Waiting for Claudia

In the harbour of Vathi, on Ithaca

A stranger who spent a few hours chatting with us this morning  - that is, he WAS a stranger, but now he is Robert, fellow HR owner and he, his boat name and blog address have been added to our contacts list - reminded us of what is a basic cruising philosophy. "When you make your plans, write them in sand below the low-water mark". Seems like our plans to cross the Atlantic are being rubbed out by the incoming tide. If that's the case, we're left with clean sand to write upon.

Ligia, on the east coast of Levkas

At anchor in Vathi, Ithaca

No biggie, as they say downunder. The Atlantic ocean isn't going anywhere. If it can't be crossed this year, it can be crossed the year after, or the year after that. If only time were that malleable.  

Always on the hunt for fresh fruit and vega

Oleander is everywhere

Home alone - dinner in the cockpit

At anchor in the clear water of Ithaca

Tied up on the quay at Fiskardo, Cephalonia

These past couple weeks we've been cruising around the Ionian islands on remote control. Sure, we've put our anchor down in some lovely bays, tied up on some charming town quays and watched closely - too closely at times - how Italians holiday afloat. I'm putting up decoy photos for the express benefit of those of you who check into this blog as distraction from winter and/or work blues. You'll agree that Ithaca and Cephalonia (and even the workaday canal of Levkas in the right light) are gorgeous - the full moon rising, those dusky mauve hills, the fishermen laying their nets, the limpid swimming, restaurants and boats busy with children and animals...but like oil on water, our minds have been separated from place. 

The moon rises over the Greek mainland, opposite Levkas

Gone fishin'

Anchored at the south end of the Levkas canal

The family holiday, Fiskardo

Claudia's meltdown has consumed our family and close friends for several months now. Between us, we've been able to talk or think of little else except how to help her. The fact that she's an artist makes her more vulnerable but hardly exceptional. For many young people, growing up is more complicated than it used to be - the world is more competitive than it was in our day, and you're not wrong if you feel everyone is looking at you. They usually are, thanks to social media. When you're 23, all that and more can be overwhelming. When you're 27, you think differently. Like Sam. We take a lot of comfort from Sam, and she can too. 

So now she is coming to join us for a while. She has a ticket booked to arrive in Corfu next week, and we'll be there to meet her.  She wants to be with us. The boat is our floating home, and she'll go where our home goes. Where exactly that is, we're not sure yet. We'll make it up over the next few weeks. 

Wild thyme in flower, Cephalonia

One day they'll name a ship after her...