There was still a fairly strong northerly blowing today. Tomorrow is a better day to head further north toward Corfu. The town I had intended to stop last night is Preveza, which is just 10 miles further north. This is where Roman emperor Augustus defeated Mark Anthony and his ally Cleopatra in a naval battle, in 31 BC. The canal I navigated in last night’s thunderstorm was dug by the Corinthians in the 7th century.  Sailing here I am getting a primer on history of a period I totally missed in my grade/middle school education.

I found a good bicycle shop to replace the rusted chain and wire for the derailleur. I was getting strange looks for all the noisy clanking noiuse when a chain link got hung up. I went for a ride out side of town. Delightful place. I found my spot to retire, under ancient olive trees, couple of goats, chickens and a vegetable garden.

I am cooking fresh squid  calamari stir fry for my Canadian/German/Fin neighbors tonight.

The below pictures show what the Lefkadians did to try and reduce the damage the earthquakes have cause here on the traditional stone/brick/plastered structures. They use timber frame and wood siding for the 2nd floor. Then they cover the wood siding with galvanized sheet metal. Seems a strange combination, but where they maintain the paint job, it looks quite attractive. Just think of the millions of lives that could have been saved if the majority of the earth quake victims could have lived in wood frame structures instead of being buried

I had intended to push a little further than Levka. The next place intrigued me. But I missed the bridge opening and then I spotted Timo and Nicole’s boat, the Candadian-Finn-German couple I met in Poros. I tied up to the town quay right in front of them. I left yesterday morning at 11 a.m. after getting groceries and diesel fuel, from Patras. The wind was against me and I motor sailed most of the way. I had a good night sleep in a quiet anchorage. At the mouth of the Onoma River near te island of Oxia. Today the wind was mostly from the south and I sailed most of the way. Very pleasant. Now I see a lot more sailboats all around me. Most are going SE into the Agean Sea, through the Corinth Canal. Then dark clouds gathered and I managed to get my sails down in time. Just before I entered the canal that cuts through the salt flats to Lefka a violent squall came down from the hills. Then it rained like a tropical down pour. I could hardly find the entrance to the canal through the wind driven rain. The canal reminds me of the La Conner slough.

Anchorage June 4

I am getting a few groceries and diesel and then I am on my way.

Did not sleep much. Across the water a group of young Greek girls were still partying at 3 o’clock. There is nothing more annoying than to have to listen to the high pitch yelling and laughing of inebriated females. But at least I was fully awake when the moon set at 5.30 to take the below picture. I have to get a new tripod. Hard to shoot these without one.

I am sitting in a park in Patras having my Cappuccino and waiting for the 11.30 English service at the Saint Andrew R.C. Cathedral here. The church was built the same year I was born. Saint Andrew was the first disciple, brother of Peter and the only other than his Master to die on a cross, here in Patras. It also happens to be the Pentecost weekend here, celebrated by the Catholics on the Orthodox calendar.

I left Itea early in the morning,, yesterday, to try and get as far as I could on the engine before the strong west wind sets in. That worked well, but by the time I got to the narrows in the Gulf of Patras, before the bridge, I had to put a third reef in the main sail and motor sail tacking to get through those 10 or so nasty conditions. Patras, like Corinth, has little old town to show because of several destructive earth quakes. It is a very pleasant city with attractive high rise apartments. The marina is north of town and I am using my folding bike to get to town. The untreated city sewage discharge is right near the marina and the smell is disgusting. My port neighbors are Sylvia and Jean from Liege. The town where Rose Marie (#2 daughter)’s birth-mother is from. The marina charges ($40 for my size) for a minimum of two nights moorage. So, I shall be on my way towards Corfu on Monday.

I am sending an e-mail to my Dutch friends and relatives, for one, to ask them if they might have part time employment for my granddaughter, Corrine, who arrived last week in Amsterdam to complete her university studies at the University of Amsterdam. Just in case you might not be on that list and have an interest: Corrine is 22, majors in Sociology. I am particularly proud of her accomplishments and travel experiences. We have to make appointments in airports around the world to have an audience with her. She is looking for part time work as a nanny, au-pair. Teaching English. She is very skilled working with children. My younger grandchildren would always be entertained by Corrine at family  gatherings. She spent the year between high school and college to work in an orphanage in Sri Lanka. She has worked in Star Bucks cafes, as a catering assistant, etc.  She will be in Amsterdam through January. Her cell phone number in Amsterdam is: o615330914.

Sunday afternoon: The English mass was attended by a small group of local residents, again mostly Filipinos, a Nigerian South African family a Polish tourist couple and more. They have just started the English service. Officiated by a young priest who has just taken over from father Marcus who gave his farewell into retirement mass before the 11.30 mass. He is 76 and had served here 14 years. His farewell ran beyond the 11.30 service and I watched the parishioners bid him farewell, especially the children were all in tears. The young priest gave a wonderful short sermon in excellent English, without notes. The Spirit of Pentecost became real to the small group.

This trip to Delphi rates very high on the places I have visited on my ciurcumnavigation. If ever in this area be sure to spend a day here. The location is magical. High up in the mountains, in the pine forest above the olive groves. The archeological museum presents the story of Delphi in a very clear and interesting way. This was the place during the pinacle of the Greek culture in the period 650 to 400 years BC. It portrays the different waves of the Persian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman periods.

I missed the bus back down to Itea because I had somehow pushed one of the many buttons on the fancy watch I got for Christmas from my children. And it takes two generations after mine to figure out how to fix this. The next bus was 2 1/2 hours later. I decided to hitch hike. A young couple stopped. They were driving a V.W. van. He was from Lima, Peru his partner from Baranquilla, Colombia. Musicians. Just delightful people and I can hardly wait to visit their countries on my planned trip there, from my intended base in Cartagena, Colombia.

On my way here to do my internet stuff I ran into a couple of boaters, who live in Aachen, Germany. Miguel has his birthday today and his wife surprised him with a chocolate cake and a candle. It also happens to be the 18th birthday of my grand son Elliott, who graduates from Stadium High School this month. Miguel was born and raised in Buenos Aires. He met his German wife, Brigitte, in Fulda. He is a surgeon and she a teacher they both took early retirement.  Brigitte is writing a book about the unusual family relationship. Her parents had a farm in the former German enclave in Tsechoslovakia, Sudetenland. Her father was drafted at 18 years in the German army. Miguel’s folks, as Jews, fled Germany in the early forties to France and then to Argentina. Brigitte’s father returned in 1947 from Russian prisoner of war camps to find his farm destroyed and then came to Germany to try start a new life.

I shall be on my way tomorrow, early, direction Corfu and beyond.