I fired my broker this month and am able to reduce the price, $395,000. email if you are interested. Thanks
Friday, October 5, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Catamaran 1998 Voyage Mayotte 500 Catamaran For Sale
Catamaran 1998 Voyage Mayotte 500 Catamaran For Sale
This cruising sail boat is fantastic check me out!
This cruising sail boat is fantastic check me out!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sailing adventures comes to an end
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Better Late than Never Feb 21 2012
And, if it’s appropriate to apologize (not having written in months), sorry about that. I’d mistakenly thought we’d done a post holiday letter. Nonetheless, we have been less than overwhelmed with inquiries as to our well-being!! That being said, if the Alzheimer’s allows me to remember that far back, I’ll try to fill you in. Unfortunately, this will, no doubt, turn out to be quite long as there is a lot of ground to cover. I, therefore, strongly suggest that you read a little and then rest; read a little more, then rest, etc.. While my wit is thoroughly enjoyable, I would not want to overload anyone’s capacity for it. It seems I left off with the olive picking before Christmas. But first a few items of interest and importance. Unfortunately, still no interest in the boat. Have dropped the price. On the plus side, my residency—Permesso di Soggiorno—has been approved. See attached. For some reason Yahoo wouldn't allow me to imbed the pic. Great mug shot, eh? This gives me all the rights of a citizen, including National Health, except the vote.
Rose’s eldest daughter and her two grandson’s are coming to visit in early June, which is always a great lift for Rose. They have wisely opted to get a nearby villa with a pool. Rose’s other daughter, Charlotte, is hoofing around India at the moment, but has promised to also visit sometime when she returns. Nathan came two summers ago to Turkey, and we’re hoping he might hop down since we’re so close. As for my kids, don’t know when I might get to see Joe but I’ve promised Lizzie a trip to the States sometime when it warms up. Maybe I can do a cheap around-the-world deal and hook up with him in Singapore at the same time, but it’s looking doubtful. In the meantime, all you moochees in the States, prepare yourselves as I might hit you up for accomodations. Rose likely to go to the UK whilst I’m travelling.
Now’s the hard part—like I can really remember what happened the last couple of months. I’ll try to muddle through.
We had a very festive holiday season, and, as we have a spacious main cabin, had another party over Christmas. The marina yahoos managed to try to arrange a “pot luck” thing Christmas day (Scrooges!!) which many of us thought was ridiculous, but it also conflicted with a nice luncheon the marina cafe was putting on that day. Turn out was so poor they eventually bagged that idea and just did some kind of drink and snacks deal. So—a bunch of us worked out a plan with the café for a nice dinner the Friday before Christmas (we didn’t want to be around with the other crowd to ruin out Christmas). I’m pretty sure it was Ossa Buco, (but the Altz is kicking in) and it was most excellent. If it wasn’t that, and I’ve already talked about that meal, rest assured it was something good. As best I can remember, we took Christmas Eve to recuperate, and, oh, there was a Christmas carol fest in there somewhere before all that. Christmas day was great. We got up and opened presents and then hoofed it over to our friends on Rahda for a full English breakfast—reminded me of what my mother used to do. Several of us killed a few bottles of champagne—it’s an English tradition foisted upon me.
Next on the list was a noonish party on Rendezvous with a fairly large crowd for Bloodies and whatever, champagne, beer, whiskey. An interesting aside is the difficulty we had finding Bloody Mary fixin’s. you would think, here in Italy, the grocery shelves would be full of tomato juice (succa di pomodoro). No way, no how. We had to get it from the marina café bar which, in spite of a bulk purchase, charged us a ridiculous price. Just this week, however, there is joy in Marina di Ragusa as one of the cruisers found it at a somewhat obscure grocery store off the beaten track, AND the price is right as well. Some of us like horseradish in our bloodies. Nope, none of that either until we discovered a dusty jar or two at the seldom open, small international shop in downtown Ragusa, So all is well now.
The afternoon soiree dragged on until about three and we had twelve coming for turkey at six, a somewhat different, but thoroughly enjoyable crowd, than Thanksgiving. People brought stuff; there were more bloodies, whiskey, champagne and wine along with a most excellent dinner which was contributed to by all. On a side note, I had found some cheap bourbon—well not that cheap at €15/bottle, but less than Jack, and we tried it out on an Irish guy who’s a whiskey connoisseur. We have deemed it acceptable. I have since found Old American Whiskey, aged three years in old bourbon barrels, for €5—haven’t had the nerve to try that yet. After dinner, amazingly, everyone was still awake, and we watched our new traditional Christmas movie, Love Actually. The women got weepy, the men had more drinks. Good time was had by all.
For New Year’s Eve, the evil cabal, being cheaper than Scrooge, arranged a progressive dinner rather than paying the rather stiff €45 p/p tariff at the marina café. It would have been double that in the town where, I should add, places are all pretty much closed during the week. A quite large crowd of the unloyal opposition did eat at the café. It was not as good as the ossa buco, but was a seafood spread of many courses and pretty good. We were all still eating and about to get desert when all the cheapskates rolled in for a drink and a “Happy New Year”. I think we managed to make it until about 2AM. Walking distance, thank God.
Since New Year’s, thing have quieted down quite a bit. A lot of our friends have left on six or eight week sabaticals to homelands or to see relatives. The café closed down for what was supposed to be two weeks for remodelling which turned into five or six due to a transportation strike, which really cut into the action, as a group of us regularly ate there for a cheap eats deal on Tuesdays. The strike also created a fuel shortage, but, fortunately, albeit at a cost, we could fill jerry jugs at the marina and put fuel in our cars. It’s now up to €1.70/liter which translates to about $8/gallon. So it’s hard to be too sympatico for Americans at $3.50/gallon!! The Friday evening skippers’ meeting—run by Damien—moved to one of our favorite restaurants in town which further put a damper on things. The Ladys’ coffee morning—run by Eva Braun--died from lack of interest. Yes, the good guys are finally winning!
We have spent our post-holiday days pretty much hanging around. Tuesday, we do an hour and a half of private Italian lessons, which we can only hope will someday take hold, but at least we can understand, if not speak, a bit more. Oh, we did have a meeting with the mayor, Il Sindaco, of Ragusa. It’s really more of a governor type thing for the province and not of just one city. I’m pretty tight with the office chick here, and she asked me to attend even though the evil cabal had cut everyone else out in favor of four of them. It was a nice little affair with speeches, then wine and bits in the café back room, but the funny thing is I thought the mayor had asked me out to his house for lunch. I was pumped; I was strutting; this had to be good for my residency. Turned out when I told him I was applying to live here, he wanted me to check out his house to possibly buy it. Bummer!! There goes me being “connected”. However, I have acquired a black shirt and some friends are bringing me back a narrow white tie when they return.
I just remembered (word association helps in your old age), the cabal ginned up a completely BS letter with exaggerated statistics as to why the Italian government in Rome should not institute a boat tax. They tried to bring it up and give it to Il Sindaco with little success, but a few weeks later, television people came in for a fluff piece on how life was in a marina. Once again the cabal limited interviewees, gave the TV people the tax letter and made it a tax issue instead of what they were here for. At a subsequent skippers’ meeting one of the more outspoken guys here, who had been out of town, attended and really gave them what for. Seems these people had signed this BS letter on behalf of all the people in the marina as well as somehow putting his email on some list. This is a very private guy, and he really reamed them out and told them if they didn’t cease and desist with unauthorized use of his name, he would sue. Unfortunately, a bunch of the very people he was about to address this issue with stomped off at the first sign of loss of control. (you may have asked yourself why we allow these people to take over, and this is the best example I can give. Even if you protest, they just ignore you and stomp off in a huff. What jerks!) Anyway, this particular meeting was lovely, and the cabal has toned it down somewhat since.
The weather has been a bit spotty, and the locals have said it’s the worst winter in years. Seems to us to be better than Marmaris, but it did snow in the highlands on the way to Ragusa last week. Of course, a few days later it was in the 60’s and shirt sleeve weather; cools off pretty well at night, though—been down to freezing one or two nights. Over the next few weeks lots of people are returning from their yachting hiatus, including several of our friends. At the same time at least one of the cabal is leaving as he needs to get to Genoa to ship, yes, ship, his boat back to the US. What a wimp, but he’s one of the worst so the sooner the better. We think he must have figured out that he’s worn out his welcome in the Med. He and Mrs. Shaitan (that’s arabic for Satan) were involved in organizing some very dodgy rallies where people basically lost all their money and got nothing in return. This is their third marina in as many years, and we hear the changes have not been entirely voluntary.
Surprise birthday party this afternoon for one of the guys here—you can tell we are desperate for, and easily, amused which is why this letter actually turned out shorter than I would have thought. There’s just not that much going on, but, fear not, in the future, we’ll continue to bore you with our exploits or lack thereof.
Caio for now.
Tim & Rose
P.S. Just about to send this and Rose remembered her birthday. The celebration started about a week ahead of time as several people were to be gone by Jan. 25. On the actual date was another party. In fact, I think there were 2 parties on the day or thereabouts, but the Alzheimer’s has grasped my gray cells. Anyway, in the post holiday lull, we managed to make this birthday a major event. I think some more of that Lucky Joe whiskey was consumed.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Latest and Greatest from Italia Dec 19 2011
Hello everyone.
Well, last time I wrote I mentioned I had been seriously remiss in thrilling you with our exploits, and now I find I'm even more behind, not having corresponded since August. Lots has happened, but, as always, I will try to be brief. Of course, this is all terribly interesting.
Things, except for selling the boat, have been going well, and the marina and Italia are exceeding our expectations. First the boat. The Ukrainian is now out of the picture. Gone, gonzo, kaput. Last we heard he was going back to the Black Sea to get a visa and was planning to fly in to see the boat. Seemed he wanted our specific type of boat and, rumor has it, was wanting to pay with a suitcase of cash!! Russian mafia, anyone? Anyway, for whatever reason--I suspect the broker screwed it up somehow--he's no longer interested. Unfortunately, it seems no one else is either!! That's not so bad, except for being a huge loose end, as the price of the slip at the marina is far cheaper than we could rent a place for.
Speaking of the marina, when we told them we wanted to come in a month early, they said sure, but, of course it would be an extra grand as it was the cusp of the high season. That was okay because even that was a 20% discount from the published rate. Imagine our surprise and delight when we got here and the rate was €400!! We'll get that same rate for May and a further discount for the other three months of the year, if, God forbid, we are still here on the boat. That figures out to about €250/month for nine months plus water and electric. All good, especially since their meters are a bit messed up and recharging for free when we get low on credit. The people here could not be nicer and work prices are somewhat negotiable. In addition, they are giving us a FREE storage locker--a vacant storefront--until at least the Spring. Of course this was more important when we were trying to get the boat sorted out for the Ukrainian's viewing.
Repairs have been fairly minimal. Needed new steering in the dinghy and we lost about 1/3 of the boards form the back deck crossing the Ionian. Teak was prohibitively expensive, but we got a guy to put Oroko in which is sort of teak. Blew a hot water heater as well, but all this is now behind us, we hope!!! Really hoping anything else will be the next guy's problem.
We've also acquired a small, and old, Toyota Yaris which has been great for getting around and has an amazing amount of space, rides well at speed and also get 60 MPG on the road!! Feeling European already, but really do need something like this as fuel is about $10/gallon. All you Yanks have no idea how spoiled you are. Other breaking news is the sale of Freebird by our friends, Dave and Judy. They just did a free internet thing, but some word of mouth passed to a buyer and the deal was done in less than a month--really unheard of timing. WE ARE JEALOUS.
As for daily life here, we have some really nice neighbors as well as a few people we would choose to associate with from Marmaris. There are also some real jerks from there, and elsewhere, plaguing our lives with too much organization and complete bullshit, but some of us have formed an underground insurgency and are making some progress in regaining control of our lives. We're having fun with the revolution and the secret society. The marina staff is just excellent--totally helpful with all manner of problems in and out of the marina--and very nice and friendly with good English skills. In fact, one of the summer temps who is now unemployed is a certified language teacher and is giving us Italiano lessons at a very reasonable cost. Bravissimo!!
We haven't done too much touring about yet as our schedule has been faily full. First, I had to go to the Questura (provincial police station) quite a few times to get the last bit of stuff done for my residency application--fingerprints and passport photos. Now it's just a waiting game, I think. Second, we had Rose's friend Kathy visit for almost a week, and then, on October 18, off we went to the UK for 3 weeks for Rose's son's wedding--about time since he been with his partner for 14 years--as well as the usual rounds of visits to Rose's daughter in the Channel islands and various friends and relatives all over the place. The wedding was nice, especially the part where we all started on adult beverages before the ceremony!! That's a keeper tradition. Extremely amusing watching Rose try to decide on one of the 4 or 5 outfits she had with one daughter, then the other trying to convince her which was best. Lovely venue and all around nice affair. My "free" air tickets cost something like $800 and then we learned the most expensive part could have been had for £49 on a much more direct flight. Damn airlines.
We returned the week before Thanksgiving, managed to get a turkey and invited 8 for dinner, half of whom were English so they got a nice taste of a real American Thanksgiving Holiday. AKA conspicuous consumption. The undesirables had their own affair at some restaurant which was not well attended, expensive, and not nearly as good as ours. Even managed to keep the turkey right side up. Yes, Paul, I will never let you forget. Speaking of my brother, he does a huge family deal at one of his many homes, this one in Sedona, Arizona, and my nieces and nephews managed to post a few pictures of the old goat on Facebook. I was highly amused!!! But, he looks pretty good for an old guy. Speaking of family, The missing Tammy has turned up in Tennessee. That's a whole other story, but, at least for the time being, she is apparently ok, and Rose's fears that she was stalking me have proved unfounded. Right after T'giving, we also took a drive over to Noto to meet up with Robin, Jim and Diane--friends from the BVI. J & D rent a house in Taormina every year. Robin's retired to the UK.
The marina cafe here has been very accomodating to us cruisers. Twice a week they put on a cheap eats for €5 or 6, and happy hour from 6 to 8 every night with €2 beers and wine. I have befriended Ricardi, the bartender, who is now making me a proper Jack Daniels and water for a reasonable price. "I'd like the usual" is "Vorrei il solito" in Italiano. Speaking of eats, one Sunday a few weeks ago, we took a drive with some friends--Ted and Pam off Rahda--to Vittoria, a town not too far from us that has a fabulous Saturday market. We wanted to check it out prior to hitting the market the next week. Got there fine, parked and started to look for a place for lunch. Not having much luck, we resigned ourselves to cafe food and stopped at one for a coffee and to check it out. Not only did they NOT have any food, but they were closing down to get themselves some lunch. Using my best new-found Italiano, I asked about a restaurant and he referred us to a place a few blocks away--Opera was the name. So we found the place, walked in and asked about a meal. They told us it was seafood only but that was okay with us.
So, in we go--it was about 12:30. No menus; asked if we wanted wine--yes--water--yes--and then they just started bringing stuff. We must have have about 10 courses and were there for another bottle of wine, after dinner Amaro and about 3 hours. Food was awesome, some sashimi--mainly shrimp--steamed mussels, cooked fish and then pasta finishing off with a couple of desserts. Lots of locals, and the table next to us was a very nice Italian family with a six year old the mother was teaching to parla Inglese. So, we're thinking this is going to be expensive--10 courses, dessert, wine, coffee and after dinner drinks. While we weren't disappointed, they didn't kill us. I don't know how much more food or wine we could have had, but it was a flat rate €45/person price and that included the bulk of the tip. We left a little extra just because we had such a wonderful surprise getting a great meal instead of reheated pizza at a cafe. Delightful.
The next Sunday we had been invited to help out our Italian teacher's fiance's family at their farm picking olives. Rose almost died having to get up at 6:30 to get underway, but the place was 1 1/2 hours away. About eight of us went. This was also very cool. We arrived at the farm about 10 and had a 1/2 hour walk out to the groves. Paolo's dad looks like a small version of Marlon Brando's Don Corleone, and, to pick the olives, you just strip them off the branches and let them fall onto the tarp beneath the tree. We picked about 240 kilos that way before heading back to the house for a traditional Sicilian Sunday dinner with their own home made wine. I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed in the meal hoping for lasagna and ossa buca or something, but we got pasta with lentils--very good by the way--cheese, home made bread, sausage and their own olive oil. Following that up was coffee, oranges and cactus fruit (like watermelon). Each couple got a bottle (660 cl Heinekin) of their oil, and we all took off for the pressing plant to see how it was made. Home about 8PM.
So life here has been very cool with lots of pleasant surprises. We are very happy in spite of the control freaks trying, and failing, to run our lives.
Doubtful we'll get back to you before the holidays, so Rose and I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you want, I wouldn't mind a prayer or two in our favor to get the boat sold, so keep that in mind when you're in church these holidays. We need all the help we can get. so for now
Caio. A dopo
Rose & Tim
Well, last time I wrote I mentioned I had been seriously remiss in thrilling you with our exploits, and now I find I'm even more behind, not having corresponded since August. Lots has happened, but, as always, I will try to be brief. Of course, this is all terribly interesting.
Things, except for selling the boat, have been going well, and the marina and Italia are exceeding our expectations. First the boat. The Ukrainian is now out of the picture. Gone, gonzo, kaput. Last we heard he was going back to the Black Sea to get a visa and was planning to fly in to see the boat. Seemed he wanted our specific type of boat and, rumor has it, was wanting to pay with a suitcase of cash!! Russian mafia, anyone? Anyway, for whatever reason--I suspect the broker screwed it up somehow--he's no longer interested. Unfortunately, it seems no one else is either!! That's not so bad, except for being a huge loose end, as the price of the slip at the marina is far cheaper than we could rent a place for.
Speaking of the marina, when we told them we wanted to come in a month early, they said sure, but, of course it would be an extra grand as it was the cusp of the high season. That was okay because even that was a 20% discount from the published rate. Imagine our surprise and delight when we got here and the rate was €400!! We'll get that same rate for May and a further discount for the other three months of the year, if, God forbid, we are still here on the boat. That figures out to about €250/month for nine months plus water and electric. All good, especially since their meters are a bit messed up and recharging for free when we get low on credit. The people here could not be nicer and work prices are somewhat negotiable. In addition, they are giving us a FREE storage locker--a vacant storefront--until at least the Spring. Of course this was more important when we were trying to get the boat sorted out for the Ukrainian's viewing.
Repairs have been fairly minimal. Needed new steering in the dinghy and we lost about 1/3 of the boards form the back deck crossing the Ionian. Teak was prohibitively expensive, but we got a guy to put Oroko in which is sort of teak. Blew a hot water heater as well, but all this is now behind us, we hope!!! Really hoping anything else will be the next guy's problem.
We've also acquired a small, and old, Toyota Yaris which has been great for getting around and has an amazing amount of space, rides well at speed and also get 60 MPG on the road!! Feeling European already, but really do need something like this as fuel is about $10/gallon. All you Yanks have no idea how spoiled you are. Other breaking news is the sale of Freebird by our friends, Dave and Judy. They just did a free internet thing, but some word of mouth passed to a buyer and the deal was done in less than a month--really unheard of timing. WE ARE JEALOUS.
As for daily life here, we have some really nice neighbors as well as a few people we would choose to associate with from Marmaris. There are also some real jerks from there, and elsewhere, plaguing our lives with too much organization and complete bullshit, but some of us have formed an underground insurgency and are making some progress in regaining control of our lives. We're having fun with the revolution and the secret society. The marina staff is just excellent--totally helpful with all manner of problems in and out of the marina--and very nice and friendly with good English skills. In fact, one of the summer temps who is now unemployed is a certified language teacher and is giving us Italiano lessons at a very reasonable cost. Bravissimo!!
We haven't done too much touring about yet as our schedule has been faily full. First, I had to go to the Questura (provincial police station) quite a few times to get the last bit of stuff done for my residency application--fingerprints and passport photos. Now it's just a waiting game, I think. Second, we had Rose's friend Kathy visit for almost a week, and then, on October 18, off we went to the UK for 3 weeks for Rose's son's wedding--about time since he been with his partner for 14 years--as well as the usual rounds of visits to Rose's daughter in the Channel islands and various friends and relatives all over the place. The wedding was nice, especially the part where we all started on adult beverages before the ceremony!! That's a keeper tradition. Extremely amusing watching Rose try to decide on one of the 4 or 5 outfits she had with one daughter, then the other trying to convince her which was best. Lovely venue and all around nice affair. My "free" air tickets cost something like $800 and then we learned the most expensive part could have been had for £49 on a much more direct flight. Damn airlines.
We returned the week before Thanksgiving, managed to get a turkey and invited 8 for dinner, half of whom were English so they got a nice taste of a real American Thanksgiving Holiday. AKA conspicuous consumption. The undesirables had their own affair at some restaurant which was not well attended, expensive, and not nearly as good as ours. Even managed to keep the turkey right side up. Yes, Paul, I will never let you forget. Speaking of my brother, he does a huge family deal at one of his many homes, this one in Sedona, Arizona, and my nieces and nephews managed to post a few pictures of the old goat on Facebook. I was highly amused!!! But, he looks pretty good for an old guy. Speaking of family, The missing Tammy has turned up in Tennessee. That's a whole other story, but, at least for the time being, she is apparently ok, and Rose's fears that she was stalking me have proved unfounded. Right after T'giving, we also took a drive over to Noto to meet up with Robin, Jim and Diane--friends from the BVI. J & D rent a house in Taormina every year. Robin's retired to the UK.
The marina cafe here has been very accomodating to us cruisers. Twice a week they put on a cheap eats for €5 or 6, and happy hour from 6 to 8 every night with €2 beers and wine. I have befriended Ricardi, the bartender, who is now making me a proper Jack Daniels and water for a reasonable price. "I'd like the usual" is "Vorrei il solito" in Italiano. Speaking of eats, one Sunday a few weeks ago, we took a drive with some friends--Ted and Pam off Rahda--to Vittoria, a town not too far from us that has a fabulous Saturday market. We wanted to check it out prior to hitting the market the next week. Got there fine, parked and started to look for a place for lunch. Not having much luck, we resigned ourselves to cafe food and stopped at one for a coffee and to check it out. Not only did they NOT have any food, but they were closing down to get themselves some lunch. Using my best new-found Italiano, I asked about a restaurant and he referred us to a place a few blocks away--Opera was the name. So we found the place, walked in and asked about a meal. They told us it was seafood only but that was okay with us.
So, in we go--it was about 12:30. No menus; asked if we wanted wine--yes--water--yes--and then they just started bringing stuff. We must have have about 10 courses and were there for another bottle of wine, after dinner Amaro and about 3 hours. Food was awesome, some sashimi--mainly shrimp--steamed mussels, cooked fish and then pasta finishing off with a couple of desserts. Lots of locals, and the table next to us was a very nice Italian family with a six year old the mother was teaching to parla Inglese. So, we're thinking this is going to be expensive--10 courses, dessert, wine, coffee and after dinner drinks. While we weren't disappointed, they didn't kill us. I don't know how much more food or wine we could have had, but it was a flat rate €45/person price and that included the bulk of the tip. We left a little extra just because we had such a wonderful surprise getting a great meal instead of reheated pizza at a cafe. Delightful.
The next Sunday we had been invited to help out our Italian teacher's fiance's family at their farm picking olives. Rose almost died having to get up at 6:30 to get underway, but the place was 1 1/2 hours away. About eight of us went. This was also very cool. We arrived at the farm about 10 and had a 1/2 hour walk out to the groves. Paolo's dad looks like a small version of Marlon Brando's Don Corleone, and, to pick the olives, you just strip them off the branches and let them fall onto the tarp beneath the tree. We picked about 240 kilos that way before heading back to the house for a traditional Sicilian Sunday dinner with their own home made wine. I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed in the meal hoping for lasagna and ossa buca or something, but we got pasta with lentils--very good by the way--cheese, home made bread, sausage and their own olive oil. Following that up was coffee, oranges and cactus fruit (like watermelon). Each couple got a bottle (660 cl Heinekin) of their oil, and we all took off for the pressing plant to see how it was made. Home about 8PM.
So life here has been very cool with lots of pleasant surprises. We are very happy in spite of the control freaks trying, and failing, to run our lives.
Doubtful we'll get back to you before the holidays, so Rose and I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you want, I wouldn't mind a prayer or two in our favor to get the boat sold, so keep that in mind when you're in church these holidays. We need all the help we can get. so for now
Caio. A dopo
Rose & Tim
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Greece and Italy Updates Aug 25 2011
Hi everyone.
I notice we are seriously remiss in keeping you up to date, although it would be nice if anyone actually inquired after such a lengthy sabattical from our letters.
Now, before I continue, I have received several unsympathetic replies to my last letter which, you will recall, explained all of our problems. A little compassion, please. This stuff is not funny!!!
So, in spite of the long hiatus, I will be brief. The news on the generator repair in Levkas wasn't all bad. We were able to avoid the use of the yard's crane and I negotiated a seriously reduced rate for the dockage due to no power or water. The repair, itself, while expensive, was done expeditiously and seemed to be okay. The repair guys even helped us avoid a bureaucratic nightmare regarding getting a boat repaired in Greece. Unfortunately, in Syracuse, where we are now, it developed a serious fuel leak on the side onto which it fell. Will be fixed on arrival in Ragusa as we have a Ukrainian hot to look at the boat and specifically wants a Voyage 500. Wish us luck. We've been cleaning like mad and also need to replace about 25 boards on the back deck which we lost crossing to Italy. B ring O ut A nother T housand!!!
Departing Levkas, we stopped about 20 miles short of Corfu at a small island called Paxos after a one night stay at Preveza since we didn't get out of Levkas 'til late. Paxos is a big charter boat stop and has a charming little town in the north called Lakka. It was like being in the BVI again with all the boats arriving about 4 and really jamming into the anchorage. Spent a couple of nights there and hopped north to Corfu.
Corfu is one of the big holiday destinations, and we were blessed with a reasonably sheltered and uncrowded anchorage almost under the old fort at the center of town. To make a long story short, we hung out for about 2 weeks there and our friends on Katanne arrived as well waiting to pick up a grandson. Had a nice birthday celebration, rented a car and drove around one day and generally laid back. Originally the Ukrainian was to meet us there so there was a frenzy of cleaning and fix ups long overdue. It was a nightmare to check out of Greece as the cabs were on strike and it involved a 10 km hike to the offices.
On the way to Italy, we stopped at some small islands just northwest of Corfu for the night and made a fairly rough--lost those boards--passage across to Italy--Santa Maria Di Leuca. This was a very small resort town at the tip of the heel, and we didn't stay long. We're not checking in to Italy until we reach Ragusa as once we're officially here we have 8 days to activate my visa and start the residency process. Technically since we're coming from another EU country it's not really necessary anyway. The Ukrainian was going to meet us somewhere around there, but has now changed his mind about sailing here to see the boat and then sailing back to the Black Sea, hence the current plan to meet in Ragusa. This works better for us as it gives us more time to prepare the boat and, most important, to get a storage locker to get all the extra crap off the boat, which will make it appear all the larger.
After a short stay in Leuca, we crossed the Gulf of Taranto (the instep) to Crotone, a real hole, but we were able to get internet and phones sorted out, although we had been given some bad advice and will switch from TIM (right, they've named the national telephone company after me!!!) to Vodaphone which is megabucks cheaper.
Further down was an almost free marina on the toe called Rocella Ionica where we died and went to heaven. REAL pizza. Turned out the marina in the middle of nowhere had the best resautant for miles around and every night had about 800 patrons. The town was a bit of a walk or an expensive cab ride, but there was a nicer town to the east and we discovered the marina or some service there had free bikes. Rose took the plung. After not having biked for half a century due to balance problems, she got a three wheeler and rode the 6 km there and 6 km back. She took a while to get used to it and didn't want to put her feet up on the pedals as she was sure she would fall off--difficult to do on a three wheel vehicle. The roadside workman cheered her on, and your intrepid captain fixed the thing when the chain came off. Rose strutted around like Rocky the rest of our stay there.
The weather being favorable, we headed across the Straits of Messina to Taormina Sicily. This is an historical and resort area and the town is nestled into the mountainside several hundred feet above the bay. Fortunately there are regular shuttle busses up to the town. Mount etna is also nearby and was somewhat active while we were there. I don't think my insurance covers volcanic eruptions!!! Food, once again, excellent. Unfortunately, the steering on the dinghy broke and I can't fix it--cable snapped inside the sleeve somewhere so I've rigged up one of the paddles as a steering arm--tenuous at best. In the meantime--you surely didn't think you'd escape any whynging in the letter, did you--Rose's head (her toilet) broke. No problem, I've got spare electric pumps. Of course, the screws to remove the thing are inaccessable. After a full day the master uncovered a means to remove the screws and replaced the pump. Same problem. Damn. Off with that one and another spare on. Same problem. Duh, I had reversed the wires after meticulously labelling them. So that worked for about a day and then (the original problem was no fresh water coming in to flush it) the opposite occurred, and the bowl wouldn't empty. I won't gross you out further but Hein knows what I'm talking about. Suffice it to say I had to pull the hose from the head to the Y valve as it was stopped up with calcium deposits. That worked for about a day and clogged again. Must have loosened up the stuff between the Y valve and overboard outlet as that clogged. Nasty, nasty nasty, but like new again now, AND,it didn't cost anything but the captain's blood, sweat and tears. Yippee.
We stayed in Taomina several days and headed 50 miles down the east coast of Sicily to Syracuse, once the most powerful city state in ancient Greece, and here we are until around the first when we'll move over to Ragusa. Freebird (also applying for residency) got the forms we need and today we tried to see the Patronata, a guy who helps people like us for free, but he's out 'til Monday. All the forms are in Italian and they're very picky so we want professional help. For instance, if you seal the envelop yourself, they won't accept it and you have to start all over again. While here, we ran into Sonrisa, one of the boats from our Pirate Alley convoy and Jimmy and Caroline from Blue Moon who we first met in Balck Wattle Bay, Sydney eons ago.
We are really enjoying Italy. The food is just incredible after Greece and Turkey, the people are friendly and it's not so expensive. Think we'll like it here. Just hoping the Ukranian comes through. What a relief that would be.
Cheers
Tim & Rose
At Last Aug 3 2011
Well folks, Rendezvous Cay has done it. After almost thirteen years, around 40,000 miles, the Panama and Suez canals, six continents, dozens of countries, three hurricanes, and Pirate Alley, we crossed our outbound line of longitude of degrees 25 minutes East just before we pulled into Santa Maria Di Leuca in the heel of Italy. Starting in October 1998 from the Cape Grace in Capetown, South Africa, we crossed the Atlantic, arriving in the Caribbean in early December. After spending 6 1/2 years there, beginning in May, 2005 and into 2008, we started the grand tour with the Panama Canal and the Pacific. In 2010, January to March, we crossed the Indian Ocean, braved Pirate Alley and went on through the Red Sea and the Suez. In the Med, we are now pretty much at the end of our journey.
We'll winter, or maybe more, in Ragusa, Sicily, remaining there until the boat sells.
Cheers
Tim and Rose
P.S.special thanks to Joey, able bodied seaman for three of the last six years. He's now some big shot captain!
We'll winter, or maybe more, in Ragusa, Sicily, remaining there until the boat sells.
Cheers
Tim and Rose
P.S.special thanks to Joey, able bodied seaman for three of the last six years. He's now some big shot captain!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)