Our return to Montenegro began with a fleecing by the taxi driver’s cartel at the airport. Three days earlier we’d paid €20 for a taxi to the airport. They all passive-aggressively demanded €40 at the airport for the return ten minute trip. To Amanda’s relief, my annoyance eased as we stepped aboard and spotted a €10 note floating by Rush’s stern. 

We’d heard that Bar was the friendliest place for clearing-out of Montenegro so the following day we left the beautiful Bay of Kotor and headed an anchorage close to Bar, ready to do the paperwork and set off the following morning on an overnight passage to Corfu. Pumping music on the beach started at dusk and kept us awake into the early hours… then a strong katabatic wind took over! Upside – it was easy to be excited about our return to Greece and the lovely, gentle Greeks.

Light winds were forecast and we had a smooth, sometimes quite quick, sail through the first day, then resorted to motoring through the night, anchoring off Corfu by early afternoon the next day. 

We carefully picked the closest anchorage to the main port – perfect for the clearing in and Rush’s temporary import VAT process. However… It turned out here was no gate at “our” end of the port… so we walked half a mile until we reached a gate at the middle of the port. Then, as we weren’t sure whether we needed the Customs (at one end) or the Port Police (at the other end) first, we took a guess and headed to Customs. Wrong. So we walked a mile to the Port Police at the other end for their paperwork sesh, then a mile back to the Customs for theirs, followed by half a mile back to the middle gate, then half a mile back to the boat! We’re not strangers to walking but it was, once again, close to 40° and, in the blazing mid-day sun, we had only mad dogs for company. We did see the funny side.

Anyway, with that done, we immediately lifted anchor and headed back up the Corfu coast to meet our close friend Alison and her top new chap, Saxby. They’d been staying in an apartment above the beach for a week, ahead of Alison spending a long-anticipated week on Rush. In true super-fit action-man/woman, minimalist style, befitting both of them, they pitched up on the beach in swimsuits, with a toothbrush, sundress and shorts in a tow-float, ready to swim out to Rush and spend the night aboard! Having shared some significant ups and downs with Alison over the last few years, this was yet another emotional milestone moment aboard the good ship. Which called for rum.

After a beautiful night in a secluded bay, the following morning we were surprised to discover our anchor was fouled on a cable and we couldn’t lift it. Phone calls to local divers revealed we’d have to wait most of the day before anyone could help – for €350. Time for a Plan B. Saxby and I shamelessly despatched bikini clad Amanda and Alison, in Derek, to a nearby superyacht to ask whether they had the crew, gear and will to help two distressed damsels. Twenty minutes and (our last) bottle of rum later, we were good to go!    

The following day, with Rush again anchored off Corfu town, Saxby headed off on another adventure and Alison rejoined Rush. Amanda’s brother Charles also arrived for ten days aboard.

Being in the Med, relatively close to home and able to share Rush with the people who mean a lot to us is so special. It’s hard to put its lasting importance into words. Charles was literally speechless as he boarded Rush for the first time. Within minutes, there we all were, swimming and laughing around the boat. 

The next week was pretty idyllic. The only boat in Perdika Bay on the mainland shore that night. Threading our way through the anchored throng to a top spot at the head of Lakka Bay on Paxos (exactly where we once anchored the previous Rush) the next – especially evocative as it was Alison’s first return nearly thirty years after setting up a water-sports centre there. She still speaks Greek! We peered through the windows of their old building and nosed into the staff’s “local” bar.

Then, a stonking fast sail down to Lefkada followed by morning coffee with friends of friends, Kerr and Chrissie, on their X Yacht anchored next to us after we’d both been stalked on Marine Traffic.  

We anchored in a stunning but crazily crowded bay on Ithaca – where a couple from a Leopard catamaran paddle-boarded over and introduced themselves as Simone and Monique from Knysna in South Africa, where they’d seen Rush. One beer down and the gnawing familiarity was explained when we realised we’d had a beer on their (other) catamaran on Theesen Island in early 2020, the first time we visited South Africa. Sailing world dots do join. 

A windy night of anchor watch followed in Vliho Bay and discovering the stunning, spacious bay N of Palairos, with incredible sunset views down through the islands and hazy mountains. Cue Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms as we toasted Alison’s last night. 

Finally, we packed up Rush and lifted out at Ionion Boatyard, Preveza for the hottest, busiest part of the Mediterranean summer.

Amanda, Charles and I, fittingly, flew home together.