Another year ,, Paxos yet again

Jeff · 26 June 2015, 07:50

Having thought we would do this once in 2007 (before we were too old !), we are now on our 9th trip.Getting slicker with the toll booths through France and Italy with toll tags for both this year and better planned fuel stops and our final preferred route. Diesel at a hypermarket in Dijon €1.18 and the new Volvo a good 10% better on fuel that the older one 😊

Wightdiver · 26 June 2015, 08:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

Having thought we would do this once in 2007 (before we were too old !), we are now on our 9th trip.Getting slicker with the toll booths through France and Italy with toll tags for both this year and better planned fuel stops and our final preferred route. Diesel at a hypermarket in Dijon €1.18 and the new Volvo a good 10% better on fuel that the older one ��

Please stop posting, I am stuck in an office and might start crying!!��

Jeff · 26 June 2015, 08:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wightdiver

Please stop posting, I am stuck in an office and might start crying!!��

ChasLondon · 13 July 2015, 19:50

Thanks to RIBnet and a great, great member - Jeff - I took the plunge and drove to Paxos with my boat.

I first started researching the idea of taking my boat abroad in the Winter (2014) and started with some random searches.

The trail led me to a post by Jeff:

http://www.rib.net/forum/f18/paxos-2013-a-55931.html

I contacted Jeff and as Winter turned into Spring he would answer all my questions - no matter how small or daft and so I convinced myself, as well as two friends, that it would be entirely normal to drive nearly 2,000 miles with a boat on the back of the car.

I travelled there with some friends and the roadtrip turned out to be great fun. We spent most of the trip saying, "We are no where near Paxos." But a few countries later we found ourselves there.

It was such a fantastic trip and I think it is a huge tribute to RIBnet and Jeff that inspired me to take on such a big adventure.

Cheers!

MatFromPoland · 26 December 2016, 13:48

Jeff inspired me also to visit him at Paxos in 2017

We plan to be (again) in Mitikas (Ionian Sea) for few weeks.
There is about 100 km to Paxos so "maybe" if forecast be better than usually we go and visit him personally.

We made many trps like 100 km one way but between Lefkas and Paxos is open Sea. We will go along coast but predominant wind in this area is from North - West.
So at distance about 75 km we be completely open to this wind.
First thing is to start before 9 AM when is usually calm till 11 AM, next thing is weather forecast of course but I'm not sure if such forecast shows thermal winds in this area. Weather forecast is usually Sunshine without clouds but wind is every summer days.

Jeff has promised us to treat us by beer so we will go for sure

matt h · 26 December 2016, 18:44

Jeff, great pictures dude!!!

Bucksribster · 27 December 2016, 09:22

Hi Mat. By my reckoning it is only around 55 km from Levkas to Paxos. I've done it in a sailing boat, but never in a rib. Love Paxos though [emoji846]. You should not miss Parga on the mainland as well.

MatFromPoland · 27 December 2016, 09:56

In straight line yes - it is 50 km.
But on small motorboat cat C and my licence I have to be no more than 2 NM from coast.
Or 4 NM between Islands. OK nobody check it I suppose but I do prefer to go along coast and turn left on the end and go 7 NM to Paxos. So it be about 68 km

And from Mitikas where we will be to Marine Gas Station in Lefkas is abot 30 km
So in total it be 100 km. Cruise speed is 50 - 55 km (on windy day it be 40 - 45).

We are going for very long vacation so we will try to make such trips.

Another trip is to Kefalonia and maybe Zante and around Lefkas island also

Light blue are trips made in this year
Dark blue is trip to Kefalonia planed for 2017
Red and Magenta - trip around Lefkas (red to Porto Kaski, Magenta - back to Mitikas around Lefkas)

Bucksribster · 27 December 2016, 23:07

Yes, it looks like you have been to lots of nice places in the 'inland sea'. I have sailed round there several times. Gets crowded in the summer though! Especially Fiskardo if you are going to Kefalonia.

MatFromPoland · 28 December 2016, 08:22

Did you sail also in Peloponnese ? Not sure if you read my notes
http://www.rib.net/forum/f53/warsaw-...0dl-68645.html
Laconian / Argolid Gulfs are empty in the middle of season.
On Elafonisos island there were ony one sailboat on Simos beach.

I still thinking about Ionian or Peloponnese

Bucksribster · 28 December 2016, 22:49

Yes, i have been to the Argolic gulf a couple of times. Love Monemvasia at the top end, and Navplion at the bottom. As you say, much less crowded than the Saronic.

MatFromPoland · 29 December 2016, 21:08

@bucksribster are you going again to Greece in 2017 ?
Maybe RIb.net meet at Paxos with Jeff ?

Jeff · 29 December 2016, 21:30

Lunch and beers strictly limited to the Matt Clan though :-)

Bucksribster · 29 December 2016, 22:21

Matt- planning to be somewhere in the Med in May. Probably Greece, but maybe Croatia for a change. I am consulting with my four sailing buddies.

Jeff - my crew get very anxious if I park the boat more than about 50 meters from a bar selling Mythos, but in any case keep a large emergency stock in the boat fridge [emoji12]

Ian M · 30 December 2016, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

Matt- planning to be somewhere in the Med in May. Probably Greece, but maybe Croatia for a change. I am consulting with my four sailing buddies.

Jeff - my crew get very anxious if I park the boat more than about 50 meters from a bar selling Mythos, but in any case keep a large emergency stock in the boat fridge [emoji12]

Alternatively, I will be in the area the second week of September. With extended family in tow I will unfortunately be onboard one of those rag and stick thingies

MatFromPoland · 23 June 2017, 15:24

Jeff, I'm not sure now about crossing Lefkada - Paxos. Even for beer and dinner

Part of the family go by car and ferry from Venice to Igumenica towing RIB of course.
But some of them fly by airplane to Cephalonia/Kefalonia

So we go by boat from Mitikas to Kefalonia
We refuel in Itaka (marine petrol station) and I turned on NAVI at this point

Total was about 160 km (80 liter of the petrol) and we eat dinner at Kefalonia and go back at 5PM
It was strong thermal wind cased trouble on parts marked by red

I had to slowly go from wave and add power to climb next one (not each but quite often). Based on gap between waves nt sure if 7,5m RIB be able to go straight.

On the way to Kefalonia at 3 PM was not bad, but on 5 PM conditions were for challenge. I started to think that maybe I have to choose Kefalonia as destination and make many short trips. Or make trips avoid return after 3 PM

Perroboy · 23 June 2017, 20:23

lovely part of the world..love the Ionian sea!

MatFromPoland · 24 June 2017, 06:59

Poros Kephalonia

Jeff · 25 June 2017, 09:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

Jeff, I'm not sure now about crossing Lefkada - Paxos. Even for beer and dinner

Part of the family go by car and ferry from Venice to Igumenica towing RIB of course.
But some of them fly by airplane to Cephalonia/Kefalonia

So we go by boat from Mitikas to Kefalonia
We refuel in Itaka (marine petrol station) and I turned on NAVI at this point

Total was about 160 km (80 liter of the petrol) and we eat dinner at Kefalonia and go back at 5PM
It was strong thermal wind cased trouble on parts marked by red

I had to slowly go from wave and add power to climb next one (not each but quite often). Based on gap between waves nt sure if 7,5m RIB be able to go straight.

On the way to Kefalonia at 3 PM was not bad, but on 5 PM conditions were for challenge. I started to think that maybe I have to choose Kefalonia as destination and make many short trips. Or make trips avoid return after 3 PM

There is definitely quite a lot of open sea susceptible to high winds and waves to get here .... and even for free beers and dinner from a tight Britisher it may not be worth risking your boat .... (or family

) ...... perhaps we might meet up in Poland or Scotland sometime.
Looks great where you are around Kefalonia - have a great holiday

MatFromPoland · 27 June 2018, 20:19

I saw @Jeff on Paxos finally !!!
This year since few days weather at Ionian is not good.
It be better ("normal") starts from Friday.
But now is windy, rain, sometimes storms but quite warm.

From weather reason and my wife and my work reasons we have only 2 hrs for the trip.
So we have cruise speed to and from Paxos about 50-55 km/hr
Petrol consumption at this speed (5 people 100l fuel, many bags - wet suits for 5, snorkell equip, ...) 1.8km per 1liter

I have damaged mount for GoPro so my soon keep it in hands and he make the movie and prepare it (cut) in GoPro Studio. It is his first movie in his life so sorry for long parts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnc1...ature=youtu.be

Here it is map of the trip:
@Jeff is second RIB.net member (after @Andre) who I meet in person.

I'm sorry that it was really fast like few minutes.