This boat is made for sailing!

We love La Familia! It takes us safely over big seas. Its a fast and sturdy boat. The crossing from Cyprus had strong winds and 3 to 4 meter waves. The moon was magical as it shone bright red from the horizon , bright like a light at midnight as Janna and I reefed sails. Again thunderstorms at a distance. The morning and approach to Finekie was clear with a pale blue sky and cool crisp air. The sea seattled and we tied up 24 hours after leaving Cyprus. La Familia is the most beatiful ship in port.

Departure Latchi

After thunderstorms and lazy days.
After left hand driving, cheddar cheese and pickled onion.
After english breakfast and footballpubs.
And after careful judgement of weather. We are leaving Cyprus and Latchi.
Next stop Fethiye, Turkey

Safely moored in Latchi

After a memorable night at anchour we are now in Latchi. We were surprised by a big thunderstorm with strong winds and constant lightning. It rained like I never saw before. Big waves rolled in. After an hour it was calmer and at daybrake we went to Latchi. The kids sleept through it all! This fancy yacht was anchoured outside the marina. Does any one know any thing about it?

Arrived Pafos

After motor sailing 50 NM we just arrived at Pafos. Eating a meal at the shoreside. Motor has run well!

Departure Larnaca

We have become quite at home here in Larnaca. Adjusting to life in the marina and the choirs of everyday life with children.

There are two kids of people living in this marina. Retired british sailors and empoyed sailors from Sri Lanka, the Phillipines and Burma. The latter look after big yachts for the owners. Supposedly an Irish guy lives in a boat too but its on land as thats safest! We have made good friends with some of the people from Sri Lanka. Today we ate fish caught by one of them. We will miss them and Edvard was sad when we left.

The engine now has a serviced water pump and new timingbelt. The motor has also been aligned and given new oil and coolant. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. As for engines the proof is in it running well. Spesially now after all the work done to it.

Tomorrow we are sailing to St. Raphael. And actually right now a light easterly wind is blowing.

Good night from Larnaca! 

The outer berth in Larnaca

With no engine we have not made it in to the marina. But in the unusally light winds for this time of the year we have had a pleasant time with a feeling of beeing anchoured out in a natural harbour.

Back ti Larnaca!

Today was the day when we finally were to leave the pleasant marina in Larnaca. Well we got out to sea and motored for an hour before we sailed for about another hour. As we again started the engine it ran terribly and we turned it off and started to sail down wind towards Larnaca again. From the propeller we could now hear noise as if something was caught in it. We made a grand sailing entry to the Marina but as we had no motor we could not arrive in the marina (regulation). We made a swift turn and ancoured just outside the breakwater.

Now we are in to the second day of repairs. Fortunately it was not the propellershaft that was bent (huge jobb, boat out of water) but three out of four bolt connected the hear bor and the flange which were missing. The motor is now aligned and new bolts put in. As usual when a problem is solved an old one is exsposed! So we knew the motor was using coolingwater. Turns out its a sal on the water pump. Any water passing the seal drains out under the engine. Beeing a Volvo Penta engine this is not a Quick fix. The timingbelt in front of the motor has to be removed first (big jobb). The saltwater pump was also leaking slightly.

Despite all we are in good spirits and enjoy getting to know people working around the marina!

Bilder fra siste tiden.

1. Edvard lager Ninjabevegelser på stranda her.
2. Lek!
3. Taubane i klatrepark.
4. Bading i fossefall i nærheten av Troodos.

Ferie fra ferien!

Med båten godt fortøyd i Marinaen i Larnaca leide vi bil og kjørte opp i fjellene her på Kypros. Høyeste toppen er Mt. Olympos på 1951 m. Vi hadde to deilige overnattinger på hotel. Om det er nødvendig med å reise litt vekk fra båten? Absolutt! På mange måter! Oppe i høyden kjente vi på høsten. Gule blader og frisk klar luft. Kjølige netter. Regn. Blomster. Bare det å kjenne på temperaturer ned mot 10 grader gjør at badelivet i dag på stranden blir ekstra verdsatt. Siden vi planlegger å ha vinteren et sted her i østmiddelhavet vet vi at temperaturen skal ned. Det vil bli vinter også her. Godt med årstider selv om de er annerledes en hjemme.

Som hjemme gir en tur på hotel at vi slipper oppvasken noen dager. Men det som Edvard og jeg kanskje satte mest pris på var å slenge oss ned foran tvn med fjernkontrollen og se på kypriotisk barnetv!

Kypros har venstretrafikk og hver gang jeg kjørte på feil side var det som om alt var riktig! Ellers føltes hver eneste bevegelse rar. Blikket i speilet som ikke sitter oppe til høyre, sikkerhets belte på feil side...

En av fjellbyene vi besøkte hette Pedoulas og det var en liten perle. Vi spiste og bodde på Two Flowers, drevet av en engasjert dame som med stolthet i matlagingen sørget for en hjemmelig opplevelse for oss.

Vi er nå tilbake og det kjennes at tempoet og situasjonen her får oss mer til slappe mer av. Vi blir her til på tirsdag. Da seiler vi til St. Raphael og bor på en hotel marina med tilgang til bassengfasilitetene. All bading til tross så er det fortsatt noe trening som gjenstår før Edvard svømmer like bra over vann som han gjør under (med briller).

Arrived at Larnaca

After two months away from Europe we are in Cyprus. We left Haifa in the morning and arrived in Larnaca at 12 the following day. We had good sailing weather but ran the motor half the time. Westerly winds as we approached Larnaca.

The last days in Israel we visited the West Bank with Betlehem and Hebron. We saw some of the wall dividing Palestina from Israel and settlements in the area. We also visited Aida camp. A friendly taxidriver followed us most of the day. We crossed back to Israel at checkpoint 300 by foot, before taking the bus back to Jerusalem and finally Tel Aviv. 

All travel involves saying goodbye. And as Edvard still talkes about his friends from day care, we will remember the good people at the marina and spesially the neighbour boat with its live aboards family. Thanks for welcoming us!