The Three Sisters

We have finally made it to Pylos with what should go on record as the sail with the slowest average speed since Corfu to Paxos back in April. This was due to an unexpected lack of wind and engine problems. One night Jonnie and I got a few hours kip when the wind had completely stopped. When we woke it was time to put Miss Martin (our big yellow cruising chute) to proper use for the first time. But when the wind fizzled again several hours later we motored into Kyparissi to stretch our legs and stock up on pasta.

The morning after

We set off again that night with the formidable Cape Malea (the first of three) south of us. Notoriously treacherous and difficult to navigate, we expected the worst. We motored for three hours waiting for wind which suddenly blew up at 3am pushing Crest Hawk at a steady 6 knots down to the cape. We even slowed her down so we could tackle Cape Malea in daylight. The cape itself was easy enough but as we sailed through the bay between that and Cape Matapan (the second of the three) the weather quickly changed and we found ourselves beating upwind in a force 8, gusting 9. Our leeway was worrying considering the lee-shore behind us. With darkness encroaching it was decided the old Port of Sparta (Gytheio) at the north western end of the bay would be our best chance of refuge. After 5 more hours of big close swell breaking over the bow and into the cockpit and Crest Hawk's engine facing some concerning power-loss issues, we finally anchored in our planned port for a decent night sleep. Jonnie and Jez say I looked 80 years old with dark bags under my red salt crusted eyes! The sign of a true skipper talking the stresses of his vessel on his shoulders.

The next morning every item of bedding was brought up on deck to dry and Jez treated us to chocolate and banana waffles ashore. Jonnie managed to block the toilet for the first time! A messy job to fix, but Jonnie drew the short straw and got the job done.

Cape Malea and the following bay between it and the third cape were kind to us but this morning when it came to firing up the engine for the final stage of the voyage nothing happened! The engine would not start. We set Crest Hawk up for sailing onto the quay which after several attempts we achieved. Two hours later I'd met a marine mechanic who diagnosed and fixed the problem. It turned out to be a bad connection to the starter motor. I offered him a beer but he wouldn't accept and did the job free of charge.

Bastie's last supper has been living on in our dreams since he prepared Chili con Carne with nachos, baguette and cream cheese. Jonnie swears it is the best chilli he has ever had; even better than his Mum's (which he thought to be impossible).

Ben's Best Bit: "Night sailing at 6.2 knots"

Jonnie's Little Gem: "The chilled night sail from the port of Sparta to the second cape"

Jez's Favourite Jam: "Hearing My Dream - Jez"

Onwards and Southwards

Camping it on Angistri

We are now essentially regulars in Piraeus thanks to Parcel2go and their special super slow delivery service. While waiting on Crest Hawk's new old sail to arrive we made our home at the Athens beach. Bastie and I watched the most famous singer out of Crete. He was very good and we found a couple of locals girls to show us how to dance (or was it the other way round?). Having been carried onto the stage by his roadies he was miraculously inspired by the energy in his own vocal performance to rise to his feet for the final two tracks.

Jonnie's infamous 'Spinach
& Potato Royale'

Basty with pipe

So by Thursday we had all given up on parcel2go and on Friday morning set sail for a weekend trip to Aigina town on Aigina island. After successfully docking we made our way into town where we wrangled as much free pistachio derived food and drink as we could at a Pistachio festival there. Jonnie found a big frying pan on the dock which would come in handy for the next couple of nights.

The next morning we made way for Moni, an even smaller island near Aigina. We parked Crest Hawk in a tiny cove, lashed her to some sturdy looking rooks and set up camp in the surrounding woods. Apart from native peacocks and two stags we were alone for the night. Jonnie had been hyping up a meal of his own design which, once he'd cooked it on our open fire using the pan he'd obtained, turned out to be a great feed. 

Basty sailng init

Miss Martin

On Angistri Island for the third day, we set up camp and found a lake where Jonnie and Gez set up fishing nets they had found on the beach by Crest Hawk. After two helpings of rice tomato & cabbage curry, jacket potatoes and more cabbage we were still not satisfied but unfortunately the nets caught nothing!

Gez is growing his beard and it's coming along well.

Sub 2 points off the starboard aft

Since Bastie went AWOL, Jonnie, Jez and I have begun sailing south. Three days with little wind in the wrong direction have made progress slow but we hope to be in Pylos by Saturday afternoon.

Ben's Best Bit: "Crest Hawk's new sail finally arriving!"

Jonnie's Top Toilet: "The starboard rail"

Cousins

Bastie's Blithering Banter: "Crest Hawk is a classy vessel, she deserves better than to be long dropped off"

Jez's Favourite Jam: "Green Eyes - Coldplay"

Parked up in Moni bay

The Endless Summer

Jonnie, Gez, Ben & Jez

The Crest Hawk is back on her voyage and has so far made it to Athens from Porto Rafti where she spent her August rest. All was good despite my fears that she may have broken her mooring, a DIY jobby consisting of a chain and several warps tied to a couple of sizeable concrete blocks. A new month wouldn't be the same without new crew so here's the line up; cousin Jonny, Jez, Gez and now Basti.

Backflips

Jonnie and I started our journey to Crest Hawk in Split, Croatia, and travelled through Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania (where we met Chloe, Jez & Gez and bonded eating a sheep's head) and Greece. When we arrived in Athens 3 days and 4 countries later we invited the Jezs' to stay aboard for the night since they had no plans. They have been sailing with us since and when cousin Bastie arrived on Friday there were two nights with a total of 5 bodies trying to find space between decks; nothing Crest Hawk can't handle.

Jamming around the fire

Hoisting the Aussie flag

Sailing from Porto Rafti to Athens was one of the best weeks of the Adventure so far. Every day was filled with quality sailing and every night was different, the highlight being jamming around a beach fire with Crest Hawk anchored off the deserted island we had conquered.

Sailing sober is preferable but with a primarily Aussie crew not always achievable. Luckily the skipper remained unintoxicated for the sail into Athens. In the morning we were woken by the pensioners swimming at Athens beach telling us we were too close!

Solar panel installed and providing "SO MUCH POWER!"

While sourcing boat parts and making repairs and improvements Athens is the ideal place to stay. But determined to keep moving we set off to explore the island of Aegina 13nm south. We rounded the island over four days and learnt backflips and horsys (like a belly flop but less painful). In one of the bays we anchored at we wiped out the population of cockles for our afternoon snack.

Bastie joins the crew

Bastie has found his place on board and all crew members are mucking in with cooking, scrubbing the decks, helming and drinking the vessel dry. The amount of food we get through is phenomenal but well earned thanks to Jonnie's daily workout sessions.

Ben's Best Bit: "Back flips off the Crest Hawk"

Jonnie's Top Toilet: "Yacht Club Piraeus"

Bastie's Blithering Banter: "Blow hole two...on a boat"

Jez's Favourite Jam: "Because I Got High - Afro Man"

Close for comfort

Looking good Crest Hawk

Cockle bay