Sounion to pick up Cath

A brief shop before heading off to Sounion to pick up Cath.
A pleasant trip south passing the Temple of Poseidon on the headland before Sounion bay.
We settled in, despite the strong meltemi wind from the North blowing 20 knots in the bay, pumped up the dinghy and that's when the fun began! Bolt croppers needed to get the outboard engine off Carla as the lock had seized.
Eric then set the engine up and sent me off to pick up Cath from the shore. No more than 50 meters away from Carla and the engine cut out. As I tried to restart it I was drifting out to sea back past Carla, so I tried to throw a rope to Eric but ir was not long enough. Oars were plan B but paddling was not getting me anywhere! So row it was to be.....until I dropped an oar!As I just started to drift out to Africa, Cath is sitting on the beach with a cool drink and Eric decides he better lift the anchor and come and pick me up! Meanwhile a Spanish yachtsman spots me drifting away and dives in with his flippers on and swims out towards me, picks up my oar and hops onboard, leaving his wife and children on board his boat! 2 attempts to start the engine failed so at this point we are very happy as Eric arrives with Carla and we hop on board.
Thanks all round and we motor back towards his yacht and he just dives off and swims back to his boat - knight in flippers!
So Eric sorts the engine, apparently it had been knocked from the auxiliary tank to the top tank pipe so no fuel was getting to the carburettor.
Off I head again reassured it would not be a problem and arrive at the dock to see a smiling Cath. However because the jetty was in the swimming area the lifeguard came straight up and made me turn the engine off! Cath hops on board, we row out of the swimming area and then try to start the engine!!! Needless to say it was no go so row we did, all the way back out and past! Eric saved us by launching a rope as we went past and I'm shouting "row harder Cath we've got to turn right". All ended well with G&Ts on board and supper as didn't fancy going out in the dinghy again!1Read more