Levkas

6 Aug, I left Gaios, and there was about a 0.8kt current, so I figured I'd go closer to shore, less current and I could see a bit of Greece. The current did decrease to 0.5, but the distance was longer.. As I was  approaching the Levkas canal a boat was calling for assistance, they had run aground. I got the binos out and started looking at the traffic his they were entering and exciting.. I entered the canal the grounded boat turned out to be a charter boat and he had called the charter company - a flying start if there ever read one! 

Not a good start to a holiday!

I got to the floating bridge at 15h00 and was informed that it would only open at 16h00.. Fortunately, a tug  boat skipper overheard and told Mr to the up alongside him. So I did and waited, by the time the bridge opened there were 7-8 boats near the entrance, I did call on the radio to inform people, but they kept coming it.. The last bunch of boats were barely out of the entrance.. I had rigged my fenders ready to tie stern as is the norm.. I was instead directed to dock starboard too, I didn't have time to lower the fenders, so I did my best, it would have been perfect, had I turned to port a bit sooner.. I ended up putting a scratch on the hull.. I settled with the marina and came back to work on Otto.. Turned out the problem was in the clutch section, two bolts had worked themselves lose and would cause the clutch to bind when engaged. I tightened them up ( no locktite as it needs a new bearing and a bronze bush). I assembled and treated it and Otto was back! I had budgeted today to fix the autohelm, instead I took it easy, did some provisioning and tried to find a petrol tank for my outboard, as my tank is bust, as I was unscrewing the lid it broke.. Also managed to get internet early this am a couple of boats in the marina, come 14h00 - this place was a zoo.. I will upload pictures tomorrow or the day after. The wind has been howling since about 16h00, is been up to 40, mostly 20-30.. Will look at the forecast for tomorrow and plan accordingly..

Entrance to Levkas canal, no prizes for guessing the nationality of this yatch (EYETALIAN) - he was then yelling at the bridge operator for being 3 minutes late!

 The day I arrived this is what the transit pontoon looked like..

The next day at 14h00, the wind picked up and it blew.. The number of boats to arrive was insane!!

 The fuel dock was a zoo - there were boats anchored in the canal for some distance and a number of them trying to get diesel..

Some Diesel, please and make it snappy!

Charter boats waiting to get escorted in.

My turn now - clearly no concept of queueing

Exiting the Levkas canal into the Ionian, a fire made the sun look pretty awesome, petty about the fire thought..