L: "Preparing boats on windy anchorages", "2 steps forward, 1 step back", "Don't mention the 'B' word", or "Routine at last?" are all worthy contenders.

So we survived our night in Vasiliki. In fact, the wind did abate enough by the early hours that we both decided enough was enough and we could both get our heads down. Since then we have tried to establish some form of routine for the kids, starting some on-board work and "busy bee" time and trying to gain some space at sea to practice some emergency drills.

It is true that a boat always has a jobs list. Similarly, the 80% rule also seems to hold fast. At the point of the last blog, we were feeling good about the large steps forward we had taken. However, the time to complete the little jobs get the boat to "off shore" ready just seem to take forever. Fixing life jacket hooks, finding appropriate spots for the Danbuoy, fixing the Hydrovane sail, final fit of hydro generator, sorting lee cloths...... the small jobs take a disproportionate amount of time. Of course, completing these jobs on windy anchorages with only the items on the boat at your disposal only adds to the time and stress. Relocating our solar panels (for hydrovane clearance) using a box of old bolts and sacrificing the chopping board remains a moment of satisfaction. A signal that we were at least getting towards the end of the list was the gentle putt-putt of our dinghy outboard firing into life for the first time in our ownership. For those that know the potential obstinacy of 2-stroke outboards, the image of L disappearing across the anchorage in his pants, black vinyl work gloves in a haze of "bedknobs and broomsticks"-esque blue smoke was a milestone in our journey.

We celebrated our last evening in Greece with boat ready for our first major sail to Italy. Gyros and Pita with Greek salad, Mythos, 2 blue (flat) Fantas and a game of UNO no mercy felt like a fitting farewell to an area and community that we feel we have got to know farirly well over the last couple of years. We were ready to put our safe harbour behind us. Final briefings on family watch patterns made, it was time for bed with early alarms set for our first major offshore sail.

The next morning, there was a distinct air of despondency on Canopus.

The implications of Brits travelling in Europe has been hanging over both V and L for a while. Specifically the ruling that states that Brits can only stay 90 days in 180 in Europe - although in practice this relates to travel within the Schengen area. With the race starting from the Canary islands in November, we have been banking on 2 practices. Firstly, we were hoping that stamping out of one country would allow us time at sea that would not be counted towards our 90 days - in the way that crewlists are designed to operate. Unfortunately we have found that in practice, when travelling between countries within Schengen, the authorities will not stamp you out..... Secondly, we were assuming that time in Gibraltar (and research had suggested that), as UK residents, would not account towards our 90 days. Recent agreement between Gibraltar and Europe to aid borderless trade has now, for understandable reasons, created confusion. Whilst the agreement is clear (time in Gibraltar will count towards our 90 days), whether the authorities will treat this time as counting ahead of the October proposed implementation date is less so.

So.... back on SV Canopus. Lines slipping and a moment we have been building towards for 3 weeks...... and (yes - for those that know us well - we are sure you can imagine!) a moment of indecision, brain scramble and rapid back track. Instead of heading due West from the Ionian towards Sicily, we turn right!

We really have 3 options given the uncertainty of the 90 day ruling, all ensuring we leave the Schengen area for a while. Firstly we could fly home for a while - to us this is just bailing out of the problem and would not be fair on the kids. Secondly, we could spend time later in the trip in Morocco. Finally we could divert now to Albania. With the dog joining us in just over 2 weeks, we would be exchanging one set of complex bureaucracy for another with the dog moving between UK, EU and Africa and back. Doable but complex.

So we turned right and are now in Corfu, heading towards Albania tomorrow.

I am sitting in the cockpit in an anchorage overlooking Corfu old town. V is pottering (trying to find a better place for our very sharp deck  knife....). J is fishing (lovely to see him find his "own" space as he looks wistfully to sea) and S is doing Bluey themed "busy bee" time (combination of play and learning).

We arrived in Corfu at 0300 this morning after 19hr/s underway. At points very uncomfortable down below as we were on a beat with a beam sea. But a great opportunity for a shake down sail to test some previously unused kit (Hydrovane - works really well). We did a fab late night anchor in a busy pitch black anchorage and finally got our heads down just before 4am.

This morning, we finally stamped out of Greece (and Schengen so our 90 days have stopped!), bought a new pilot guide and an unexpected courtesy flag and tomorrow we depart for Albania. I am actually very excited to go to Albania - a country that has an intriguing reputation but has had incredible reviews from a couple we met in Lefkada. As often is the case, a silver lining - a country, culture and history that none of us was expecting!

Off to cook tea. Now..... what do I chop the onion on.....

Thinking of you all.

Crew of Canopus!