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"There's always a plan, but unexpected things happen and we just go with the flow. Though I do believe that fate and destiny often play their part"
sailing blog
The TLC is almost over. Comino goes back in the water in two days time after 4 months on the hard. Friday is all about getting the boat sparkling below decks and putting the sails back on. Saturday will see us polishing the coachroof and Sunday's shakedown sail with the professional skipper is just subject to the weather. The departure for Portugal on Monday has certainly come round fast. News of the voyage down south will follow.
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As work continues, my wallet has sent out an SOS. New solar panel fitted yesterday, new heads the day before, bought flares pack and it's time to pay the deposit at Marina da Lagos. I keep telling myself (and Nicki) that once Comino has departed these shores things will ease up - fingers crossed.
This is the blog entry I've been waiting to write for over a year. Our plan is well and truly underway - Comino is heading off to the sunshine and we'll follow on shortly after. It's all booked and paid for. It's really happening.
Today, I started rubbing down the hull ready for two coats of new antifoul. It's cold, grey and a tad miserable, but my motivation is high. Comino departs for Portugal on 29th March and my first trip to the sunshine is booked for the 28th April, courtesy of Ryanair. Nicki and I are going out for 10 days in May/June and a further trip for 23 days is booked for July/Aug. Other hops to Portugal this year will happen for sure. These past few weeks have been heavy on the wallet as new Raymarine instruments have been installed, plus NAVTEXT. This is on top of the electric windlass and holding tank system. A 50 Watt solar panel is on order to trickle charge the batteries in-between our visits and to keep the beers cold in the fridge whilst at anchor. Talking of which, Santa brought me a kedge anchor (for Med style bow-to mooring) for Christmas and courtesy flags for Spain and Portugal came from the kids. For my forthcoming birthday I'm hoping for a first aid kit! No doubt the next two months will sap the finances even further, but when Comino slips her mooring to head for Portugal she'll be fully equipped and ready for the long voyage South. Comino was hauled out on Wed 1st Dec and is now safe and sound on the hard at Deacons Boatyard. Much TLC now required and the prop is completely fouled with weed and barnacles. However, all this maintenance work can wait till the weather perks up! I'll then be making the, 2 hour each way, journey most weekends.
Yesterday, Nicki and I took the sails off. First time we'd done this ourselves as I'd paid Banks Sails to do it in the past. Saved us £75. Just one of the many things we'll be doing on our own once we're away.
I just got a really important letter. It's from the yacht delivery company confirming all the details for Comino to be relocated to the Algarve in Portugal next spring. Hopefully, it'll be the same skipper that took my mate Adrian's boat there three years ago. He did a good job.
Now I need to book a marina berth, and start writing a list of all the maintenance and repair jobs needed before the voyage. Am I a bit nervous about Comino going across The Bay of Biscay.....YES. Hopefully, she'll be in good hands and the weather will be kind. I'm not intending to be on any part of the journey down South myself because I want to use all my holiday entitlement cruising around the Algarve. Anyway, it looks like the plan is coming together. Comino will be based in Portugal and we shall spend a year coming and going before we join her full time. Comino needs a few "extras" in preparation for her journey South.
Spoke to Martin French (builder of Comino) this week about fitting an electric windlass. He'll also install the teak cockpit table we bought at the Southampton Boat Show - alfresco dinning here we come! The new Brunton Autoprop (eye wateringly expensive so expecting great things) will go on just before re-launch. Covercraft recently fitted a full cockpit tent and Bimini. With all the talk of compulsory holding tanks required in the Eastern Med, no doubt we'll be making another call to Martin in the not too distant future. With all this expense, I shall be buying two lottery tickets tonight! This web site was created today to chronicle the adventures of us, Stuart and Nicki, as we work towards our dream of sailing in the sunshine - the Greek Ionian to be precise. We have a plan and it's in motion.
Comino is currently out of the water at Deacons Boatyard on the Solent getting some TLC before she's relaunched at the first signs of spring, hopefully looking like brand new again ! |
A FEW PICS OF COMINO Click a photo to enlarge and use side arrows to scroll through. COMINO IS CURRENTLY HEREDID SOMEONE SAY SEAFOODOn our journey from Portugal to Greece we enjoyed amazing seafood almost everywhere we stopped. Finding the local fish market was always a priority because seafood was so plentiful and so reasonably priced. And, the displays were a feast for your eyes.
Locating a market sometimes meant pounding the pavements in searing heat, but if you kept your eyes peeled, you often came across a little clue. The pic below was a rather less than subtle advert for a fish market - it was eight feet tall.
Freshly cooked onboard, a plateful of giant prawns, baked in wine and garlic, washed down with a few glasses of local vino, was like heaven. Watching the sunset on the boat eating a meal like that was the epitome of "living the dream".
Now we're in Greece we've another favourite to savour. I'm talking about fried Calamari. It's usually good, but every now and then it's off-the-scale fantastic. At Natalie's Taverna on Kontokali Beach in Corfu, it was nothing short of epic.
We're based in Lefkas now and It's been a bit of a mission to find somewhere just as good. And we have. Rakias is a mere ten minute walk from the marina and this little fish market, with its very own taverna attached, is quite sensational.
Oh...and it's also worth mentioning that, on occasions, a bit of barbequed Octopus is on the menu at some of the tavernas we frequent. Can I resist....no. SUNSETS AND DRAMATIC SKIESNo filters, or any other monkey business, have been used to enhance these images.
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