Telltale 104

And arriving at the winterdestination...without engine.

We arrive that afternoon at Plomarion, on the south end of Lesbos. It is a famous place, where they make Ouzo, so I was willing to give the harbor a try. But when we arrived it was clear that the little bit of swell rolled straight in and we would not be very comfortable. Instead we sail on and choose a deserted bay and anchorgae some 5 miles further east. A glorious full moon night, with the diesel heater keeping us warm. At the end of November......could be worse.






Well, it gets worse....the next morning while we leave the anchorage the engine barely starts and does not really want to give me a lot of revs. I have had this problem many times in the past and it is either blocked injectors or a broken injectorpump. That one was repaired some three years ago in Naples and I still remember how difficult it was to get the pump out of the boat. Due to its fysical location.
Ayvalik is only 20 miles away, but we still want to stop in some places on lesbos. Because of the engine I decide to go directly to Ayvalik....2 hours later and still 11 miles from Ayvalik, the engine stops completely.

Okay, so we hoist the sails, although there are only 3-5 knots of wind. Still, we make progress and this goes on for an hour or three.

Even the dinghy was not making any wake anymore. Time to call for help. Especially as the entrance to the Ayvalik bay, leads through a very narrow channel and the chances that we can do that under sail are nil. The last time I visited Ayvalik we blasted through this channel under spinnaker...what a difference...
With the help of the Coast Guard and the Ayvalik Marina a fishing boat comes to pick us up and tow our last ten miles of the season. Rather disappointing, but such is life.



Steffi uses the next week to settle into Turkey and the pace here. Ayvalik is really as good as it was in my memories and little has changed. The welcome was warm in many places.
On top of that the weather is great and this is lunch on December the 2nd....... Could not wish for more.