ocean-pilgrim

Days begin as they always do for us whether on land or the boat.  One or the other of us, often me, will say Coffee?  It’s a one word question and usually but not always I will clamber over my husband to drop down off our super high bed and head to the galley to get on our first brew of the day. I’ll open all the windows and roll up the companionway mosquito netting as the coffee burbles away on the stove. Then it’s outdoors to appreciate the early morning. Already the sun is hot and soon after dawn will be blasting its white hot summer rays onto the boat.  From 20 to 30 degrees in a moment.  At least it’s still relatively cool at night right now. Need to roll down the sun shades?  Perhaps.

Let’s check the weather forecast and the wind and here in the Ionian we are paying careful attention to the increasingly frequent thunderstorms over the mainland. Check batteries, water levels and turn on the generator to make some water with the watermaker if we are low. A godsend as it greatly decreases our need to dock alongside to fill up in towns. Hot water is an added bonus from running the generator. And then maybe its time to call home to Australia as its already afternoon there. Spain can wait till later as they may not be up yet.

What about a load of washing? Firstly how hot and how sunny is it?  How much washing is there? There are only very occasional coin operated laundromats in Greece so you usually send washing to a laundry service where your clothes are sure to be over perfumed but finding them clean is not guaranteed. So it’s that expensive lottery or else you do it yourself.  So have we got enough water?  A large load with towels and sheets or heaven forbid a doona cover could use 60-80 litres of water.  So I sit out on the stern with a big 40 litre box that usually holds the hoses and buckets and I get to work.  These days its bicarb and vinegar and a scrubbing brush and lots of therapeutic sloshing.  Theres an hour or so gone and then the boat is festooned with clothing all pegged out with the world’s strongest grip pegs.

Meanwhile Rick might be replacing timber deck plugs or fiddling about with boat maintenance jobs like outboard motor servicing, engine checks, winch servicing, stainless polishing etc

A bit of shopping, yep we need fresh milk and veggies.  On anchor that may mean getting the dinghy into the water and the oars and seat and engine on.  Then it’s in to shore with shopping bags or a wheelie trolley. At the beach we make now make ecxtra sure the dinghy will be there on return by pulling it high up the beach on a roller (yes someone rescued it when it got washed away from the beach by a ferry way). We dry off feet and off we go to the shop or mini market. Big supermarkets, like everywhere are often a little out of town where the real estate is cheaper so we may have quite a walk.  In good weather this is easy and part of the fun of sailing but in very windy, wet or hot weather its really not. The best part is that we are usually never rushed.

When we get back I often take ages unpacking as our fridge is quite small and needs careful packing to maximise space.  Veggies need trimming then bagging if they’re going in the fridge. The Fridge also may need cleaning out, mainly because the tiny freezer box gets iced up and then the main body of the fridge heats up…so this involves getting everything out, turning the generator on in order to speed up the cleaning process by using the hair dryer on the iced up freezer. Ingenious hey? But it means I can get it done in next to no time.

It’s probably close to lunchtime by the time all this has been done.  Rick may then go for a km swim or I may do exercise or we may just flop about in the water if its super hot.

If we are on a town or city we do all our errands in the morning as in Greece shops still close in the afternoon around 3 and open up again (if they do at all) around 6pm. I totally get this now as the heat of the day is at its peak late afternoon.

Lunch is pretty much always a salad that I make fresh every day or a wrap.  Then it’s afternoon and what to do next?  Time to read, have a nap or get on the SUP or go for a foil for Rick if its windy.  Foiling requires a bit of set up.  Dinghy needs to be off the boat with motor attached and ready to go should the rescue service (that’s me) be required. He can then spend hours on the water with me in the cockpit watching to see all is well and to be the video and photography service.

Then there’s the endless conversations about the weather (probably the third time in the day, at least) over an Apero before dinner. Where to next?  Have our plans changed?  Do we need for a new part unexpectedly (like right now as our water pump is playing up) and if so do we need to head to a chandlery most likely located in one of the yachting hubs and nowhere else. So much harder to access than getting in the car and heading off to Bunnings or Whitworths.

Dinner happens late as currently the sun is only setting around 9pm and frankly its too hot to eat or cook much before this. Sometimes we may jump off the boat or take the dinghy in for a change of scene for a late walk or a sundowner onshore but usually we eat on the boat.  Recipe testing is something I am always doing and I have a folder of boat friendly recipes written down for when my inspiration deserts me. I’m always thinking of ways that save cooking fuel and to keep the boat as heat free as possible…but that’s another story. Sometimes we are in bed before its dark (given dark is 10pm) because this boat life is exhausting don’t you know!