advantages are that it can work around the clock, the text is in English, and it is available in most of the world. The main drawbacks are again, limited range of 400 nmi (will not work in the middle of the ocean) and lack of extended forecasts. These are serious drawbacks. Again with the use of a SSB radio connected to a computer one can, theoretically at least, receive weather faxes. In Sardinia, however, none of the boats with this system could receive any. A very expensive system ($3,000) uses a direct receiver and an L-band antenna and feeds satellite weather photographs to a computer. This is good and more reliable than a SSB, but as these pictures are raw data one is limited to one's personal interpretation which is nowhere as good as the analysis of a skilled professional. The other drawback, of course, is space; that is, where to put all these machines and antennas on a small sail boat. Again I think that Navtex is a necessity but not totally adequate for an ocean crossing.

The other lesson is that not only one must have a good supply of spares but one must be vigilant for dirty fuel. Spares I had, I was able to replace the alternator regulator and several navigation lights. But I did not have spares of enough items (more than one set of navigational lights, battery operated lights, extra fuel filters etc.). The fuel pre-filter on Thetis was not adequate, there are better ones in the market and I will replace it. Tools I had, but a more powerful, electric soldering iron would be useful. For several of the electronics (GPS, auto pilot, depth sounder) I had redundant units which were not needed (this time). I think that a third anchor as well as a storm trysail, to replace the main sail in extreme conditions, may be desirable. Again the problem is storage space. During a very windy night in Gagliari, Sardinia I almost lost the boat it being bashed against the concrete dock and all six of my fenders being inadequate. I now think that a few extra, large fenders should be part of the equipment. Again the problem is space, such fenders are bulky. One possibility that needs to be investigated is to have them uninflated and inflate them when needed by either a small pump or by the one for the zodiac.

Another weakness of Thetis was the electrical wiring. Most of the wires are too thin (high resistance) and not tin plated which results in corrosion and high resistivity. This was the failure mode of the wire supplying power to the instruments. Rewiring all of these wires will be very expensive. I think a partial rewiring of the most critical wires (vital instruments, pumps etc.) together with a supply of thicker tinned wire as a spare will be sufficient.

The amount of fuel I carried was 100 l in the main tank and about 45 l in jerry cans. This amount allowed Thetis to motor comfortably for about 4 days and nights or 96 hrs. It would be good to have more, again the problem is space. One possibility is to have few extra jerry cans lashed on deck but in extreme weather they can be easily lost overboard, and will impose extra strain on the lifelines and will increase the healing angle. So I am not sure about this.

Water is another vital element. We consumed, on the average, about 3 l per day per person of water strictly for drinking and cooking. This came from bottles of mineral water. Water for washing came from the two water tanks of 200 l total capacity which was replenished by the watermaker. During the whole trip the only place I filled these tanks was in Malta and even that was not needed. I returned to Glyfada with the tanks full. I also carried, for emergencies, a 22 l can of water which was never used. I believe that by buying bottled mineral water, whenever possible, water will not be a problem, as long as the watermaker functions. In long crossings if one runs out of bottled water one can refill the bottles directly from the watermaker by-passing the tanks. Should the watermaker fail, and assuming there are only 200 l left, there should be enough water for drinking to last 2 people for at least 25 days.

Electricity is another consumable item. The largest consumers of electricity are: the refrigerator (8 a), the watermaker (4 a), the navigation and cabin lights (about 20 a-hrs/night), the radar (1 a when scanning), and the instruments together with the auto pilot (1 a). If there is wind adequate for sailing, the wind generator has no problem compensating for the instruments, auto pilot, and radar and can create a small surplus (about 2 - 4 a). The battery capacity of 225 a-hrs, if depleted to the recommended 50% level, allows then for about 1 1/2 days of operation without any wind. To recharge this loss requires about 3 hrs of running the engine, so if we are to run the engine for about 2 hrs every day we can have some refrigeration, about 10 l of water and cover all the rest of the electrical needs. Thus on an ocean crossing with the 145 l of fuel we are covered for about 40 days with plenty of safety margin.

Food supplies can be kept in the refrigerator (operated for 2 hrs/day) if they are not too perishable. Eggs, cheese, vegetables etc. keep rather well. The main problem, as far as food is concerned, for an extended voyage is adequate variety. Pasta alternated with rice can be tiresome. More thought is needed to devise foods which provide more variety. Other than variety again the problem is storage space i.e. where to store the food and keep it dry and out of the way.

Clothing is not a big problem other than the need for laundry so that one can have regular changes of clothes. As long as there is plentiful fresh water and sunshine, laundry is manageable. It is good to have plenty of clothes so that one does not have to do laundry for two weeks if necessary. During the night, it can get rather cold. Woolen pullovers and caps are a must. Cotton socks proved very useful. A warm pair of gloves could also be useful. Tee shirts for warm days are very convenient. Storm gear is of course indispensable. It is preferable to have two sets per person so that after removing a wet set one can put one a dry one. This is also convenient in case an item gets ripped and needs to be repaired. Boat shoes at least 2 pairs per person are also absolutely necessary. A pair of storm boots may also be a good idea. Again the problem is storage space. Room must also be allowed for wet clothes to be drying without being in one's way.

One of the issues that have been uppermost on my mind is this: Sailing for any long distance requires a lot of time. Unless one's family can also participate in such a voyage two major problems are created. The trip will disrupt family life and one needs to find suitable companions unless one goes alone. Most of the people one meets cruising with sail boats are either young couples with young children or elderly couples. My children are at school and have a life of their own so the option of traveling with them can be ruled out. Alice has no tolerance or interest in joining me in such trips; as a result traveling with family is eliminated. So the two problems are very applicable in my case. Family disruption due to extended sailing cannot be eliminated, the best one can do is to moderate it to some extent. Limiting the sailing to separate periods of about two months each together with good radio/telephone communications will partially achieve this. Such an approach of course has to be scheduled during the periods of the year that sailing is safe. If one can manage to leave the boat at safe harbors for extended periods this mode of sailing can be achieved. The advantage of this, in addition to increased family tranquillity, is that I could also have time to practice engineering consulting and thus raise the needed funds. Unfortunately, as I show from my limited sampling this mode is not only difficult and risky for the boat (hard to find safe harbors for unattended boats) but it can be rather costly in terms of transportation costs and harbor fees. The second problem of suitable companions is also very difficult. Unless one is willing to take on unknown companions the chances are very slim to find people among ones acquaintances who are willing, capable, have the time, and are convivial to join for such a trip. Even the most agreeable people can become irritating boat mates during a long and strenuous passage. The only viable option in my mind is to be prepared to travel as a single handler and to hope that a suitable friend or relative can joining you.

This brings me to the last area of concern, single handling. It is true that I have by now proven to myself that I am capable of single handling Thetis. Not only that, but I even enjoy the freedom of not having to coordinate and please another person during a trip. This does not, however, mean that single handling is a desirable and totally safe way of sailing. The margins for error during some emergency are greatly reduced if one is alone. On the other hand I now also know that the problem of sleep and exhaustion is not as big as I originally expected. But realistically speaking unless one's spouse loves sailing and is willing to go alone, there are no other realistic ways of extended sailing other than single handling.

Am I going to take another long voyage with Thetis? Absolutely yes!