A voyage in an open 4.45 Simoun Regatta dinghy (4.45 LOA, 1 .745 beam, weight 139 kg, Bermudan rig)

SATURDAY 9 JULY

We are in a very little village, Boukari on the island of Corfu. What happened before we arrived?

It started in the second half of January; a letter to and from Eric in Haarlem, letters to and from France, twice to Haarlem, once to Eindhoven, once to Veghel, months of preparing the boat, 14 people asked for advice or help, read 2 books (Duxbury’s Lugworm), visited all kinds of enterprises to collect the stuff, drove 2800 kilometres with the boat on the trailer, 2 prosecutions, 1 because of the boat on the 18% slope of the Wurzenpab in Austria and the other because I ignored an overtaking sign. The policeman could hardly explain our mistake, we had to pay $0.75.

Everything was arranged, even an unpaid parking place under a tree beside a clever looking donkey. I drove the boat complete with mast to the sea. Like a bolt from the blue, fate became a reality. I drove against an electric cable. With a lot of noise the mast fell down. I couldn’t believe what had happened at that moment. I left my car and saw the mast on starboard. The tarpaulin was destroyed. Had the last months of working been for nothing? The damage was small. Miraculously the electric cable was not broken. The compass holder didn’t bring happiness. It broke six times during the preparations. What was broken before the voyage started? Exactly.

I was able to repair the forestay. The last night before the sea voyage, we didn’t sleep very well because of the mosquitoes. The last job was the tent. I had to fix a lot of ‘spoons’. They are the connection between the tent and the boat. Unfortunately, we missed ten of them. We went to a shop — no spoons. We got a ‘jorgo’, a Greek boy who guided us to another shop. An old man showed his collection — we chose a small type. He wouldn’t have packed it very carefully if he had known that I should destroy the spoons after opening the package. I only needed the handle of the spoon. We took the car to the Greek family, had a nice talk and an original Greek coffee.

The coast hopping could start now. We launched the boat and left Igoumenitsa with a little NNW breeze. We left the bay to cross the Corfu channel. From the mainland to the isle of Corfu. We wore wetsuits to protect us against the sun. Crossing the channel in a constant course of 27 degrees. It was sailing for hours. Alas, I didn’t look at my watch. Without problems we landed at Ak Boukari. Boat on the boast and we fixed the boom tent. A walk to a restaurant.

SUNDAY 10 JULY

A bad night. At 6.30 it was too hot to stay inside the tent. It is windy, I guessed force 4 when I looked at the Milky Way. We sailed. It was rough through the waves. We anchored near Mesongi. The temptation of a ‘goriatiki’ was too strong. The wind was increasing. I guessed force 6, it was because of the trees. From my table I looked at the boat. I admired ‘Bruce’ — the anchor broke… this anchor disappointed me. Where should we stay this night? The sea was rough, the beach was too small to spend the night.

MONDAY 11 JULY

It was yesterday an adventure with just decisions. We sailed reefed back to the harbour of Boukari. Because of the reef we had less speed. In the enormous waves you had to go faster. The distance was small, the waves were huge.

Some fisherman helped us to get a safe place. The dark fisherman: “where do you sleep this night?” I showed him the boat and said “here”. He looked unbelievably. Later in the evening he came to ask if everything was OK. After dinner a dark, ominous night. Unfortunately I fell between the boat and the quay. In spite of the bad weather we slept very well. In the morning, I looked at the same sea — the calm after the storm.

TUESDAY 12 JULY

A wonderful night. At a meter from the water you don’t hear the sea. It is like paradise. I tried to receive the English/Greek weather forecast. I didn’t recognise any word about the weather. We left the beach when the first tourists arrived. We sailed NNW breeze to Corfu town. We saw thousands of hotel rooms. We arrived in the marina of Corfu. I asked permission to stay a few days — no problem — no costs because we are too small.

Near to us was the Zolana. A big two mast from the Onassis family. Michael Hiss, a member of the crew, invited us to visit the ship. Very nice to see this ship.

WEDNESDAY 13 JULY

I repaired the forestay at the sailing club of Corfu. They made a new 3mm stay for me. The female members had a lot of interest. They sail in their ‘420’ sailing boats only a few miles out to sea. Corfu is very nice to visit.

FRIDAY 15 JULY

The sun was burning again. Helios was working very hard on our heads. We sailed from Benitsa to Ak Lefkimmi. A lot of wind. Lefkimmi is a very simple port with white houses, a white quay and white ships. A splendid view; some women are selecting beans. Another threshing straw and reeds. Not touristic at all. What a difference with Corfu Town. Nice that most tourists stay together near the airport. What a freedom at this moment. We ‘coast hopped’ as we wanted. The wind will bring us somewhere. It doesn’t matter where. The landscape here is again totally different — a lot of mud.

SUNDAY 17 JULY

Paxi was the destination. We arrived at Cape Kavos. It was very rough. Sailing a cape sometimes gives problems, but this time we didn’t succeed. It was too late to sail to Paxi. Two different currents and a lot of wind. The wind turns in all directions. We decided to go back to the mainland. Nisoi Sivota was the new destination. We sailed quickly with wind abeam. We couldn’t find the harbour in the neighbourhood of the rocks. It is difficult to recognize an island before the coast. Suddenly we discovered a fishing boat. A returning fisherman always goes to a port.

MONDAY 18 JULY

A new destination we don’t call anymore. We sailed in the direction of Parga. At first there was little wind. The huge waves brought us to Parga. I took photos between walls of water. Doldrums: huge waves and little wind. Suddenly, we saw some yachts disappearing between the rocks. A harbour. We arrived at the bay of Parga.

TUESDAY 19 JULY

Parga is a town built against the rocks. Beautiful to see. A lot of people think the same about it — very touristic. Sailing with free wind we went towards Preveza. We sailed for hours with the spinnaker. Very comfortable. Near Kanali we saw a nice beach — it was late so we wanted to spend the night there. Just before landing, we saw an enormous problem. Concrete just below sea level. I jumped into the water to try to rescue the boat. Suddenly the boat came onto my body and I was very afraid that I would break my legs because my feet stayed in the concrete.

In the meanwhile Henriette was looking for a way to land. The concrete wasn’t on the map. Later we heard in the village that the concrete was built by the Germans in the 2nd World War. They protected the coast against landing navy ships. A bit mistake on the Admiralty chart.

WEDNESDAY 20 JULY

From the tent we looked at the concrete in the sea. How to reach the sea again? What are we going to do? I inspected the concrete under level. I was searching for a way to get out. Some Greek people helped us. It was an adventure, but Poseidon was helping us. Lugging to Preveza. We decided to land at the first place we should see.

Mytikas was the village where our wounds should heal (bruises and grazes from the concrete). On the beach we discovered four cracks in the boat about 10 cm.

THURSDAY 21 JULY

The village was very small. Only a baker and a butcher. Preveza was 7 km to the south. I would hitchhike to organize the repair work. First we had a cup of coffee together. After some minutes, we were invited to sit at the table with some Greeks. Talked about the problems. George Kakiusis offered to take us to Preveza. When they saw the small boat on the beach, they were very astonished.

In Preveza we spoke to someone of a ship repair company. We found an Italian who repaired the boat for $35 — he was a 63 year old weaver and had worked for about 20 years with polyester. The Greek interest was enormous. Henriette counted 17 persons around the dinghy. The people in the village were talking about the trip.

FRIDAY 22 JULY

Mytikas is small and the social control is big. It is strange that a lot of people know us. This morning I was looking at the sailing fisherman. He was the only one on this area who sailed his fishing boat. He was 81 years old and the only one who trusted our Simoun sailing boat.

SATURDAY 23 JULY

I promised Andreas a short sailing trip. He translated a lot for us — at sea he was very quiet.

The voyage to Lefkas was dangerous because of the rocks and stones just above or below sea level. The map showed it but we didn’t trust the map anymore.

We sailed straight to Lefkas. I made a big navigational mistake. We tried to reach the channel but we were miles out. We had to sail further to the south. With the spinnaker through the channel — great. We were glad that we didn’t meet another boat because the channel is rather narrow — we arrived at Nydreon.

SUNDAY 24 JULY

We left this touristic colony very quickly. They just think of your money. Skorpios, the isle of the Onassis family, is a paradise. We had a nice swim in one of the luxurious ports. We sailed between Meganissi and Lefkas. Poros was the destination. A village with mainly Italian tourists.

MONDAY 25 JULY

After the photo session of the Italian boys we choose the sea. We like to sail to Fiscardo (Kefalonia) but the wind was just from that direction. It was very windy. In spite of that we had no speed — we sailed to Arkoudi. Just before rounding the cape on the east side, Henriette hung in the trapeze. For several hours we had top speed. Enormous waves didn’t matter anymore. We sailed through and over them. We heard later that is was force 6 that afternoon. Suddenly very strong winds came from different directions — we capsized twice in a few minutes. After lowering the sails we kept the boat in a good position. I wanted to paddle to the quay but Fiona Weeds helped us with her motorboat. Everyone in the village knew us in no time. Fiona invited us for a party — but first a nice shower — great after two weeks.

TUESDAY 26 JULY

It was getting time to leave Frikes. We were becoming too well known here. Again some problems. Enormous waves. I didn’t close the sacks. The line was too short and a lot of water came into the boat. It was impossible to sleep in the boat. No room to rent, no hotels. We found a sleeping place near a little building on the quay. Two barking dogs kept us awake, so we moved on to a narrow wooden landing stage.

WEDNESDAY 27 JULY

Henriette is a real seawoman. For hours in the trapeze, brown, bleached salt hair, sleeping on a hard landing stage. We left Frikes early. Via Marmala Pt and Aphalles Bay to Kefalonia. A good orientation was necessary.

FRIDAY 29 JULY

With fright I looked at the date. Time flies very quickly. Before you know you are working again. We sailed downwind from Fiskardo to Sami. On portside Ithaka and on starboard Kefalonia. Very comfortable with the spinnaker. It was very funny when we entered the Bay of Sami. The ferryboat just arrived. With that boat we arrived 5 years ago with our good friends Louis and Monique.

SATURDAY 30 JULY

Again Ithaka. This morning we left Sami with a lot of wind. Unfortunately no longer than half an hour. Hours and hours floating on the water. Sefyros didn’t think of us. The high mountains are a natural obstacle. At the moment we stay on the inhabited southern part of the isle of Ithaka. No wind for several days — only the sun.

MONDAY 1 AUGUST

The night could be better. Suddenly I felt a slithery prickling centipede on my legs. I jumped out of the tent. I took my pocket torch and searched the whole tent — but I had only been dreaming! A few moments later Henriette awoke complaining of rats around the boat — again searching with the torch — but nothing. Two days of paddling, swimming and sunning. No wind. After these days we arrived at Port Vathy, the capital of Ithaka.

TUESDAY 2 AUGUST

Atokos had been part of the programme for days but we didn’t reach it because of the wind and currents. We left with enough wind the splendid harbour of Vathy. After some hours no wind anymore. We stayed on a nice beach. We left at about 5 o’clock again in the direction of Atokos. Very nervous waves, a lot of wind but no speed. After some miles we decided to return. It was too late, no speed and the distance to Atokos was about 18 nautical miles. We spent the night on the beach — made a camp fire, cooked in a hole. We planned to sail via Atokos to Kalamos. We changed our plan and returned in Poros on Lefkas.

WEDNESDAY 3 AUGUST

We sailed from the south cape of Meganissi via Petellis and Kithro. With a quartering wind via Formicula to Kalamos. We came in a flock of sheep — a total different reception.

Kalamos is a very rough island. Only three cars on it. The inhabitants use horses, donkeys and motorbikes.

THURSDAY 4 AUGUST

A short sailing brought us to our destination Mytikas (another one). With pain in our hearts we finished our trip. This because of the time. We had to return to the Netherlands.

EPILOGUE

We had a wonderful sailing month together in Greece. With a 4.45 m boat it is magnificent sailing in the wake of Odysseus. We sailed about 250 nautical miles, perhaps more, we don’t know. Next year we are planning a new trip — perhaps Greece again.