Crest Hawk Adventure: 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"