2021 Cruising Plans

Late January 2021

First, a review of our plans for last year, which could be split into ‘pre-Covid’ and ‘since Covid’; so far, of course, ‘post-Covid’ is but a distant dream of better things to come…

Realising the relative distances involved overland, we decided to postpone our visit to Sevilla and Córdoba until we have left the Med behind us and wish for a long motor up the Río Guadalquivir.  Notwithstanding a rather embarrassing speeding fine, we thoroughly enjoyed our Winter visits to the Alhambra Palace and Ronda, and managed to get to Valencia just in time to spend an unscheduled three months in that city’s marina during the first lockdown.

We found ourselves in the Balearic Islands during the hot temperatures of Summer, but thoroughly enjoyed an impromptu meeting with sailing friends made in Gibraltar.  From there we decided to continue East, missing out the Mediterranean French coast and Corsica completely this time, and enjoyed a month each on Sardinia and Sicily, both of which we wish to explore more fully on our return Westwards, sometime in the future.

Aware of the imminent threat of further lockdowns, we made haste for Greece, and are spending the Winter in a yard near Preveza in the Ionian Sea.  We have been lucky that most of our plans have fallen into place, or perhaps we just keep adapting to circumstances beyond our control as they arise?

Speaking of which, as I write it is looking as though we may not be permitted to ‘navigate’ until at least the Greek Orthodox Easter, at the beginning of May, so we have come up with a cunning plan to circumvent post-Brexit bureaucracy by applying for Greek residency.  Thus we shall be able to cruise these waters indefinitely (once we can move at all), so we expect to spend another two years in the Mediterranean: yes, without any firm agenda, but therefore also without suffering disappointment when our plans don’t work out.

So once the vaccine has given us all back some semblance of ‘normal’ life, if you fancy a taste of our hospitality on the beautiful aquamarine seas and stunning sandy beaches of the Greek islands, not to mention gloriously fresh fruit and vegetables and cheap quality local wines, pay us a visit – we’d love to see you.  Failing that, we hope to make a trip to the UK to avoid the peak of another Med Summer, and are even now thinking about over-Wintering 2021/22 on Crete; yes, in the water!  Your visit will give the local tourist economy a much-needed boost…

Keep safe