Never walk alone- Walk on - 24. Chapter 24

Despite the ardent bedroom athletics of the night before both Andrew and Ryan were awake quite early, their internal body clocks remaining as reliable as ever, even though they were on holiday. At first Ryan thought it was earlier than it actually was, the light just seemed to be wrong. He checked the bedside clock which confirmed that it was just after 6am, then rolled out of bed and walked, stark naked, to the windows next to the small cabin seat-ing area on the starboard side, opened the curtains and peered out.
'MY Amira', and indeed the entire marina, was enveloped in swirling fog so dense that he couldbarely see the vessel berthed beside them. Which was quite fortuitous because the fog thinned just momentarily to reveal a couple of crew members of that yacht not five meters away before it obscured everything again. Unlike the windows on the main deck that were permanently smoked, the master cabin windows were photochromic and could only be darkened via the suite remote. Not sure if he had been observed in all his naked glory, he quickly moved back to the bed and darkened the windows just enough to afford them privacy but not block out all the light.
On the port side, the next berth was now vacant, that vessel having already departed at some time after they had retired to bed.
Andrew observed the flurry of activity from the bed, propped up on the pillows against the headboard. He smirked at his husband.

"And now? What's the rush?", he asked. Ryan looked at him sheepishly.

"I think some of the crew next door just saw me naked". Andrew's eyes widened and then he literally shrieked with laughter, leaving his poor husband somewhat embarrassed and crestfallen, but then grinning as he too saw the funny side of the situation.

"Oh Ry, babe, that's hilarious", he eventually managed to say between all the mirth. "I bet they thought they had stumbled across a Greek god. Although I am a bit jealous. Your junk is for me to see and me alone!"

"Well I'm going to make sure I don't see them until we sail! All I wanted to do was check the weather. Looks like a fog bank has moved in during the night".

Once again using the remote he turned on the TV, logged into the weather data on the bridge and stood studing it while Andrew studied his gorgeous butt, commenting coyly,

"Well from what I can see everything looks fine and dandy. Just perfect". Ryan turned to look at him with a puzzled expression, then realised that the comment was directed at his rear end. He shook his head and muttered,

"Oh God help me!"

He bent down to pick up his shorts off the floor, favouring Andrew with an even better view, pulled the shorts on, giving Andrew a meaningful glare, and turned back to the TV screen.
The weather data predicted the fog bank but also predicted that the fog would burn off by mid -morning and that the temperature would once again soar into the mid 30's C in the afternoon.

"Okay, so it should be clear blue skies by the time we sail. It's just going to be as hot as hell again", he stated still studing the screen. "Forecast for the week is much the same, except we can expect a thunderstorm or two in the late afternoons and evenings. Which isn't a bad thing. It will help to cool things down".

Ryan switched the TV to SkyNews to catch up on what was happening around the world while Andrew called the galley, using the interphone, for tea, coffee and hot chocolate, knowing their offspring would be along shortly and also made himself presentable.
Andrew had a feeling either Christine or Ashleigh had told the children that their dads were awake and that they had hot chocolate waiting because they duly burst into the cabin, just after the morning beverages were delivered, like four whirling dervishes. Andrew had to scoot to the centre of the bed so that they could ensconce themselves on either side of them before Ryan handed them their hot chocolate. He took a couple of sips of his coffee before heading to the bathroom for a shower, returning to his family ten minutes later wrapped in a thick white bathrobe with 'MY Amira' embroidered in blue on the upper left. The instant he sat on the edge of the bed
the children gathered around him, clamouring for attention. This allowed Andrew to slip out of bed to the bath-room as well, while Ryan rough-housed with his four imps. To his surprise, it was Fiona who was taking the lead, climbing all over him with a very determined look on her little face. It was amazing to see just how far the shy little girl had come since she and her brother had moved to Cape Town. The tormenting of their dad ended when he suddenly began tickling them, resulting in screams and belly laughter.
That was the sound and sight that greeted Andrew when he emerged from the bathroom in his robe. He stopped at the top of the stairs leading up from the bathroom and watched the antics on the bed, his heart filled with love and happiness. He added to the mayhem by join them for a while before it all abruptly came to an end when Ryan's half full mug of coffee was bumped off the bedside table, shattering on the floor. They all, including Ryan, immediately cast contrite looks at Andrew followed by four very quiet "Sorry daddy's".
Andrew took charge instantly.

"Nobody move off this bed. I don't want you cutting yourselves on the shards", and hurried back to the bathroom to fetch a roll of toilet paper with which he mopped up the mess and collected the shattered remnants of the mug. Ryan spoke to Christine on the interphone and requested that she collect the debris after explaining what had happened. Ever the perfect hostess, she arrived with a fresh tray and a black bag to put the mess into.
Then the children decided they wanted to use their dads bathroom instead of going back to their own cabins. Ryan dressed for the day and then to took Elizabeth and Fiona to their cabin to choose clothing and on his return Andrew did the same with Cameron and Jamie while Ryan got the girls into the bath. Cameron and Jamie were quite happy to use the shower, so their ablutions were accomplished at the same time that the girls were enjoying their bath. They got the children dressed and then headed up to the Sky Deck for breakfast. Andrew couldn't resist regaling the crew about Ryan flashing the yacht next door which resulted in some light - hearted ribbing
for Ryan and a breakfast filled with humour.

By 11am, the fog was dispersing rapidly and the sun's heat was fast making itself felt. Andrew watched the children as they cavorted in the splash pool on the foredeck, preferring the privacy that it offered away from the pier. Ryan was in the bridge chatting to Michael while planning their course to the entrance of the Corinth Canal.
Just after 11am, Ryan was relieved to see that the yacht next door was preparing to set sail and watched the departure with a critical eye from the bridge when they did. He was also aware of their crew preparing for their own departure as soon as Liam disembarked after delivering the sale contract for 'MY Amira'.

The agent arrived just before noon with two sets of signed documents and the three men sat at the dining table in the Main Salon to go through them. Once they were both satisfied with the contents their signatures were added and duly witnessed by Michael and Christine, a very happy Liam congratulated them, his commission being very substantial, and taking the second copy for delivery to Gabriel and Lucas, he disembarked. Final transfer of ownership would take place on their return to port.

Less than thirty minutes later, the mooring lines were reeled in, the anchor was hoisted back into its housing and 'MY Amira' motored gently away from her berth, looking every bit like her namesake. As the owners were on board, Michael had chosen to keep the burgundy, blue and gold pennants flying they until they were at sea, as well as the Devlin-Major flag, which fluttered just below the Greek flag on the mast. The distinctive South African flag flew on her stern post.

After a gentle turn to starboard after exiting the entrance of the marina, 'MY Amira' pointed her bow westward for the three hour, almost 45km journey to the entrance of the canal, cruising at a very sedate 10 knots per hour. They were delayed by almost an hour, having to wait for clearance to cross the very busy seaway into and out of Piraeus, having unwittingly chosen the busiest time of the day to cross. They were obliged to heave to just out of the seaway which caused a bit of discomfort due mainly to the dozens of ferries having absolutely no regard to any smaller vessels by passing at top speed thereby causing huge swells which 'Amira's' zero speed stabilisers had no chance to counteract. But once safely across the seaway in was back to champagne cruising, passing the southern end of Salamis and cruising a short wah up the western shore of the island where they dropped anchor in a small sheltered bay for the night. The delay meant a late afternoon arrival off the canal and Andrew wanted to sail the canal while the light was good so that the crew and the children could make the most of the adventure, Cameron and Elizabeth being far too young to remember the transit of the canal when they sailed on 'Texas Lass'. So the decision was made to do the passage the following morning.

Michael weighed anchor at 6am and they were in position off the entrance by 7.30am. He had contacted the canal authority to request passage and was granted permission to proceed once four eastbound vessels had cleared the entrance. Due to the narrow width of the canal, traffic could only to the transit in one direction at a time.

The Devlin-Majors were all up and about, having breakfast. The yacht was in a high state of excitement, as they waited. From where they were hove to, they could see straight down the length of the engineering marvel, the narrow strip of water over which towered the imposing cliffs of rock.
They all gathered on the bow after breakfast for the best view as they sailed through. The yellow and black boom that prevented unauthorised entrance was lowered as the four eastbound vessels approached the end of the canal and a short while later, a motor yacht slightly larger than 'Amira', a catamaran and two monohull sailboats passed down the port side. Minutes later Michael engaged the engines and they motored over the boom and into the awesome wonder of the Corinth Canal. The 6km transit would take about roughly 75 minutes to complete as all vessels were limited to a maximum of 6 knots. 'Amira' was the first vessel to enter as she was the largest in the small fleet that had gathered to do the transit. The other vessels, nine in all, were smaller motor yachts and sailing yachts. 'Amira' led the way followed by her gaggle of companions, the bright morning sun perfectly highlighting the massive fissure carved into the earth. It wasn't clear who was more exited - the children or their crew.

They all eventually moved up to the Sky Deck when it got too hot, and from where Michael was steering the yacht. All the side windows had been lowered so the Sky Deck was completely open to the elements, the light breeze and their forward movement helping to keep things cool under the deck roof. Ray and Christine had ensured that the wet bar was fully stocked and there were sandwiches, cookies, small pastries and packets of crisps for anyone who felt peckish. For Andrew and Ryan the transit was also a new experience, having done their first transit from west to east, so it gave a slightly different perspective coming from the east.
The cliffs gradually became lower as they neared the western end and when the passed over the boom on that side, Michael slowed to a stop to allow the canal authority launch to come alongside to collect the toll fee and then they were free to continue through the Gulf of Corinth, underthe impressive Rio-Antirion Bridge near Patras linking the mainland with the Peleponese, andinto the Ionian Sea.

A wide turn to starboard had them heading north past Kefalonia and Ithaca, arriving off the small island of Kalamos in the middle of the afternoon where Michael had planned an overnight stop off the beach at Asprogiali. The anchorage and the beach proved to be extremely busy so he motored a bit further northwest around the top of Kalamos where the next small bay at Agios Konstantinos was almost deserted. The bay was home to the tiny church of Agios Donatos, a saint only worshipped in the Ionian islands, and a small, white sand beach backed by thick trees. He positioned 'MY Amira' stern to the beach, dropped the bow anchor in crystal clear water, and had Brian and Gary run a longline to the trees to secure the stern.

After seeing the location, Ray scrapped his plans for dinner on board, deciding a beach barbecue would be far better. The tender ran two gazebos ashore, which Brian and Gary erected quickly and then returned to the yacht
for a cooler box with water and sodas.
After grabbing their bathing suits, hats and towels, Gary took the Devlin-Majors to the beach as well, and then began a shuttle service to move all the necessary catering and equipment to the beach. This task was accom-plished with impressive efficiency and it wasn't long before everything was set up. Ray, Christine and Ashleigh set about preparing dinner while Gary launched the Seadoos, which were then towed to the beach with the next tender transfer.
The remainder of the afternoon was filled with shrieks and laughter. Shrieks from the children as their dads buzzed round on the calm water with them on the Seadoos, Jamie and Fiona seated securely in front of Ryan and Andrew with Cameron and Elizabeth clinging on behind them.
After beaching the Seadoos, they all frolicked in the warm, clear water until sunset when they transferred back to 'MY Amira' to wash off the salt and change for dinner efore tendering back to the beach.

In a scene very similar to that of their beach wedding, a table had been set up under the gazebos with a large rug covering the sand. A low table, long enough to seat everyone was positioned in the centre with dozens of big, plush cushions for them to sit on. The table settings were very informal - dark bamboo placemats on a white tablecloth with navy blue linen napkins and 'Amira's ' everyday crockery and cutlery.
Solar powered lanterns hung on the supports of the gazebos, six fat white candles flickered on the table and four citronella torches burned at the four corners of the gazebo to keep any bugs at bay.

And Ray's food did the setting justice.
He had originally planned to do seafood for dinner that evening anyway, so it was just a matter of changing a few items and adding a few items to the menu.

Chilled avocado soup with diced prawn tails to start, followed by whole baked sea bass and prawns wrapped in foil with baby tomatoes, onion , peppers, black olives, white wine, olive oil and butter. The fish was baked in low coals and served with new potatoes and a simple Greek salad.
He paired it with Andrew's favourite Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc.
Dessert, in keeping with their location, was a traditional baklava served with vanilla ice cream.

When the children began cuddling with their dads they knew it was time to head back to 'Amira'. So before they fell asleep, Andrew and Ryan herded the four little ones onto the tender and Gary took them back to the brightly lit yacht with Michael and Christine in attendance. Once they were safely back on board, Gary returned to the beach to assist with transferring everything back to 'Amira', while Christine got coffee going and the boys took their offspring down to their cabins to tuck them in for the night.
It took almost an hour and four trips to get everything and everyone back and soon after the yacht was secure for the night and everyone in the beds.

Michael waited until they were all up and about before raising the anchor. When the family arrived on the Sky Deck for breakfast, the first thing Ryan noticed was that the longline from the stern to the beach had already been retrieved and that 'MY Amira' was now swinging freely on her bow anchor, her bow now pointed at the beach.
Within minutes of them settling down for breakfast, Michael raised the anchor from the Sky Deck helm station and slowly coaxed them away from the beach and out of the bay. The course took them round the top of Kalamos, then a southward turn brought them into the channel between Kalamos and Meganisi, their next port of call.
It was quintessential champagne sailing - clear blue sky dotted with a few cotton-woolly clouds, soft breezes and mirror flat sea. Maritime traffic was busy, but nowhere near that of the Cyclades.
The coast of Meganisi is dotted with a myriad of inlets, bays and coves. Michael had not planned on a specific stopping point but chose to motor serenely along the coast, binoculars to his eyes, as he searched for a quiet anchorage for the night, and once all the day charters began heading back to their various bases, a number of potential possibilities opened up. He eventually chose Elia Bay on the east coast, the bay offering good protection from the wind and the swells. The small village of Elia was located at the head of the bay, and a road above the beach led to Katomeri, a short easy stroll over a low hill. Andrew had decided that they would all dine ashore
that evening, and although Katomeri was bigger and had more options, it meant that 'MY Amira' would be out of sight, so they chose to dine at the small beachfront taverna in Elia village.
The decision, however, turned out to be a good one. They were the only vessel at anchor when evening came and the only other patrons in the taverna were locals who happily welcomed the visitors into their idyllic part of the world and the owners even more happy to accept their Euros. And the hospitality and food was exceptional. The owner moved six tables together, seating them on the small patio overlooking the bay.

Several sharing plates were ordered including all the usual suspects. Taramasalata, tzatziki, spanakopita, pan fried calamari with lemon and garlic, grilled prawns, keftedakia - meatballs with fresh mint, onions and wild oregano, and a sublime roasted feta dish with an intense tomato, peppers, garlic and black olive sauce with just a dash
of ouzo. All accompanied by freshly baked pita breads and carafes of house wine. It was all very simple, but tasted absolutely divine. The children had a ball, sampling new foods and then giving them a thumbs up or thumbs down, the only negative being the taramasalata, and that only when Andrew told them that it was made from fish eggs.
All three desserts on the menu were ordered - baklava, galaktoboureko and thick greek yogurt with honey. Needless to say they all returned to 'MY Amira' absolutely stuffed.

Early the next morning, Ryan was wakened my the muted sound of a motorboat burbling past the windows of the master cabin. He shrugged into his bathrobe and peered out the window as the launch passed yet again. One of the occupants of the launch spotted him at the window and waved energetically, and recognising the owner of the taverna, he hurried to the aft deck to find out what was going on, arriving there just as Gary disappeared down the stairs to the swim platform. Ryan followed him and found him accepting a package from the man. Gary had a quick look into the bag and raised his hand in a 'wait' gesture. The man shook his head and gestured as well, which Ryan interpreted as 'no, this is for you', and the launch motored away.

'What was all that about?", Ryan asked and grinned as Gary jumped with fright and cursed.

"Fuck boss, you scared the crap out of me! Sorry!", he said sheepishly. Ryan laughed.

"Sorry Gary, I didn't mean to startle you. What's in the bag?"

"Looks like some type of bread. If I understood the old guy, he said it was for us for breakfast. It's still warm too, and smells incredible. And there's two jars as well".

He opened the bag and allowed Ryan to breathe in the aroma of freshly baked bread, slightly orange scented. He reached in and pulled out a piece of paper. He read what was written on the paper and then said,

"It's a thank you note from the taverna for dining with them last night. And also two breads that his wife baked this morning. Something called psomi spitiko, and the other is vasilopita. I think that's the orange I can smell. Had it before when I worked here in the Med. If I remember correctly, it translates as New Year Bread. And you're right, it does smell good. The jars are honey and homemade orange preserve. I know I will definitely be having some for breakfast. Take the bag to Ray. He'll know what to do with it. I'll go rally the troops!"

Forty five minutes later, the whole family arrived on the Sky Deck for breakfast, the children chattering exuber-antly. It never ceased to amaze Andrew just how much Jamie and Fiona had come out of their shells and blossomed into two happy, gregarious imps.

Two of the bread loves occupied centre stage on the buffet and as it was something out of the ordinary, it immediately attracted the childrens attention. The psomi spitiko was dusted with sesame seeds on the top while the chestnut brown top of the vasilopita gleamed under a sugar and orange glaze. Jamie turned and looked at Andrew after they had all examined the loaves, his eyes very big.

"Daddy, what's that?", he asked quietly.

"It's breads that the owner of the restaurant where we ate last night sent this morning"

"Can we have some?", he enquired again.

"Yes, of course you can Jay. Just have your fruit and juice first. Then you can have some"

The said fruit and juice was collected and quickly devoured. Ray had made maple syrup pancakes with bacon and link sausages which were polished off just as quickly. He eventually brought slices of the bread to the table in baskets with the usual Danish pastries when tea, coffee and hot chocolate was served.

The psomi spitiko, surprisingly, had small blocks of feta cheese baked into it, which the four musketeers were not so keen on, preferring the taste of the vasilopita, spreading it with butter and lashings of the orange preserve or honey. The adults all loved the salty-sweet combination of the feta and orange preserve, so everyone was happy.
While they were eating, Michael raised the anchor and got them underway, sailing southwards across the Bay of Kolopoulos to round the tip of Meganisi at Cape Kefali. There they cruised through the channel between Meganisi and Kythros before heading more north west up the long narrow Meganisi peninsula and then crossing the channel to Rouda Bay on the south east coast of Lefkada where Michael dropped anchor on the right hand side of the bay below the hotel, preferring to stay away from the gaggle of vessels anchored closer to the beach at the head of the bay. 'MY Amira' floated in serene seclusion in the azure blue waters. Once she was secure for the night, everyone on board went for a swim, then Brian and Gary hauled out the water slide, attaching it to the Sky Deck rail aft and the rest of the afternoon was again filled with shrieks as the children slid down the water slide with, and without, their dads.
As a result of all the activity and the weather being so hot, they were all more a just a little weary when dinner came along. Because of the heat, Ray produced a cold dinner of various cuts of meat, chicken drumsticks and salads which went down a treat. Dessert was also kept simple - banana split sundaes for everyone, and the children all headed for their bed fairly early, Andrew having to carry Jamie to his bed as he had fallen asleep on the seat next to the helm.

The next morning they were roused out of their sleep by frantic shouts and the muffled sound of feet running on the deck above the cabin, followed by a loud explosion that shook 'MY Amira'.