Out of our winter nest

The sap is rising, the bees are buzzing and the flowers are blooming. Its spring in Greece, and there's been frantic activity aboard Pavlov. There's a period where you have to drop your winter habits, like playing guitar for hours every day and spending lots of time in the gym. All of a sudden, there's a whole slew of jobs to be finished: varnishing the companionway and outdoor table, making some chaps for the dingy, compounding and polishing the deck house. We've bent the sails on, made hundreds of minor repairs to this and that, topped off the fuel, bought up gas and filters and oil, acquired new toys like a brand new dingy and a flashy fibreglass passarelle. In short, we're ready for the 2015 sailing season.

Tighter chaps than a Castro Cowboy!

Our new dinghy

Pavlov, sans winter tent and sporting her new passarelle.

The chaps were a major challenge and I despaired at how to approach the task. Eventually, I just went at it seam at a time, and it seems (sic) to have turned out okay. We also have the task of saying good-bye to all our winter friends. Friendships bloom fast over winter amongst the cruising set, and its quite sad knowing that we might never see some of our new friends again. However, the cruising world is surprisingly small, and we'll probably bump into lots of these friends again.

Mike looking wind swept

Some of our fondest friends from Lefkas

Megan and Iulia.

In a few days, we'll be departing Greece for Albania. Its time to go; I can feel an itch to see new countries, eat new cuisines and get back into the summer rituals of sailing, swimming and anchoring, docking and walking new streets. However, we'll miss Lefkas. Its been a great winter home, with lots of things to keep us entertained. We've played lots of music, sung lots of songs, done a few gigs. Megan has discovered that she's quite talented at painting and drawing, I've discovered that I can sing (at least a little). We've wandered this small town's byways, and fell in love with its higgledy piggeldy streets, quaint shops and stunning snow covered hills. We known by the butchers and bakers, we'll miss our favourite custard and religious implement shop. It's tough to say good-bye.

Charter cats all in a row

Lonely umbrella

Beach resort waiting for customers

Museum and canal in Lefkas

But Pavlov is primed and ready to fire, its time to head north to new seas. This year will be the Adriatic; Albania, Montenegro, Croatia then Venice. Lots to look forward to. Life is wonderful!