Drifting south where the wind blows

We've spent a couple of days in Corfu, catching up with washing, shopping, boat maintenance and work. After visiting friends for lunch today we're setting off South tomorrow. Weather permitting, we will reach Lakka tomorrow and Preveza on Saturday and Nidri on Sunday. After a bit more heavy washing and shopping, we will then meander around as the fancy takes us in the Southern Ionian.
More when we start on new territory again.

Family Visit

We spent the past week with Kieran, Nicki, Morgan and Madison - mostly in and around Paxos. It could have ended in tears with so many cooped up together in a small boat. In the event though it was a wonderful week and Rosa feels rather empty without them.
Here's hoping for another visit next year!

We decided to stay the week in Paxos as it has wonderful beaches, safe anchorages, fascinating caves and scenery and all in a short distance so those less than accustomed to gointg to sea in a small boat would not get any nasty frights!

We collected everybody via a 10 minute taxi ride to NAOK. We were unable to secure a berth in August so we anchored by the entrance of the Marina, under the Fort, and nobody objected to the taxi arriving and everyone trooping across the little bridges to the dinghy moored right on the corner of the pool. There was strong objection and lots of shouting to someone else who parked a dinghy beside the swimming pool.

We lazed and walked around the fort, got an early bed and sea-sickness tablets to those needing them and set of at 0200 to Lakka on Paxos. The idea was that the seasick could kip and avoid the worst then wake up in Lakka. It almost worked except for the swell in the last 5 miles.

After Lakka, we went down to Mongonissi and stayed a couple of days. Its a lovely safe anchorage with a sandy beach for the children (very rare), nice tavernas and even pedaloes. Everyone had a great time swimming, paddling, greek dancing, eating and generally doing holiday things. Morgan particularly went from a fairly tentative sea-swimmer to jumping in and out with gay abandon and she even learned to snorkel.
So did Kieran and Nicki!
















Greek dancing was enjoyed by all the womenfolk. Kieran and I were too wimpish to join in.














We were all entertained as much by Morgan and Madison as they were by us. Magic!

Visiting Father Michael

We met Michael in Messalonghi and D enjoyed a bike ride with him round the sights of the town. He invited us to look him up when we came to Corfu. Sadly we managed to lose the contact details - turned the boat upside down looking for the card but not to be found.

Fortunately, he sent an e-mail when we were chilling out in Lakka. We shot up to NAOK (corfu town).







His charming son Gabriel met us and took us to see St. Spiridon paraded through the streets - very spectacular. Bands, Priests, bishops, monks and half the population following a huge bier supporting most of what remains of the saint and a priest carrying his right hand in a silver casket. All very alien to us. Apparently this is not usual in Greece, but Corfu picked up the processional tradition from the Venetians.


We then took Gabriel for a short voyage to his home in Nisaki right across the bay. The village has a tiny harbour where there was just room for one yacht. Well almost - we had a run-in with as small tripper boat who thought we were outstaying our welcome. Filipos and Michael were incensed (he's not even a local) and told us to stand our ground and stay put - so we did.


We stayed there for three days meeting Michael's family, eating at the Tavernas where the children work, visting some lovely churches, villages and the monastery af Pantokrator - and talking a lot of theology and philosophy. Haven't enjoyed myself so much for years! They will be coming for a voyage in early September we hope.

We had to leave on Friday as we needed to tank up with water at Saiyadah and then to NAOK again to get the boat ready for the onslaught of children and grandchildren next week. We're going to go and hang around Paxos for a week with them so I will be taking a weeks blogging holiday.
When we pulled into the anchorage, to our surprise there was Penguin V with Phil and Maria. Had a lovely long chat about old times and recent experiences over G&Ts on cat called Nine Lives.
Next step is to set off south to see Kefalonia and Zakinthos.

Drifting around the Northern Ionian Islands

After Leaving Corfu, we've spent several weeks just drifting around. We were warned that in July and particularly August, it's too hot and too crowded (particularly with Italian motor yachts).
In the event, those problems, while they exist, seemed to us to be much exaggerated. The heat is easily manageable by mostly anchoring, and falling off the back of the boat whenever we start to sweat. A boom tent is a great help - particularly a silvered one like ours which reflects most of the heat back into the sky.
Italians, and particularly those in motor yachts, are gregarious things so they tend to congregate in obvious places with lots of shops, tavernas and quay-side moorings. If you avoid those places (or get there early in the morning - around 11.00) then all you are left with is a lot of smaller yachts which are usually very pleasant.

We've been to some beautiful anchorages Erikoussa (North of Corfu)











Kalami (NE Corfu), Sivota (on the Mainland) and everywhere on Paxos / Antipaxos spring particularly to mind. Paxos is as close to Heaven on Earth that we have found so far.
The quick-fried prawns in Saiyadah are still there (although they now use much larger prawns and no longer have a half oil drum of boiling olive oil).












Mourtos harbour extension is now having water and electricity points installed - should be operational from August 2009.








Avoid the bay North of Igoumenitsa unless very tired - The holding is great and there's nobody else there. Even the ferry wash is reasonable as they go slowly in and out. BUT there is a loud heavy metal disco behind the radar structure which goes on till 0430!

Corfu was disappointing. There is very little useful infrastructure for yachts and a great deal of (sometimes offensive) tourist development. The only place in Greece where we've seen this so far. This also means that useful quiet anchorages are also few and far between as beaches are buoyed off for swimmers and the sea is churned by all manner of noisy motorised water sports. I guess we should just be grateful that it is mostly concentrated on one island - and avoid it. The best place we've found to anchor is between the entrance of NAOK and the fortress of Mandraki. It can be noisy but it's usually clean, and you can moor the dinghy and get a beer ar the yacht club.