Susie has decided that my epitaph should read "It wasn't supposed to be this windy". From our first major trip - across to Ireland in a F8/9 (forecast F6/7) - our trip around cape st Vincent (30 knts plus), recent trip up to Corfu (25 knots instead af the 10 forecast).. my oft cried lament as I'm reefing yet again is just that.. "it wasn't supposed to be this windy"
More wind than forecast, or its opposite.... less wind than forecast - seems typical of Mediterranean weather, though round here, in the afternoons, especially north of Lefkas and south of Meganissy, its often much windier than Wind Guru predicts.
Yesterday was a case in point. We planned a quick trip to Sivota to spend a couple of days chilling before coming back to Nidri. The forecast indicated we'd be motoring, and indeed we were, down most of the Meganissy channel - no wind at all... But at the south end, as often happens, the wind quickly builds to a F5-6.:25-30 knots on the nose as we head round the corner to Sivota.
And of course, in the anchorage - although not blowing so hard, its very gusty. I am realizing that Sivota has this peculiar geography which, if there's an easterly or westerly, or indeed southerly (maybe its from any direction!) the wind switches direction through 180 degrees in the space of a minute, blowing first from the north and then from the south. And then changing back again. In 24 hrs we covered virtually all points of the compass at least twice. Quite a challenge to keep track of where your anchor is, and slightly on the worrying side when other people anchor close to you without realizing your chain is like a heap of spaghetti on the bottom.
So trips ashore are taken with a weather eye on the boat and the state of the wind. Sivota is a pretty as ever, with flowers now in full bloom in front of the tavernas, and the glorious display of potted basil in front of one taverna now at its full glory.
I do manage a walk, though not a great distance round the headland, as the path starting round the headland to the east of the bay has now got a fence across it about half a mile down the headland. I assume someone's bought the plot to build on.. When will the Greeks learn that people like walking?
The fun bit about this walk is the spiders... lots of them with webs like banners high across the path. Its brings to mind The Hobbit.. I feel like I am going up a path towards Shelob's cave, with her little spider attendees watching me as I duck under their glittering webs.
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