SCHEDULE

Crews Letter #2008 04 Plans are to Change

The Most Dangerous Equipment on a Boat – A Schedule

Good Morning Crew

Yesterday, we motored from Piereas, Zea Marina to Porto Rafti. Pireaus has been the port of Athens for most of the last three millennium. They measure time differently is this part of the world.

Today, we are sitting out some weather. Yesterday, not enough wind. Today, a bit too much. Porto Rafti is a great bay that provides protection from all winds. If the wind changes, it may be necessary to move to a different location, but not a different bay. This morning, we moved and set the anchor twice after dragging. In Crews Letter #2003 08 we describe anchoring:

“Anchoring is a lot like ground tying an elephant to a toothpick with a string in a field of mice.

And then spending the night on his back.”

In 8 years, we have confirmed that description. This morning, we confirmed it twice more.

With a late start, the season is nearly half over. Last year at this time, we had had three parties totaling ten guests, all from the states and all planned (scheduled).

This year two parties, totaling four guests, two from Texas and two from Greece. The two from Texas were planned and the plan changed. The two from Greece are not really guests and the cruise was unplanned and expanded.

First from Texas: Donna and Hayden came to Europe for site seeing in Rome, a choral mission to Athens and a cruise on Perception. They brought their luggage aboard Perception at Zea Marina on Friday, the last day of the mission tour. During the afternoon, we laid out a five-day cruise and briefed them on life on Perception. They left by public transportation to join the choir for the last concert. We attended their last concert.

In the Mediterranean tradition, after the concert we went for dinner, a very fine and complete fish dinner in a Greek seaside restaurant. From there it was back to Perception and a night’s sleep. When dinner starts after 2300 (11:00 PM), sleep comes next.

Saturday morning we had a leisurely breakfast, walked to a nearby supermarket. Donna and Hayden picked out food and drink for the cruise, we carried it back and stowed it away. Fred went to the marina office and Port Authority to check out and file the Crew List. Hayden hafner donna hafner donna hayden Greece Mediterranean sailing sv perception

Donna and Hayden had second thoughts. They had had too much hot weather, too many late meals, too many ‘ruint rocks’ and too many strange beds and toilettes. They were tired and ready to go home. Enough was enough. The earliest flight available was Tuesday. We changed the plan. If there had been a flight Saturday, they would have left Saturday.

Plans are to be changed. Schedules are dangerous.

Before we can tell you about the unplanned and expanded cruise with two Greeks, we must tell you about Stavros. But that is a Crews letter all to itself. Did we mention? Stavros made it possible for us to be at Zea Marina to meet Donna and Hayden. Stavros found the concert and took the four of us to dinner. The Stavros story is the magic that keeps us coming back.

This morning we had more wind than forecasted yesterday. After resetting the anchor the second time, the new forecast included GALE WARNING. We changed the plan and stayed here for the day.

Plans are to be changed. Schedules are dangerous.

In 2004 we installed a NAVTEX . The following two messages caught our attention today.

HA35 161315 UTC JUL 08 IRAKLEIO RADIO NAVWARN 0394/08 FERRY BOAT ‘GRAMVOUSA WITH 571 POB INDIFFICULT SITUATION DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE PSN 35-35,26N 023-35,19E SHIPS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP RADIO CONTACT ON VHF-CH.16 IN ORDER TO RENDER ASSISTENCE IF NECESSARY REPORTING TO JRCC/PIRAEUS

HA34 161235 UTC JUL 08 IRAKLEIO RADIO NAVWARN 0393/08 MISSING SERFER AT SEA AREA THERMAIKOS GULF NEA MOUDANIA CHALKIDIKI BAY SHIPS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT REPORTED JRCC/PIREAUS

Sails, Full and By,

Phyl and Fred

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