Sailing with Moondance : Caught in Corfu

It was easy enough locating Panos. A google search showed he was a marine electrician/mechanic operating from Manduki. So, I got on a bus to Manduki (on the way in to Corfu town) Walked down the road indicated on the map and came across a wood workshop. No Panos. The owner of the workshop phoned directory service and I was given an address in Corfu town. On the bus, the driver dropped me at the top of a street and said “down there”. So I walked “down there” asked a shop owner where the address I had written down was. He pointed across the road to no. 54 – the door to multiple apartments was being cleaned by a young lady I had passed minutes before, so I approached her and said I was looking for Claudia (Panos’ wife) It was her and she said Panos now had a workshop at Kontokali village – by Pipilas Restaurant – exactly where I had started the journey. Got the bus back to the marina and located Panos – he remembered me, so after all that an adventure and a roundabout way of doing things.

Panos looked at the batteries – confirmed their demise – they were boiling and smelled of sulphur. He installed 3 new AGM house batteries. While Panos had access to a workshop, I decided to get the heat exchanger fixed properly (it had a temporary repair in Siros), the alternator upgraded with a 3 step charger, the starter motor checked and an oil change. All this was completed efficiently and the charging systems (including solar) checked and all OK. During checking Panos noticed a small leak in the diesel injector pump so that is now in Athens along with the injectors.

That is where we are now – still in Corfu. While none of the extra work was terminal, it had to be done sometime and I would prefer it was done with Panos’ supervision.

In the meantime we have had time to explore Corfu island by bus – going North to Sidari one day and paleokastrtitsa another. Sidari was full of English enjoying their short break. Paleo was a delight. We swam in the clear water, lazed on sunbeds and walked to the monastery. We also explored Corfu town which is just as I remembered it. I got lost several times but Raewyn never complained about all the walking. Never told her I was lost.

Yesterday (Saturday) we took a day excursion to Sarande – Albania. 1.5hour ferry ride, then a guided bus tour to an ancient Venetian/Ottoman/Roman site – Butrint, buffet lunch at a good restaurant and back to Sarande. Our first experience of a guided bus tour this trip. Easy – just act like sheep. Picked up from the marina and dropped back there at the end of the day. Seriously though we enjoyed the whole day and the guide was very knowledgeable. A great tour and a tiring day.