Too fast ... Now too slow

650 miles from June 12th to July 10

80 miles since July 10

After the girls left I was complaining that we had just travelled too far too fast. On the 29th of June we left Chania on Crete and we were in Corfu, 400 miles away, 10 days later. 

This average of 40 miles a day meant that we had a couple of 60 and 70 milers which makes for several long days. Since we dropped Jessie off we have gone from Corfu to Gouvia to Lakka to Sivota and Igoumensita – a total of about 50 miles in 10 days … Too slow. 


We spent two nights in three different places and while they are terrific places, you want to leave before you feel like you need to get out of a place. I feel that we overstayed our tolerance at Corfu, Lakka and at Sivota … So we haven’t quite got our cadence right yet. Since we are leaving for home in 5 days, it looks like we probably will not get our cadence right this entire trip.

A Toast to Grandpa Don

We were having a discussion with Ross the other day about my dad – Grandpa Don, and Ross said that he really didn’t really remember him. We were thinking about it and trying to figure out when Grandpa Don died.

I remember vividly getting a call from Andrew Cameron, my brother in-law who never calls us. It was a Friday night at around 18:00 just before we were leaving to play softball for “The Team”.  When I asked who it was, Marina said “Andrew Cameron” to which I replied … “Andrew Cameron … who died?”   Truer words have yet to be spoken.

After a cry we decided to go play ball … no use being maudlin, and we dealt with it through the next days, weeks and months.

I was in a terrific place with my dad. I had nothing that I wish I had told him that I hadn’t… and there was nothing between us that I wish I could take back. I sorely miss his advice as I could always count on him to give me the unvarnished truth.

I regret that he did not live long enough to see our adventures on Tara. I am sure he would have said “FANTASTIC!” a favorite word of his. I am also sure he would have been very proud of the awesome people our kids have grown into and every once in a while I think about him – when we are on a longer passage or overnight when I think how cool it would be if he could have experienced this with us. I am sure that he would have really enjoyed the sailing and handling of the boat.

He was born in 1935. Don died when he was 72. If he were alive today, he would be 81… so by my calculations he died 9 years ago today. You know when they say time heals all wounds … some of them remain a little raw.

Cheers to you Grandpa Don … wish you could be here with us today.

Why are some things in Europe so much cheaper?

Here’s a question for you. In Greece, a 1.5L of water costs about 0.30 Euros … or about 45 cents. A six pack (9L) of bottled water is usually under 2 Euros. Canada has 25% of the world’s fresh water and 3% of the world’s population. Why is it then that water costs $2.50 per 1.5L bottle and a six pack is $15?

Another thing … Cheese … 8 Euros a kilo. That’s $1.20 per 100 Grams … why do we pay $3 or $4 per 100 Grams …. Or in the case of Parma about $7.00 per hundred … $70 per kilo or 13 Euros per kilo … You could buy a first class ticket to Vancouver and pay for it with the delta in a carry-on full of Parma ….

Tomatoes are 1.80 Euro per kilo … so about $1.20 per pound … versus $2.99 per pound. Add to that that they’re big, juicy and full of flavour, vs. small, hard and tasteless.

Chicken – two large chicken breasts – 2 Euros. The same amount in Canada would be $15.

This all came from the two chicken breasts.

Note the price...2.11 Euro, which is approx. $3.00 Canadian. 

Heineken – 0.90 Euro for a 330ml and 1.45 Euro for a 500ml.  Last time I bought 12 Heineken in Vancouver it cost me $30.  $10.8 Euros is about $15 … so beer is half. In the words of Homer Simpson … woo hoo!

Out of Corfu

We needed to get out of Corfu but before we did we needed a new propellor. We spun the prop on the dinghy and needed to buy a new one. In typical Greek fashion there weren’t any in Nidri … but they could order one tomorrow. I was hoping to get a warranty replacement in Corfu … where we arrived at 15:00 on Saturday – they’re open until 14:00, so we missed that opportunity, and of course nothing is open Sundays except restaurants. Finally on Monday morning I walked to the Suzuki store to find out that:

• Propellors are generally not covered by warranty
• They only had a new Suzuki propeller for 120 Euros (Ouch!)
• They could order me a Solas propellor (different company) for 75 Euros ... delivered ...tomorrow

Basically after grumbling a little bit that my basically 2 month old outboard had a bad prop, I paid the $$ and took the new Suzuki prop.

Marina and Ross were waiting for me to call them - they were sitting at a breakfast spot Greek style (you know, order food, sit there for 4 hours) and when I messaged them they were already at the grocery store. Apparently the chain-smoking Greek grandmother made the air too thick and they decided to head out. 

I made my way back through Corfu city and met them at the NAOK (boating club) and quickly installed the new propellor and we made our way back to Tara.

Tara is anchored out there with all the other boats. The photo
overlooks a cafe/bar (which we had a lovely drink at) and
the NAOK sailing club. 

Marcel was staying behind because Lena was flying to Amsterdam on Monday afternoon and he had some legal stuff to deal with … so we pointed the bow south to Plantarias, a little town on the mainland coast between Igoumensita and Sivota. We pulled into the the beach and anchored off in about 4 meters of water. The bottom is mud so the water is green and not blue like elsewhere in the Ionian. There was a lot of debris floating on the water so swimming was fairly minimal. Marina and I went for a long SUP in the afternoon and then we came back for a swim, and then went into town to check it out.

Matt and Ross walking the waterfront strip. 

There were a couple of motorized parachutes flying around. A guy nearly augered in on the beach coming in cross wind. They looked fairly rudimentary … you could see the gas can just below the seat and it sounded like a chain saw to me. Anyway, he aborted his landing at the last minute and carried off out of sight.

We then toured the town buying some ice cubes (yay!) and some bottled water and back to Tara for a chicken souvlaki dinner.

Matt looking at Tara as the sun was going down.