PETRITI, CORFU ISLAND, GREECE
26 August 2010
Just a few miles south of Corfu town is the little fishing harbor of Petriti, a welcoming "real" village away from the bustling tourist scene where we had our pick of free mooring at the town quay or an excellent anchorage with easy dinghy access. Especially with old Poseidon there to watch the boat, we were happy to follow friends Chris and Sandra's recommendation to make a bee-line to the "Taverna Leonidas" where we were greeted by proprietor Vasilis Lessis and his wife Effie. Their warm greeting was quickly followed by, "What can I do for you?" rather than the expected, "Are you coming for lunch or dinner?" and within minutes Effie had taken a load of wash from Katherine (declining any payment) and we were made to feel truly at home with this wonderful family.
Not surprising, prior to joining his wife and father-in-law in the "Leonidas" family restaurant business, Vasilis worked on cruise ships for twelve years, perfectly mastering his skills in customer service while fulfilling a desire to travel and meet people from around the world. But his heart was in Greece and being able to combine his love of family with his energetic commitment to giving the best service possible was a perfect match for him.
We were so impressed with Yasilis' and the services he provides for traveling sailors that we immediately wanted to introduce him to the SSCA and the Cruising Station program. Vasilis' response was that being a Cruising Station host is exactly what he's been doing for some time even though he hadn't been aware of SSCA. He was absolutely delighted and enthusiastic about joining the SSCA family - or maybe it was just the opposite and SSCA has now joined his family!
The information is already off to the SSCA office and soon Vasilis will be Greece's first cruising station. Welcome aboard and thank you Vasilis!
Cruiser's Notes: Excellent anchorage and dinghy access or Med Moor on the quay to your own anchor - no charge. Water and electricity available through Vasilis at Taverna Leonidis at the head of the quay for 10Euro + 10Euro deposit. Complimentary laundry wash for restaurant customers, showers/toilets, parts/mail receipt, short term storage, and diesel delivery arranged. Post Office and provisions in town.