Clearing into Corfu from Croatia

This is supposed to be simple intra-Schengen process, since I had already cleared into Europe in Croatia. 

• 18:00 Anchored in 5m on sand and weed in Ormolu Gorítsas N. of Corfu Castle. Along with 50 other yachts. 
• 18:30 Dinghy ashore to NAOK Marina and flagged down a taxi to the Port Authority €15 (too far to walk!)
• 18:45 I met the nice woman officer who I'd spoken to on the phone yesterday.  She checks my papers;

• Ship Registry 
• Insurance (with Greek translation)
• Crew list.  I had to write it out again as mine showed two deleted crew who left in Croatia 
• Online application for TEPAI and proof of payment of €476.52 for 4 months.   Payment was made on Friday still not resulting in approved paperwork by Sunday evening, but I think she let me go once she saw the bank statement. 

• 19:00 I am given a form to get stamped at Customs and Passport control (why passports? We are already in Schengen!) 
• Then I had to walk about a 500m round the docks to another pink building to see Customs. Very hot at 35C!
• 19:10 Two scrappily dressed young men with faint new moustaches and menacing eyes barred my entrance to Customs: I assume they are secret police. 
• I got in to see lots of uniformed Customs officers hanging around with nothing to do as there was no ferry arriving. But they refused to help me and told me to go round to the departures side, where people were gathering slowly to get on a ferry to Albania. 
• 19:25 It wasn't clear what I should do so I went back round and asked them again.   "You must wait sir, just wait. We will come to find you when we are ready."
• 19:30 So back to departures, where mercifully it is air conditioned, there are seats and a little cafe shop, where I buy a bottle of water (and an ice cream) to cool down. 
• 20:00  I'm very aware that the offices close at 9pm.  I can sense that I'm not going to make it today because I still have to get back to the port authority to get the Transit Log stamped.
• The passengers for Albania all go through Passport control. 
• 20:15 I linger by the door until they finally let me into see the passport lady.  
• 20:25 she says it's irrelevant to see our passports because we are still in Schengen area. 
• I am told to wait for Customs. There are two men in an office who don't acknowledged me. They look like the two old guys from Sesame Street. 
• 20:30 as the minutes tick by I decide to pressurise Customs by knocking at their door.  "Please wait".  I linger in the doorway. 
• 20:35 I am waved in. 
• I asked for an unlimited Transit Log as our UK flagged boat had been bought VAT paid in France. The official threw up his hands dramatically and told me I'd have to go to Corfu central Customs on Monday. 
• Faced with this I decided that it was easier to go with the normal TL. 
• 20:50 Eventually got the paperwork done after several attempts to email them proof of payment of €467.52 for my TEPAI pass for 4 months. 
• 20:55 Issued with 18 month Transit Log. Requires stamping at every port unlike the other. 
• 20:57 I rush out worrying whet  I can stride round the harbour in time. 
• Luckily there is a taxi waiting which understands the urgency and enjoys driving very fast round the port, back to the Port Authority to stamp my Transit log.
• 21:00 Officially the offices now close, but the door is still open and I'm still hopeful as I rush in. 
• The two male officers are still there, and I greet them cheerfully. But they won't do anything and they phone the English speaking lady officer (who may eventually turn up).
• Meanwhile my taxi meter is running outside! At this rate the England Spain final will be over before I've finished.  It starts at 22:00😳
• 21:05. The official returns and finishes off another yachtsmen's papers. 
• 21:10 Paperwork reviewed. Pay $15. Transit log stamped. I'm told I must now have it stamped by every port authority en route. 
• The other sailor advised that I should have put « Ionian Islands » rather than « Preveza ». Not sure what difference that makes. Beginning to wish that I'd tried to get the unlimited Transit Log on Monday😥
• 21:15 Taxi takes me to town €20
• Meet up with crew and have a large Mythos beer 
• 22:00 Watch the match
• Spain 2 England 1
• Karma 😥🥲