The 2010 season began with the flight from Australia to Athens and the long bus trip west to Preveza, where Malua had spent the northern winter ashore. Iain came with me and there was plenty to do before launch.

Preparing Malua

The winter cover had done its job. Below decks everything was dry and clean. Iain washed and polished the topsides, then sanded the antifouling and we applied Micron Extra bought in Venice the previous year. Once launched and commissioned, Malua was ready for another Mediterranean summer.

North to Corfu

We sailed north from Preveza through Paxos and on to Corfu, eventually anchoring beneath the New Castle. In the clear water we could see the sand patches and laid out 40 metres of chain. It was a calm beginning to a season that would take us a long way west.