Sailing with Moondance : Sailing with Bob and Sue

We returned to Gouvia marina via a night in Parga and Komenno to await the arrival of Bob and Sue Blakey. Bob is sailing in the world laser masters later in September and filling in time with us around the Ionian.

The usual dinner at Georges chicken shack proved to be a good introduction to Greek cuisine for Bob and Sue. We never miss an opportunity to share this unique place with friends.
Decided to head north to Kassiopi to have a look at the Corfu channel (one mile between Corfu Greece and Albania) with very different mountains on the mainland, and see some of the Northern Corfu Coastline. Spent the night in the small harbour and explored the inevitable castle.
Severe thunderstorms were predicted and we tied up in Corfu old port. It is a safe harbour, but is also the town sewer outlet. Two days of exploring Corfu town and the nearby markets were more than enough and we were pleased to leave. There were no thunderstorms, just a few spits of rain, and we did enjoy a great restaurant just a short walk from the harbour. What a difference 10 metres makes.

Lunchtime next day saw us in End Bay on the mainland. A special spot for us and where we have been on our own. This time there was a large tripper boat. Sue cleaned the fenders and I cleaned the waterline. It was good to be rid of the accumulated waste. Wind to 26 knots dictated that we sail to Paxos, and ended up at Gaios, with a rock bottom anchorage just off the town. Getting the anchor up involved diving (or snorkelling on the surface) and giving instructions to Bob, but it did not pose any problems and we were soon on our way to Preveza with dinner at the Mermaid, another institutional taverna. Owner wears rugby jerseys and had an All Blacks jersey on one night.

What some people will do to get an airline upgrade

From Preveza it was down the Levkas canal again to Tranquil Bay Nidri. Stopped for a swim in a beautiful bay on Skorpios Island. (owned by the Onassis family) - Could have stayed the night, but opted for the safety of Nidri.
Raewyn fell down the companionway steps. Deep laceration requiring tourniquet. Huge loss of blood. Lucky Sue had medical training. Had to get her medivacced off the yacht. Ambulance personnel were not keen on arriving at our anchorage by local charter boat, but with help from Police and Coastguard they managed to help her off, then ambulance from Nidri to Levkas hospital. Stitches for Raewyn and overnight stay for both of us. I was busy co-ordinating the transfer and medical services by radio using a large Ocean Liner as relay. The Ocean Liner was 6 miles away and offered medical assistance, but the ships doctor on the radio was sufficient. We went back to the yacht and moved it to Levkas town basin for 2 hours so Raewyn could have a follow up check.
Quite a drama.
Had two hospital appointments in Gouvia, one to get the stitches out, but have given up. Got a private doctor who has taken over. Picked Raewyn and I up from the marina in a BMW SUV. Took us to the surgery at Gouvia and spent an hour cleaning the wound up properly. Yesterday he drove us from his surgery to an x-ray clinic in Corfu town for x-ray and blood tests. Wound is healing well but will take time and has knocked Raewyns confidence in getting into and out of the dinghy without bumping the wound. On top of that we got a severe bout of food poisoning. All four of us.
Bob and Sue have left for Croatia where Bob is sailing in the Laser world masters this week. He and I are back to normal. Raewyn and Sue still have food poisoning four days later. We are in the process of arranging for Raewyn to fly first class to reduce the risk of DVT.

Cruising continues

We went to Spartachori on Meganissi Island. Bob and Sue had dinner at the local taverna and walked to the hilltop village where nothing has changed for centuries and the population look like they have been around for all that time too.
That night we had a thunderstorm which lasted for a short time. Some damage sustained by having the aft corner hit the dock but nothing serious and the damage is now repaired. Interesting having partly or in one case non clad people out on deck in the rain.

Back to Levkas for a hospital check for Raewyn then on to Preveza for a meal at the Mermaid restaurant.

This is beginning to sound like deja vu as we continued to the quiet bay near Vonitsa, then in to Vonitsa town off the beach, then back to Preveza.

Next day it was back to Emerald Bay for a swim then on to Lakka. Very crowded in the harbour, and of course the Northerly wind came up in the evening which saw us anchored too close to a catamaran. Let out more chain and stayed up till 11.30 when the wind dropped then had a comfortable night.

Heading back to Corfu we anchored near the town. Sue Bob and I went ashore for some last minute purchases in the market and a pleasant drink overlooking the anchorage.

Sue and Bobs last day we hired a car from Gouvia marina and drove North around Corfu through very steep windy roads to hill villages. We stopped at a few places for photo opportunities and at one place were given sweet white and red grapes by a local family. Arriving at Paleokastritsa for a swim and lunch.

Took Sue and Bob to the airport late in the afternoon for their flight to Athens/Split.

A day driving in Corfu is stressful. Remembering to keep right, dealing with tight turns, steep hills, narrow lanes, villages with no ffotpaths and right angle turns, and most of the time having no bloody idea of where we are. At the end of the day I was tired.

We were fortunate to have Bob and Sue especially during the madness and severity of Raewyns laceration.

Montezumas Revenge

Not sure what the Greek equivalent is of this Mexican affliction.
Early Sunday morning Raewyn and I were woken very early with the most demanding need to use the toilet. This continued for me for 3 days and included violent retching. For Raewyn it was seven days and was interspersed with her Hospital and later Doctors visits. We were indisposed to say the least and had nothing to eat and only powerade to drink for the duration.
This must have achieved some weight loss but we lack the means to check.

Bob and Sue were similarly afflicted. We had hopes for Sue who hung in there, but eventually succumbed. Bob was first to recover.

Not saying it was the grapes - we also had pita gyros (X 3) and cheeseburger at Zefiros restaurant Paleokastritsa.

Raewyns Adonis or: Dr I Like Your Medicine

Not having great faith in the Greek public Health system and the lack of progress with healing of the laceration (the skin was black) we asked the marina cruising community for advice on a Doctor.

Dr Andreas Kalampalikis came highly recommended, so Raewyn made a phone call.
Within 10 minutes a black BMW SUV with tinted windows arrived at the marina and the Dr. drove us to his nearby clinic. Cleaned up the wound by debrading all the black skin and commenced a course of treatment.
The next day he again picked us up at the marina and drove us in to Corfu town - driving as if it was an emergency - for Raewyn to have a blood test and X-Ray.

The first consultation took at least 90 minutes, as did his time the next day.
The next day he called at the yacht to check on progress and more photographs.

Following that there was little improvement, skin had turned black again and treatment was altered to a complicated system of washing, bacterial control, and cream ointment followed by sterile bandaging. All this while wearing sterile gloves.

Photographs taken to provide visual comparison.

So, here we are back with the Curse of Corfu but this time Raewyn is wallowing in being chauffered around Corfu with long consultations and visits by a very caring and efficient Doctor.

Current

So, here we are back at Gouvia marina with far too much time for facebook.