Sailing with Moondance : October 2023

The last days of our time in Corfu were spent at Kommeno, our favourite anchorage just outside Gouvia Marina, getting Moondance ready to haul out. The transfer to shore at Corfu Yacht Yard went well and it was a pleasure to meet Vangelis and his son Alexandros again.

Checkout at Port Authority did not go so well. I took the transit log to Room 4 and was told to go back to the "other room". The "other room" took me back to room 4 and explained in Greek I wanted to close the transit log. "Do not mention transit log" I was told. "Give me yacht registration". Which I did.

"This yacht has joint ownership - where is other owner? Do you have authority to sign for other owner?" I went outside and completed an authority for me to sign as authorised by Raewyn, and signed her name.

"You need it signed in front of a Port Authority person, and stamped" So, back to the yacht yard to get Raewyn and she got the authority signed and stamped by the "other person". Back to room 4 "Oh - you are joint owner - here, both of you complete these forms. Authority to sign now redundant. Forms completed, Certificate of Registration taken, and we could go to Customs to have the yacht certified as being ashore for the next 6 months.

Madam Lash is the rudest person I have come across.

The flight home all went as planned almost without incident. Corfu, Athens, Istanbul, Dubai, NZ

There was a slight delay at Immigration Athens as we had entered the EU in April and were exiting in October. Tourist allowance is 90 days in any Schengen country, then a further 90 days in Greece under the bilateral agreement with Greece. Not all immigration Officers know this and the guy checking our passports left to get further advice. Raewyn had done a wonderful job explaining our position to Greek Immigration and obtaining correspondence. The authorities were expecting us and we received the all important exit stamp. Phew. Only security to deal with now and continually setting off the alarm at every stop.