On VHF Channel 14:
Rio Traffic: Quintessa, Quintessa, Quintessa, this is Rio Traffic, Rio Traffic, Rio Traffic.
Quintessa: Rio Traffic, this is Quintessa, Quintessa, Quintessa.
We had planned to call the traffic control when we were five miles from the Rion-Antirion Bridge, but they beat us to it.
RT: What is your port of destination?
Q: Galaxidi
RT: What is your air draft?
Q: 20 meters
RT: Call back when you are 5 miles from the bridge.
RT: Quintessa out.
Q: We will call back when we are 5 miles from the bridge. Out.
It was novel and exciting enough that we were going to navigate a major shipping lane that crosses under a huge bridge that joins the Peloponnese to the rest of mainland Greece, but there was more: crazy thunderstorms were throwing lightning and torrential rain squalls at us. Our coping strategy was to turn on the radar, figure out which way the storm cells were heading, and slow down a bit to let the worst pass.
At 5 miles out:
Q: Rio Traffic, Rio Traffic, this is Quintessa, Quintessa, Quintessa.
RT: Quintessa, Quintessa, Quintessa, you will pass on the north side of the bridge, with 1 pillar to your left, 3 pillars to your right. Do you copy?
Q: We will pass on the north side, with 1 pillar to our left, 3 pillars to our right.
RT: 1 mile before the bridge, 1 mile before the bridge, call back with your position.
Q: We will call back when we are 1 mile from the bridge. Out.
This was a surprise. We had been lining up to pass on the south side (starboard, like staying on the right side of the road), but we knew that it was possible the instructions would vary. Fortunately, there was no commercial traffic in the center lane we had to cross on the way to the north side, except for some very large ferries that were easy to miss because they were crossing from side to side. The 1-mile check-in was routine as was our transit under the bridge, but still it was awe-inspiring and fun.
Mission accomplished: well done, Captain!
kateandjohnsail.boats 
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