Corfu, Storms, Syracuse
Well, we had a lovely rest for two days while the wind howled outside and the rain poured down. There was really nothing else to do. There was no space in the marinas in Corfu and the bay was really beautiful despite the rain.
The weather forecast in Corfu stayed the same for three days – thunderstorms and wind.
Gouvia Marina
On the morning of the third day, we decided to make a break for it and go to Gouvia even if we had to anchor in the bay while we got the engine pump fixed. A friend had given us the name of some agents at A1 yachting and we called them to see if they could handle our entry into Greece to save us from going into town. They came back shortly after and although the marina had told us there were no berths when we called they had managed to find one for us.
We cruised down the coast which is beautiful and green and such a change after Malta which is all brown, dry, and rocky.
Video …
Corfu was very busy with charter boats going in and out of the marina, but they were having to wait for slots in their own area and we went in and were handled almost immediately.
The engineers arrived very quickly and took the pump away to be fixed. Next, we wandered up to the office of A1 yachting and discovered that the immigration police who were in the building next door were not happy with our documents. They could not find the exit stamp for Malta but they did find the entry stamp for Italy and it was over 90 days old. According to our passports, we had been nowhere else. Here we go again. There was much discussion on the ins and outs of Schengen and the individual countries’ agreements. In the end, it came down to the fact that we should have been stamped in each country so we could count the day’s agreement separately from the Schengen days.
Of course, leaving malta they treated us as crew on a yacht. Albania had its own system and stamped papers, not passports – mainly for the yacht requirements. Then the Greek authorities were treating us as passengers but decided in the final stages we should be crew. In the end, all the documents were signed and stamped and we were legitimate.
The next day the pump came back and we were all set to leave. We picked up some fuel at the fuel dock – last visited two years ago and ago. Then we set off with a forecast that would give us 30% on a tight reach than all the rest on an easy reach to Malta at about 15kts. Sounded great. As you can see from the photo – the weather was not that warm – not the Mediterranean we were used to.
Stormy Passage
We departed down the east coast hoping for a quick trip. After passing Corfu town the wind was dead on the nose again – seems to happen to us all the time. The wind was already averaging 22kts from the South rather than SW and the sea was rough already 1-2m and short. Rather than bashing into all the way on the motor we decided to tack and motor sail to the end of Corfu.
We reached the end of Corfu late in the day and turned right slightly to track for Malta. This did not seem to help as we turned right so did the wind. The wind was hard on so we motor sailed. The forecast was ok but windy. During the night the wind increased and so did the seas. At one point we were making 3.5kts Speed over the ground – depressing.
The second afternoon we were down to 3 reefs and no genoa – or now and then a handkerchief out. Making 6.5 knots and still motor sailing as the wind was so far forward. We were running forecasts every 6 hours and decided if the wind got no better we were going to head for Syracuse and not Malta and have a rest. We were running about 6 hours on ETA.
As the evening approached the wind increased from the NW we were hand-sailing rather than on autopilot which could not see the approaching waves and we had been dropping off some of the big waves. Still doing 6.5 knots but very rough. We had a good sail for about 3 hours then night fell and we had to reduce the speed of the yacht as we could not see the waves either. The forecast was for waves bout 2m at 4 sec intervals and that was about right.
The new forecast showed us right in the red patch and it had been gusting over 40kts. There was supposed to be a calm patch at one stage but we never found it.
Syracuse
Dawn rose with our entry to Syracuse. We notified our approach into the harbour and were told to remain on the yacht and then the fun started with authorities. We had not been planning to end up in Syracuse so of course had not given them the 12 hours notice required. We wanted to get in, do the paperwork, have a rest, and clear out the next day. Not so easy. The harbour master told us what was required for the health clearance and emailed us the details. We sent the documents off to 8 email addresses!! This was by now about 8 am. Then heard no more. On querying the harbour master she told us the Health department was separate and they had no idea how long it takes. They have obviously had this problem before.
We then started to tidy up the yacht and discovered that our port Pelican Stiker wire had two broked strands. Just as well we stopped. Now looked like we would not be going to Malta and certainly not sailing. On further inspection of the yacht, we discovered that we had also cracked the area under the rear davits again. One had been mended 3 months before in Marina di Ragusa and it was not too bad but now the other was showing cracking around the base. We made the decision not to continue to Malta but to go to Marina di Ragusa and try and get the wires and damage fixed there.
We then settled in for a rest. Got up after lunch and still no emails with a clearance. Called the harbour master again and explained that we would like to leave first thing the next morning because we wanted to take the calm weather window before the next storm. She was very helpful and even suggested not getting off the boat but clearing at Pozzallo. We called them but they asked us to call Marina di Ragusa as they did not speak English well. I talked to the girls there about a marina and the situation with the authorities and that we did not need to be stuck at Pozzallo if we did leave due to the approaching storm. She got back to me and had been told that Pazzallo now comes under Syracuse so if we couldn’t get the health clearance in Syracuse it would be a problem in Pozzallo.
The good thing that came out of the conversation was that they knew an agent in Syracuse who they had used before and they might help. We then called Giorgio siracusa@luise.com at Luisa Yachtshttps://www.luise.com/italy/ and had a chat. He told us that the process was with the health department there – if we did not give 12 hours notice then they threw the file in the next day’s list so we would not get it today. Sit back and relax. In fact, we would not get it until close to lunchtime the next day – certainly not first thing in the morning. We explained our problem with the weather and trying to get away as soon as possible but it seemed nothing to do but wait.
As we were sitting on the yacht waiting we had a visit from another yacht who had been in Marina di Ragusa previously. Brad and Janet were waiting for the current weather to go through before continuing to MdR. They were good friends of Chris the Refrigeration man we had met in Malta.
The forecast for the next few days was not good as can be seen from the shots of Predict wind below. The third photo was of the gust we got in the bay the next day. It was very windy and 0.5meter swell even in the harbour. The wind got up at 4am and at 6am we got the motors on an motored into the wind to get the bridle up and then release more chain. Beside us in the anchorage, another yacht was doing the same, and ahead of us one dragged so far they had to pull their anchor right out and start again. We were in around 7m and had about 60m of chain out. We really grabbed as we let the bridle out and did not move again while we were there.
Wind Forecast 
Gusts Forecast 
Maximum Wind
The following are some views of the harbour in Syracuse. It is a lovely old town but overshadowed by the big cruise ships. I know people love them but this one had speakers going with the exercise music and dancing most of the day and the noise was awful. It dwarfed the old town and you could see why people do not wantcruised ships in some of these old traditional towns.
Hew loved this boat below, said it really was a James Bond-style yacht – big aft deck for all the fun and games!! Plenty of room for the helicopter as well. Great name.
Other boats seen around town.
Safety? Top heavy?
When the weather finally cleared we decided we had one afternoon to walk around town – looking at the sights as seen above, the old and the new.
Departure for Marina di Ragusa
Then next morning we decided to get up before sunrise and leave at daybreak. I think the harbour wanted us to stay. The anchor came up so far and then we found we were totally entangled in an old net that had obviously been dumped. 45 minutes later we had cut it off. the movement of the boat over the last three days as shown on the screen probably aided the entanglement. What a muddy mess!!
Finally on our way to Marina di Ragusa.
We had an uneventful trip and were happy to return to the old marina. Clean and tidy and lots of welcoming smiles. Also much warmer than Corfu and even warmer than Syracuse.
