Was shopping online for a new pair of flip-flops (as you do).

Timberland had a sale on but decided not to buy these as, according to the description, they'd be better off for deep sea diving:

...and they say they're lightweight...mmmm.

Real reason I didn't buy them was they only had size 8 - honest!

Went up North at the weekend to see Col, Claire and family.

I haven't seen them for a few years so was looking forward to it (but not the drive :-)

First up was to Manchester where Jo[seph], their eldest, was playing football for North Riding/Stokesley in the North of England U13 football cup finals.

I missed the first game (which they won) but saw the next two which were both draws. They could only qualify for the semi-finals as 'best runner up' if they beat another side (on equal points) in a penalty shoot-out.

Nail-biting stuff and Jo's side get through on a 5-4 penalty win with some excellent penalties.

Next was the semi-final and they got to play the team who they drew with in their last game of the qualifiers.

This time they were victorious and were through to the final (against a team from Manchester).

Tired legs throughout and 0 - 0 at full-time saw 2 x 5 minute halves to see if the deadlock could be broken: still 0 - 0 at the end...now the dreaded penalties again.

Again some excellent penalties and at the end of 5 each, both sides had missed one. Now sudden death...

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Up steps the Stokesley/North Riding player and slots it in the corner.

Next is Manchester, up runs their player, hits it to the right corner and an excellent save from the Stokesley keeper - Jo's team are victorious!

An absolutely great day (weather aside of course) and I got to see some great football.

After that it was a bite to eat in Manchester and then over to Col & Claire's for a few beers and then a head down after a knackering day!

Well done to Jo and all the Stokesley team and good luck in the England finals to be played in Leicester next month.

That's in rugby not football (Cardiff got trounced 6 - 0 away to Preston in football).

Watched the Gloucester v Cardiff EDF Final on tv yesterday.

There was only one side in it as Cardiff systematically took Gloucester apart.

17 points ahead at half-time there was only going to be one winner with the Blues running in a further 4 tries in the last 15 minutes of the games for a 12 - 50 victory

Two days later they are back and refit the serviced injectors and fuel pump.

A quick 20 minute sea trial and the engine appears to be okay.

We moor inside the Corinth yacht Harbour and prepare to leave the yacht.

Claire, Dave and myself have been on the yacht for 15 days and are 38 nm from our start point.

With 3000 still to go, at this rate, it'll be 2014 before we're finished and all of us are extremely fed up with the job, the delays, the yacht, the overall neglect and, basically, all of it.

I know these things happen but the yacht has been sitting in Marina Delta for nearly 8 months and nothing was done on it to maintain it.

As a delivery skipper/crew, you expect to have to do a certain amount to prepare the yacht for the passage but a line has to be drawn when basic 'things' aren't done.

Ah well, can't win 'em all, back to the UK then.

An engineer is sourced from Athens and comes to the yacht.

He quickly diagnoses the problems as:

- water in the diesel.
- possible problem with the injectors.
- HP fuel pump.

Here's the engine running at 1900 rpm:

Him, and his oppo, empty the fuel tank and there is no evidence of water in the diesel!

They then remove the injectors and fuel pump and depart the yacht.

Well, to cut a long story short and without getting too graphic, the 'reaming' I had from the port authorities here would have been a tad better had I gone equipped with a large jar of vaseline!!

I was always under the impression that assistance for ships in an emergency situation had to be provided under International Maritime Law. Guess I kinda got that wrong.

Even though I never saw the inside of a Greek jail, there was a time on the Monday when I thought I might! The authorities were @$#%&@#'ds.

Anyway, the situation (engine-wise) was escalated (there's not much in terms of yacht support in Corinth) and George, the previous owner, came to the yacht to assist.

Both of us went to the port authorities and, surprisingly :-), as he is Greek, the whole [paperwork] situation was quickly resolved, and very amicably at that - strange that - bastards!

1.3 nm SW of the canal is the Corinth Marina.

Headsail out, engine on and we head towards the marina.

Manage to moor safely in the main harbour the fun starts.

As the yacht was orignally owned by a Greek (now it has a Finnish flag) I was told by the Port Police in Athens that as I was leaving and wasn't stopping then I didn't need a transit log.

As our next port of call was Reggio di Calabria in Italy the plan was too save some cash and head straight there - no wind so we had enough fuel to motor.

Problem is, now we have stopped, albeit in an emergency situation, there's now a big problem [for me].

One problem after another...each time getting worse.

The stern gland was properly repaired this time by the previous owner George.

We then headed off at 0800 the next morning (5th) and motored all the way to the east end of the Corinth Canal. Tied up, paid the canal transit fee and then, when permitted, slipped lines and followed another yacht into the canal.

And then the next problem started. The engine started fluctuating - BADLY - revving low, racing high and white smoke billowing out of the exhaust.

Halfway through the engine sounded like it was going to die! More comfortable at lower revs we nursed the yacht to the end of the canal (gawd knows what the fine would be for breaking down and blocking the canal?).

I called the canal authroities and requested permission to stop at the west-end dock but was told to go to the marina...

Will we make it?

Managed to get an 'engineer' yesterday who came to the yacht and 'fixed' the leak from the stern gland.

Everything seemed fine, no water coming in when stationary, engine on in neutral or when on and in gear, so all up at 0515, cup of coffee and slipped from Marina Delta at 0600.

At 0700, on checking the engine bay, we see that we've got more water coming in now, lots more than a couple of days ago.

Turn straight around and another hour back to Marina Delta.

Won't tell you my thoughts of the bodge job by the local 'engineer' but hopefully the problem is now sorted and we can leave tomorrow, get through the Corinth Canal and get clear of Greece AND finish this delivery.

We left Alimos marina shortly after 12 o'clock to try and make the Corinth Canal before nightfall.

Two hours out of Alimos and a check of the engine bay showed lots of water in it again - too much!

The impeller is running fine but this time the leak is from the stern gland - and the water is streaming in.

We stop the boat and tighten the flange, this appears to have stemmed the flow so we continue.

An hour later, the engine bay is rapidly filling up again and the leak is as before...not good!

It's too risky to push on so we head back to where we left and, as there's no room for us, then head 2nm north to Marina Delta...back where we began.

Only problem is there is literally nothing here so it may prove difficult to source an engineer.

Ah well, tomorrow's another day