Monday 15 September 2008

The Start of The Journey

"The Journey" actually started in Mykonos back in 2002 when we were sitting on a beach watching a yacht appear in the bay, where it anchored up. Half a dozen lads leapt into a dinghy, motored across to the only taverna in site, clambered out and went inside. Just over an hour later, they piled out full of Mythos and moussaka and motored back to the yacht. Anchor up and off they went to the next bay. We looked at each other and both said 'Bastards - bloody lucky bastards!'

Imagine having your own yacht and being able to sail wherever you want. An impossible dream? We thought so - we assumed these people had rich parents, city jobs or were drugs runners. Where else did they get the money from to sail a yacht around the Greek islands???
Fast forward to 2007 and we were in Menorca. Once again, we watched yachts come and go in little bays........that little light went on again and we started to think that maybe this was something we too could get into. A quick question at the local yacht centre confirmed our worst fears. All we could hire with our (zero) experience would be a bathtub. To sail a REAL boat, we would have to do (horror) exams and gain some experience.

The return from Menorca was swiftly followed by enrollment in a Competent Crew course, followed by Marco doing DaySkipper theory and practical. Based on the fact that he would of course pass, we booked a bareboat charter in the Ionian at the end of August, with a view that if we enjoyed it so much, maybe...just maybe we should one day do this sailing stuff for good.

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