S2.7 - Sails, Cairns, Trullos and Tangled Props
May 11 – The Great Sail Shuffle
We kicked off at 8 AM, fresh and ready. Put up the Code D, turned off the engines, and ahh, the blissful silence of pure sailing. Gliding along at 4 knots, feeling like masters of the sea, we decided to get fancy and swap it for the gennaker—up to a thrilling 5.9 knots, which is what we were doing motoring… but who’s counting?
Code D and Gennaker
Then the sail dance began: Gennaker down, Code D down, main sail up, Code D up, Code D down, main sail down, Code D back up, gennaker up, gennaker down, Code D down. Phew! I felt like I had just taken part in a maritime cardio class. Time for a rest.
Anchored at Mesovrika on Antipaxos Island, we spent the afternoon on the patio watching day boats pop in and out, while we casually sipped drinks and explored a cave with mysterious little rock cairns.
Cairns: Stacked Rocks with Meaning or Purpose
Mesovrika, Antipaxos Island
A lovely, peaceful end of our day... well, until the next sail workout.
May 12 – Winds, Ferries, and Ferry Winds
Happy Mother’s Day from the Straits of Corfu
Off we went again at 8 AM, dodging ferry traffic like a pro in a Mediterranean slalom.
We’d planned to stop by Paxos, but the wind had other ideas, and we decided to skip it. By the time we reached Corfu, the relentless winds had us feeling like we’d been in a boxing match with Mother Nature.
We finally found sanctuary in Avlaki Bay for our last night in Greece.
Avlaki Bay, Corfu
Snapped our final sunset picture (you could see Albania in the distance), whipped up some meals, and hit the sack early.
Ah, Greece, you’ve been windy but wonderful.
May 13 – Farewell Greece, Hello Italy!
Woke up at 4:30 AM to check the game. By the end of the first period, things weren’t looking good, so we pulled anchor at 5:30 AM and set off for Italy. It was a calm day, with barely a whisper of wind. Halfway across, we realized our marina couldn't fit our boat! Cue last-minute change of plans. Thankfully, the wind decided to join the party in the final stretch, so we hoisted the Code D and almost 12 hours later, cruised into Otranto at 7.9 knots.
Italy welcomed us with open arms and a beautiful sunset.
Dinner with potential new crew followed—lovely people, but smokers. Deal breaker. Next!
May 14-17 – Hobbits, Massages, and Artichokes (Oh My!)
Over the next few days, we treated ourselves to the most amazing massages at Lessenza—seriously, life-changing. These were the garden mascots camouflaging themselves along the garden walls while we sipped our wine.
We rented a car and drove to the UNESCO site of Alberobello (thanks to our buddy Andreas’ recommendation - whom we met last year - see S1.22). Let me tell you, we felt like we were wandering through a hobbit village! We thoroughly enjoyed wandering through the small commune known for its famous and unique trullo buildings (traditional stone dwellings with conical roofs) which were straight out of a fairytale.
The drive there and back was superb. The highway was well maintained, and we were surrounded by artichoke fields, olive orchards and vinyards.
On our way back to the boat, we stumbled upon an amazing lunch spot definitely worth mentioning called Cinquanta in Lecce boasting healthy cooking and creative drinks, followed by some shopping to boot.
We even interviewed another couple who happened to be passing by the same marina as they were delivering a Bali to Croatia. Promising prospects!
May 18 – Beetle Apocalypse and Undercover Diving
I cooked food for the trip while Ryan heroically battled millions of flying beetles. These bugs were relentless, clinging to every inch of the boat. The man practically needed a hazmat suit. Just when we thought things couldn’t get more exciting, our port prop got snagged on the lazy line as we were trying to leave the dock. Ryan, never one to back down, suited up for an impromptu dive. Of course, his BCD was missing an o-ring, so it turned into a game of "inflate-deflate" while trying to avoid the coast guard watching from right above us (apparently, they like to issue tickets if you don’t hire professional divers).
Mission accomplished, we dropped anchor just outside the marina, squeezed in another epic massage, and ended the day with takeout and an early night.
May 19 – Fog and Fireworks
We couldn't sleep, so we left at 3 AM for Cortone. Ryan watched game 6 (5-1 win!) while on watch—priorities, right? By 8 AM, we were sailing in full-on fog, barely seeing half a mile ahead. As if the fog wasn’t enough excitement, the wind decided to crank up to 23 knots in the last hour of our journey.
After navigating the gusts, Ryan called the coast guard at Carmar Yacht Pier, got clearance, and Marco—our hero of the day—met us at the dock. Not only did we get diesel, but Marco also handed us a bottle of wine and told us about a big celebration on the beach. Fireworks, food, the works. Sadly, we were way too exhausted to join.
We did manage to catch a glimpse of the fireworks from our “wack-a-mole hole” (aka poking our heads out of our master bedroom hatch).