Early morning in the marina

We have had a few problems settling into the boat. The agent could not give us a router for wifi as promised as they could not find an available one. Not really a problem except Tommy is working on a deadline for a paper for a conference so needs the internet to upload. We booked snorkelling gear but for some reason they don’t have any. Then as we were about to set sail last night and we realised that the boat moored next to us had used the incorrect mooring rope and when they left their rope had got tangled up in our propeller. This required a diver to come below the boat to fix that and check the engine for water leaks. So we could not set sail last night as it would have been too late after that was sorted.  Instead we got a taxi to the old town of Corfu and had the most amazing supper at a restaurant recommended by Ioannis - grilled calamari followed by a Corfiot style fish dish that was so delicious. The old town is absolutely charming and beautiful. Then when we got back to the boat after dinner last night we discovered we had no hot water for a shower, so I had a very brief cold shower - I am an absolute ninny regarding cold water but the men did not mind it at all. 

We slept surprisingly well in our cabin last night. For such a large boat, it’s a 51 foot catamaran the cabins are quite small and have very little storage space. Our skipper is not too impressed with this boat either and he had to move from the small cabin he was sleeping in as it had so ventilation - it’s one of the small ones, the others have ventilation -  so he said it was like sleeping in a coffin! There are 6 cabins plus a skippers cabin but they are all small. This morning they fixed the hot water but the pump for the water desalinator broke! It’s a bit like Fawlty Towers here and poor Ioannis is getting frustrated with these problems. I would not recommend the boat charter company as they should maintain their boats better. Or perhaps it’s just boats, I know things always go wrong with them! 

We went for a walk around the marina first thing this morning before breakfast when I took this photo. Giorgos made us the most incredible breakfast. Eggs, bacon, avocado, berries, other soft fruit, Greek yoghurts (including lactose free), muesli (GF), fruit juices, coffee - it was wonderful sitting on the boat enjoying this feast. Then we finally sailed a short distance north and anchored in a quiet bay for everyone to swim. 

Ioannis and Giorgos are wonderful, we really were lucky to have them on this boat. Ioannis is very knowledgeable about Greek history, the roots of the language and has had interesting talks with the boys who studied Ancient Greek at school so find it all fascinating. We never realised that Prince Philip was born in Corfu, and there has been a long association with the Brits holidaying here. Ditto with the Germans as there were a few marriages between the Greek royal family and the Bavarian royal family. 

Giorgos made us another feast for lunch - Greek style lamb chops with salads and roasted potatoes, followed by baklava. He is spoiling us! 

This afternoon we sailed to another bay and dropped anchor there to for another swim. It is hot but not unbearably so.

We are mooring in the bay near the old town of Corfu tonight as Luke arrives and will join us there. We plan to have another dinner in the old town and then tomorrow we head south to Paxos.