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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
A quick re-cap - for the past five years we've been on the most amazing annual sailing expeditions in sunny climes, a journey that's taken us from Portugal to Malta, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, via Gibraltar. Sometimes it's been as much as 9 months living on the boat, but last year, for a number of reasons, it was only two. That was still a wonderful experience gently poodling around Malta, Gozo and the island after which the boat is named, Comino.
Winters have always been spent back in the UK and this past one was no exception. Our 2017 plan was to re-join Comino in July in Malta, where she's currently bobbing around in Msida Marina. I'm doing some exciting contract work until then, hence the slight delay in heading off. And then it was our intention to set sail for Greece - our ultimate destination. We had in mind a three year adventure, getting lost amongst the islands we love so much, allowing us to slowly but surely take stock of what to do when we've got sailing around Greece out of our system - assuming that happens of course. Winters back in the UK were still in the plan, but it would be more like 9 months away again, living like sea gipsies for most of the year, albeit with frequent hops back to see friends and family. But sometimes life takes a left turn and the best made plans need to be flexed. We've recently had some wonderful news - we're going to be first time grandparents and the baby is due at the end of July. Naturally, we want to be around for a while before and after the arrival, although just for the record my nappy changing days are well and truly behind me. This all means we've had to make the big decision to take a year off sailing. I'll be flying out to Malta soon to supervise the lifting of Comino into Manoel Island Boatyard where she'll be mothballed on the hard until next April. Then we'll pick up where we left off and head for the Ionian at last. So, our plan is still the plan, just postponed for a short period. As a sort of antidote to the prospect of no life "on" the ocean for a while we decided to spend some time "by it" instead. Part of the rationale for acquiring a (real) Landrover was to take off on a series of adventurous land based Safaris whilst we're back home. The travel bug never really goes away, even when we're on dry land. The Cotswolds have already been done and therefore last week it was Cornwall's turn. When I say Safari, I mean Safari. OK we stayed in some pretty spectacular boarding establishments (Chic Boutique B&B, authentic 16th Century Smugglers Inn and a rather posh Manor House) but our days were spent navigating the notoriously narrow lanes that meander their way from one beauty spot to another. Sometimes these so called roads do actually turn into dirt tracks, which meant the Landy came into its own. Being high up in a vehicle was also a godsend as we could see the spectacular scenery above the tops of the hedgerows. So, without going into too much detail, here's a brief summary of our adventure down in the depths of Cornwall. This is a list of where we visited in chronological order. St Ives - trying very hard to be a bit bo-ho, with oodles of topical art and ceramics round every corner. A stylish gem of a place, full of people even out of season. The bucket and spade brigade will be coming in August and the streets will even more packed. Quaint holiday lets in abundance, stunning beaches and a mecca for surfers. Cape Cornwall - real rough and rugged Cornwall coastline at its best. Watching the big waves crashing onto the rocks with an explosion of white surf was extremely hypnotic. Lands End - got to be done and this box has now been ticked. Probably not such an inspiring experience during the crowded peak season - best visited in March when fewer people are around. We were looking at a sign pointing at New York - said it was 3,147 miles away. I wanted to tell someone you could see it on a clear day - but I didn't. Newlyn - a trawler fishing town through and through - not a tourist trap but nevertheless very interesting for us boaty mcboaty people. Bowed my head in honour at the Penlee lifeboat disaster memorial headstone - respect - humbled. Mousehole - nice picture - but not a postcard. Penzance - a bit lacking in Cornish charm - or any charm for that matter. A functional town providing goods and services for the more remote and picturesque places around it - was disappointed not to see any pirates though. St Michaels Mount - one must walk across the cobbled causeway at low tide to marvel at the ancient buildings on the mount up close - very impressive. We noticed a sign that said the incoming tide would start covering the causeway at 13:15 - it was now 13:30. OMG...we ran for our lives, but we still got wet feet - some stragglers were up to their knees and in a total panic - sorry...we did laugh. It was funny though. Portleven - typical pretty little Cornish harbour and largely unspoilt. Noticed a Rick Stein restaurant doing a roaring trade, so presumably one day it will be re-named Portstein. Carbis Bay - a posh little bay - exquisite sand and very picturesque. Dominated by a huge Spa Hotel and some huge cliff hanging houses and a huge beach restaurant and some huge beach holiday lodges being built. All the aforementioned are owned by one man. Me thinks he has money, with plenty more on its way. Porthtowan - another great beach, another little enclave of holiday lets nestling amongst the local residents. One asks oneself two things - what would you actually do during the winter months if you lived there and how would you cope with the thousands of tourists during the summer months blocking every lane and filling every eatery. St Agnes - if you did want to disappear into Cornish oblivion, this is an extremely attractive place to see out your days. Situated at the end of a picturesque valley, fab beach, a charming small town with some trendy shops, desirable properties and something of a community feel about it. But again, what would it be like when it's mobbed by tourists? Perranporth - a rather uninspiring little town with an enormous beach. In all my life I have never seen so many people with so many demented dogs charging around on the sand - I'm not kidding, there were literally hundreds of them. This is a place for retired people who probably have a rather repetitive lifestyle.....get up, take the dog to the beach, go home for some food, go to bed and then do the same thing again the next day. Harsh but fair I think. Newquay - had my first holiday without parents here...I think I was 16. Me and my mate partied hard in the infamous Sailors Arms every night for a week - our first big night club experience. This visit was therefore a bit of a trip down memory lane, but sadly the place has sprawled into a huge urban eyesore. We couldn't get off the one way system to visit the harbour or find a route down to the surf beach. We kept driving around for a while and then just carried on out of town without even stopping or getting out of the Landy. Shame...but my happy memories are still intact. Mevagissey - it doesn't really get any better than this in terms of quintessential quaint fishing harbour with gorgeous little cottages all around, plus some rather nice restaurants on the quayside. We bought some fresh crab (see pic below) and ate it in the car with a small beer overlooking the boats in the harbour. Great memories are made of stuff like this. Goran Haven - I last set foot on this idyllic little beach and concrete quay 46 years ago. Absolutely nothing has changed - the small village and the waterfront area are exactly as I remember it. There was nothing to do then and there's nothing to do now. A place frozen in time and only suitable for people who want to get away from everyone and everything. Having said that, I'm sure it's heaving in the summer months. Looe - a place with a character all of its own. It's got the same ingredients you tend to find in most Cornish fishing towns, but without any attempt to be twee. Let's just call it a working harbour with a decent beach, plenty of shops and a whole variety of good eating establishments. We tried the Indian (you can't go without curry for too long can you) and it was fantastic. So much so, we went there two nights in a row. Maybe that's the secret - Cornwall and Curry - a hedonistic mix of very different cultures. We liked Looe. Polperro - the stuff of chocolate box photos and dreamy pictures on tins of Cornish fudge. This, ladies and gentlemen, is charming Cornwall at its best - end of. You wouldn't want to live there (the old tourist trap thing again), but you sure should visit at least once in your lifetime. Hats off to whoever is in charge of this place because it hasn't been spoilt by modern development in any way. Polruan - this is where you come to look across the River Fowey estuary to the rather magnificent town of Fowey on the other side. It allows you to admire all the buildings in one single view - and boy is it a view. You need to win the lottery to live over there, but if you did, you would. We didn't visit Fowey, but what we saw from a distance we liked very much. And finally, crossing over into Devon, our Safari took us right across the wilds of Dartmoor via a network of tiny lanes, at one point bumping into the Victorian monstrosity that is Dartmoor Prison. OMG... what an evil looking bleak and scary place. The fact that is was slightly misty made it even more spooky. Just seeing it is enough to keep you on the straight and narrow. The rest of Dartmoor is breathtakingly untouched and spectacularly remote - but mind the sheep and cattle - they seem to believe they have right of way! The Landy On Safari - The Perfect Vehicle For The Job
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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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