We spent the next 2 days anchored in the large gulf south of Nidri. D was able to do a couple of days work and L caught up with the chores. Both of us fell in the water whenever we got hot.
Our final rendezvous with Rick & the Swiss Roll crowd was in Vathi (Meganissi) where we had another excellent meal at the Rose-Garden. Thoroughly recommended.
We decided to go to Preveza round the outside of Levkas – largely because we could and hadn’t ever seen it. Charter boats are generally prohibited from there. We decided to do a one-day hop to Sivota or Vassiliki and then go round next day.
On the way we passed this extraordinary vessel. No idea what it was
In the event, we couldn’t get our anchor to hold in Sivota in the strong winds. We thought about Vassiliki but with its reputation for vicious gusts decided to head for Fiscardo instead. Bad move!
We got there at 1830 to find, not surprisingly, that the quay was full. There still seemed to be some space for long lines by the wall so we started an anchor run between an English and an Italian boat. The English started shouting we were over their anchor (I’m pretty sure we weren’t) but we aborted and tried again. This time the Italians started jumping up and down and jabbering. Lindsay was so put off that although the anchor was in the right place, she stopped letting the chain out and sure enough we did then drag our anchor over theirs which turned out to be a large and complex arrangement of main and two kedges with three ropes. Presumably that’s what they were trying to tell me – but my Italian was nowhere near good enough to understand and they didn’t speak English or French.
It was hugely embarrassing and they came out to help in a dinghy (with a woman in it shouting and shaking her fist all the time) while I did my best to hold Rosa still so as not to dislodge any of their anchors and stop the strong wind from pushing us onto several other boats nearby. Eventually we got free and slunk off to find a bay.
We were completely unable to get the anchor to hold in two bays due to weed and ended up tying off to a large steel construction that was derelict but strong enough to hold us. Altogether, one of the worst and most stressful days we’ve had – G & Ts were well deserved when we finally had Rosa tucked up.
Early Saturday morning we set off and motored then sailed round Levkas – passing the huge cliff where the love-lorn Poetess Sapho threw herself off in 600BC. The coast is spectacularly wild and mountainous particularly in the southern half. In the northern part there are some surprisingly beautiful sandy beaches interspersed with mountainous headlands. Well worth a look.
Finally, on the way into Preveza, we were close to a Jibe on the Port tack and a yacht coming from Paxos was crossing us under ½ rolled gennoa on Starboard tack. We were pretty sure he was motoring but couldn’t be sure so when he completely ignored us and looked as if we were going to collide, I tried to give way by turning 20 degrees to Port. He did the same and we were still on a collision course and getting very close. I probably should have Jibed but the time taken to get it together would probably have taken too long. I also should have sounded the horn or shouted. Suddenly he noticed us and swung hard to starboard and passed behind us. He probably hadn’t seen us under his sail and he studiously looked straight ahead as he passed single-handing. All very scary and definite lessons learned.
We decided against the town quay in Preveza – there was a nasty sideways swell reminiscent of Siracusa - so we went round to the anchorage behind the harbour and had a secure and pleasant night. We set of for Vonitsa in the morning and after a lovely swim by a deserted island and passing a pod of Dolphins, arrived to a friendly welcome from a large number of live-aboards. Vonitsa is still as nice and friendly as we remember and we will probably stay here for a few days.
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