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Writer's pictureSailing The Dream

2019-10-14>16 Preveza, Greece > Rocella Ionica, Italy

Time zone UTC + 0.00

Local time (Italy) +2.00

Local time (Greece) +3.00

06.15 - Departure Preveza, Greece

Coordinates 38º57’893N 20º45’556E

Destination: Siracusa, Sicily, Italy

06.50 - Mainsail up

Coordinates 38º55’542N 20º43’107E

Heading: 225 degrees

Cloud coverage: 10%

Visibility: 80%

Barometer: 1033

Sea state: rolly

SOG: 3.5 knots

14.25 - Mainsail and Genoa

Coordinates 38º31’011N 19º56’556E

Heading: 235 degrees

Wind speed: 12 knots

Wind direction: 60 degrees from starboard

Cloud coverage: 20%

Visibility: 90%

Barometer: 1023

Sea state: swell

SOG: 6 knots


17.00 - Mainsail and 2 Reefs on Genoa

Coordinates 38º22’717N 19º39’228E

Heading: 240 degrees

Wind speed: 16 knots

Wind direction: 70 degrees from starboard

Cloud coverage: 20%

Visibility: 90%

Barometer: 1023

Sea state: swell

SOG: 6.2 knots

01.00 - Mainsail and engine, furl Genoa

Coordinates 37º58’514N 18º42’103E

Heading: 245 degrees

Wind direction: 40 degrees from starboard

Cloud coverage: 10%

Visibility: 80%

Sea state: calm

SOG: 6 knots

10.00 - “When it rains it pours”

Coordinates 37º38’809N 17º44’516E

Heading: 245 degrees

Caught a Mahi-Mahi, 15 minutes later caught a Bonito.

Mahi-Mahi

As we were bringing it in, all of a sudden, we see in the horizon a big styrofoam box chasing us, jumping like a dolphin. First thought was that it was caught on one of our fishing rods that we were still trailing, but the direction seemed wrong.

As we look in the water, just behind our stern, we could clearly see two white lines that got caught on our keel. We had just hit a fishing pot/net without even coming close to one of them (or so we thought) and in more than 3000 meter deep waters!

We stopped the engine immediately, dropped the swimming platform and tried to get the line with the boat hook. A click forward, a click reverse on the engine to force the line to surface and we managed to get the line. John quickly cut it and we were free once again.

Ana trying to free us from the fishing pot

In less than 5 minutes of us getting free of the fishing pot/net, we catch a little plastic mesh on our propeller. A bit of discussion between the two of us, because I recognised the vibration we were experiencing from the times I was at the helm and we got stuff stuck on the propeller and John was at the bow dealing with the anchor. After a bit of discussion we decided to stop the engine again, drop the swimming platform again, but this time (I) Ana had to get in the water.

Quite a scary experience because the boat was still doing around 2 knots, fuelled by the mainsail. I undress, step down the swim ladder holding myself with my arms and legs while checking the propeller with my goggles. Once again by clicking forward and then reverse we managed to get the little plastic mesh free from the propeller.

The drama was not over yet, within minutes we get an overheating batteries alarm. We turn the entire boat off and sail only with the iPad as navigation tool for awhile while we wait for things to cool off and while we think what to do.

30 minutes later we turn the engine back on, all windows open, fan pointing at the batteries and trying to drain the batteries as much as possible - we think the system is not “understanding” that the batteries are at full capacity.

14.35 - Mainsail and 2 Reefs on Genoa (batteries still overheating)

Coordinates 37º31’591N 17º15’918E

Heading: 250 degrees

Wind speed: 8 knots

Wind direction: 40 degrees from port

Cloud coverage: 10%

Visibility: 90%

Sea state: calm

SOG: 3.5 knots

18.30 - Change of plans - new destination Rocella Ionica

Coordinates 37º29’581N 16º56’789E

Heading: 325 degrees

Wind speed: 14 knots

Wind direction: 90 degrees from port

Cloud coverage: 10%

Visibility: 90%

Sea state: swell

SOG: 5.2 knots

The weather is not as per forecast and to get to Siracusa we need to motor into the wind or tack our way there at a very slow pace. Best option is to turn 90 degrees to north to get the wind more on the beam and sail straight to Rocella Ionica.

Route of the passage between Preveza, Greece and Rocella Ionica, Italy

05.00 - Arrival to Rocella Ionica Marina

Coordinates 38º19’425N 16º25’658E

Total hours of the trip: 46h

Total hours sailing: 10h30

Total hours motoring: 1h

Total hours motor-sailing: 34h30

Maximum Speed Over Ground: 8.3 knots

Distance: 266.8nm

***In the spirit of sharing our dreams and experiences we have shared this blog post in the NOFOREIGNLAND.COM website sailors community.


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