Ahoy fellow sailors. Today's journey saw us bid farewell to the historic port of Korsula, the very birthplace of the legendary Marco Polo. With our sails tucked away in the still sail locker, we relied on our trusty motor to guide us through the gentle waters, for the wind seemed to be playing hide and seek with us.
Our destination? Tupeci, a charming town nestled just south of Makarska, where we were eager to reunite with old friends and soak in the beauty of the Adriatic coastline once more.
As fate would have it, we were greeted by the warm embrace of one of Peter's longtime friends, Maria. A true Croatian gem who, despite the passage of time, remained unchanged in her kindness and grace. Maria's journey had taken her from the shores of Australia back to her homeland, and we were fortunate to share in her stories of adventure and nostalgia.
Joined by Maria's brother, we talked about life on the Dalmatian coast, and the hordes of tourists that frequent the toen over summer. As we said farewell to Bogamir our merry band set out to explore the quaint streets of Tupeci, each corner filled with echoes of history and the vibrant spirit of its inhabitants. And what better way to cap off our reunion than with a leisurely lunch overlooking the bustling Marina of Makarska, where the scent of salt and sea mingled with the laughter of old friends.
As the day gently drifted into evening, Trilogy cast her anchor off the coast of Tupeci, a sight to behold against the backdrop of the setting sun, we headed to our anchorage for the night.

Today's log comes to you from the tranquil waters of the Adriatic, where Trilogy has embarked on yet another exhilarating journey. Last night brought unexpected excitement as we weathered a sudden storm in the Montenegro marina.
As the winds roared at 35 knots, Garth, our ever-vigilant skipper, sprang into action. For two hours, he valiantly fendered off our neighbouring vessels, ensuring we stayed secure amidst the tempest. Such dedication embodies the essence of a skilled skipper, willing to sacrifice sleep for the safety of the crew. Meanwhile, I blissfully slumbered through the commotion, oblivious to the chaos outside.
Morning light revealed chatter among the marina folk about the "Hugh" storm that had swept through. Yet, thanks to Garth's diligence, Trilogy emerged unscathed, ready to set sail once more. With smooth clearance from Montenegro customs and immigration--albeit amidst grumbles from the staff--we embarked on our next leg at 08:30.
The rugged beauty of Montenegro's coastline unfolded before us, with glimpses of a submarine base and the curious sight of a "5-star tourist jail." Despite facing headwinds, Trilogy surged ahead, propelled by the spirit of adventure.
Arriving in Dubrovnik, Croatia, we encountered a surprising twist: Garth and I were deemed temporary residents, raising questions about our Schengen days. It seems our journey is never short on bureaucratic surprises. Nevertheless, we press on, embracing the challenges as part of the seafaring experience.
Amidst administrative tasks, we received word of the imminent arrival of our ST-70 display--a crucial addition to Trilogy's navigation arsenal. Customs clearance was swiftly dealt with. A, reminder to Trilogy skippers to ensure all crew members are over 12 years old are duly listed with the Harbour Masterto avoid complications.
Tonight finds us anchored in a picturesque bay reminiscent of a bygone fishing village, nestled beneath the watchful gaze of The Dubrovnik castle. Tonight Garth takes on the role of chef, treating us to a hearty Spag-bol feast--a fitting reward for a day of navigation and unexpected twists.
As the sun sets over the Adriatic horizon, we raise a toast to the wonders of the sea and the camaraderie of the Trilogy crew. Tomorrow promises new adventures as we chart our course through the azure waters of Croatia. Until then, fair winds and following seas.

Trilogy set sail at 7am for Montenegro. The winds promised to be light and variable, a perfect weather window for the voyage. We hoisted the mainsail as soon as we were out of the bay and that allowed us to motor cruise at an average of 7 knots. The total distance of the passage was 155 NM and we broke into two watches from 9am on a 3 hourly rotation.
Following the coast of Albania for most of the daylight hours, intrigued us all. The skipper had read as much information as he could about the pros and cons of visiting Albania and the overwhelming weight of information was that Albania only had a few big ports that welcomed yachties but each of those ports had to be officially entered and departed. On this basis, our passage did not include entering Albania. What we saw across the water were high steep mountains with very little foliage, tumbling into the sea and smallish communities nestled on whatever flat ground at sea level was available. At one point we could see a long snaking road scouring the foothills and strange looking housing developments on either side of dirt covered areas. We eventually decided that there had been a landslide of considerable proportions that reached the sea. It seemed that there was a deep gorge either side of the snaking road , that probably collected the torrent of water from the mountain slopes behind, when it rained or snowed. One gully had been dammed and the housing developments may have been hastily constructed to house the homeless residents.
So what can we learn about Albania from other sources? In the antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes, but also Thracian and Greek tribes. In the 3rd C BC the land was annexed by Rome and became part of some Roman provinces. The territory remained under Roman and Byzantine control until the Slavic migrations of the 7th C. Between the mid 14th and late 15 C, most of modern day Albania was dominated by Albanian principalities, which fell to the rapid invasion of the Ottoman Empire. It wasn’t until late November 1912 that the first independent Albanian state was founded, following a short occupation by Serbia. The formation of the Albanian national consciousness dates to the late 19th C.
In the 20th C there were two short-lived monarchies with a Republic in between. Albania was occupied by Italy just prior to World War 11 and during World War 11 by Nazi Germany. At the end of the war it became a one-party communist state. The communist regime collapsed in 1990 and this was followed by a period of instability with economic collapse and social unrest. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 21st C that improvement in the economic and social conditions enabled Albania to become a full member of NATO and the country is currently undergoing preparations to join the EU.
Albania is mountainous, with about three quarters of its territory being mountains and hills of elevations more than 200 metres. In the Northern Albanian Alps, the mountains are close to 2700 metres high and this is the least populated and most rugged and forested part of the country. The most important agricultural and industrial region and most densely populated therefore, are the low fertile plains of western Albania. The longest river is the Drin, with a length of 280 kms and Albania also has many lakes.
Like most Balkan people, Albanians shake their heads sideways to say ‘yes’ and usually nod their head and say ‘tsk’ to say ‘no’. Another interesting stat is that 70% of Albanians are Muslim, 20% Christian Orthodox and 10% Catholic but it is generally held that up to 75% of Albanians are atheists as religion was stamped out by the 1967 cultural revolution and Albania remains a very secular society.
As night fell, the darkness presented its own challenges. We were blessed with a clear sky and a gazillion stars, but with that came a heavy dew. We needed to don our warmer gear to repel the dampness that settled on Trilogy. The greatest challenge were fishing boats off the west coast of Albania. These vessels do not reveal themselves on AIS and displayed minimal lights. Approaching a single small white light believed to be a fishing vessel, it is not possible to judge the distance between Trilogy and the light until far too close. Training the binoculars on the light source may not reveal any new information, but eventually you may see a port or starboard navigation light, or if you are extra lucky, both lights together. It is hard to judge if the vessel is underway and if so, at what speed. As large fishing boats often trail nets behind them, this is a significant hazard for yachts. Trilogy had three close encounters during this night sail, and each time the watch members were somewhat shaken by the episode - firstly the uncertainty, then the reality and finally the evasive action required - all a bit taxing!
We dropped anchor in an open bay with sandy bottom called Kruce Rakita Beach around 5am. Before all of us headed for bed, the Greek courtesy flag was lowered and the yellow quarantine flag raised, so all would know of our intentions. The southern port of entry for Montenegro is Bar, 7NMs to the north of this bay. The skipper had decided not to anchor within the port of Bar as it is an industrial harbour with major shipping and circling around off the port was not a good option either.
However, next morning Trilogy entered the harbour and the skipper used the dock-and-go system to smoothly slide Trilogy sideways into a tight spot on the customs wharf. The officials were already on dockside waiting for us. A female with a stern manner requested the skipper to proceed with her and the rest of us were not allowed to leave Trilogy. Her ‘colleagues’, two very nice customs police were left to guard Trilogy. It wasn’t long before we were chatting to them and we learnt that they were seconded from the EU (one from the Netherlands and one from Austria) to oversee the change of processes that Montenegro were undergoing, in order to be accepted for EU membership. We waited and waited and eventually the skipper was sent back to Trilogy while yet more paperwork and formalities were completed. Then the skipper was summoned again and he was sternly cautioned by the Harbour Master for not sailing directly into the port and furthermore, did not telephone him at 5am, on arrival. The final cost for tourist passes for us all for Montenegro and Greek transit and customs fees was fees and fines to enter Montenegro was €300.
Meanwhile the crew amused themselves on board Trilogy and before long the nice policemen were called away to supervise other foreign yacht arrivals. One doubtful looking character was escorted by our nice policemen to a car .....where were they taking him?? An Australian registered catamaran called CathayOz was also checking in to Montenegro and the skipper told us that in the last 18 months the two of them had sailed from Sydney, through Asia, India, the Red Sea and into the Med. He hailed from Narrabeen and went to the same High School as Ross.....it’s a small world after all!
Four hours later, approval was granted for Trilogy and her crew to visit Montenegro and our skipper was able to return to his beloved yacht. By 4pm we were anchored in Malevich Bay, a small bay that had a bar and a few beach chairs for hire, but otherwise was surrounded by bushland. We swam to refresh ourselves and it was sometime later that we realised there was nude bathing at one end of the bay. Ignoring that, the bay offered a calm and secure anchorage which was just what we needed, a place to crash for the night and catch up on sleep.
Next morning, three of us set off for a walk into the closest village. This started with a short sharp climb up a very rough concreted road and from then, it was a kilometre or two walk into the town proper. We had to walk past a dog pound, that had a nasty bunch of bored dogs behind a high fence (thank goodness) and before long we were walking past low rise apartment blocks, all with a dilapidated appearance and rubbish liberally dumped on vacant lots. We saw a lovely little bakery selling a range of nice looking savoury breads, but as it was a cash only business, we could not buy anything. Around the next bend we came to a cafe which had a wood fired pizza oven preparing pocket bread for their specialty hamburgers, called pljeskavica. We did not know at the time, but these are regarded as the jewel of Montenegrin cuisine! The chef was English speaking and we enjoyed a chat with him. In a discussion about the pljeskavica, we learned that the meat could be beef, pork or chicken; there are not wild goats but there are some wild sheep, however lamb meat is not affordable in Montenegro. We were able to order cappuccinos but decaffeinated coffee is not known. It seems that tea is not a national drink either. The feeling was of winding back the clock 40-50 years; both men and women were seen smoking heavily, very old model cars mixed it with newer but not the latest models of vehicles and a passive surliness from everyone except our English speaking chef, who seemed delighted to talk to us. Back on board Trilogy set sail, but not before enjoying a nice swim and checking out some inviting caves.
The passage plan along the coast of Montenegro was short hops for the next few days. Two NMs further north, we dropped anchor in another lovely bay called Uvala Pecin. We ate another delicious Trilogy lunch and then relaxed for the afternoon, before two big snorkelling expeditions to the northern and southern shores. The southern rocky shore offered intriguing caves and the northern side had shafts of rock that appeared like a forgotten city. The sunset that night was stunning, not because of the sun per say, but the sun-kissed clouds and their reflections across the bay.
Our next port of call was Uvala Jaz. This was a wide open bay and we were entertained with all manner of water sport activities. It was a long swim to shore due to marker buoys being set well out and it seemed like Trilogy became the challenge for jetski drivers to aim at and zoom around, along with paddle boarders. When the crowd thinned on the beach we ventured into the water for a cooling swim but stayed around Trilogy, just in case.....
Next morning we all went ashore to have a walk and get a feel for the place. One end of the beach was devoted to low key resorts and the other end was for restaurants. As it was fast approaching the end of the season in mid September, there was quite a bit of packing up of the various paraphernalia on the beach...beach lounges, umbrellas, beach toys, but there were still significant numbers of beach lovers present, so it was not entirely put away. We found a cafe open for an early morning coffee and were a bit overwhelmed by the loud music and cigarette smoke. We departed and as we were approaching the end of the beach where the tender was tied up, we noticed another cafe that seemed more to our liking, so another round of coffees happened.
Back on Trilogy we continued for another 8NMs to reach Uvala Oblatna. On our way we could see several building construction sites, developing massive hotels. The appearance was ugly from afar, so goodness knows if the closeup was any better. There is no doubt that there are enormous funds being poured into tourism in Montenegro but the question remains, who is doing the funding??
Uvala Oblatna is another wide bay and we anchored to the left side. In front of us was one taverna, but it seemed that there was no road in and the only access was by foot or water. We swam in warmer water than than we had previously experienced and hatched a plan to go around to the main township next morning. We were all of the view that this was a completely new town that may well not have occupants yet. The street lights came on at dusk plus a few more lights in buildings, so we were curious to see what the story was. Some of us got dropped off at the taverna and walked on a board walk most of the way around the headland to the start of the town buildings. The others took the dinghy into the small harbour which was hidden behind a massive sea wall. We were all amazed to realise that this was indeed a very new development, pitched at the wealthy. The marina did not offer any yacht services but it provided a very safe haven for small to medium craft. The marina surrounds were very upmarket, with quality restaurants, hotels and retail stores catering for all the beautiful people. We were delighted to find that a bakery was open and we all enjoyed something to eat, along with coffee in the early morning sunshine.
Our final port of call for this wonderful sail from Catania in Sicily was Tivat in Montenegro. Tivat is a coastal town located in the central part of the Bay of Kotor, nestled under Mt Vrmac, which is 785 metres high. Mt Vrmac is a popular destination for hiking, orienteering and mountain biking. Tivat has a population of about 14,000 people.
The Bay of Kotor, also known as Boka, was surprisingly beautiful as we approached Tivat. It has been described as a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea and has been inhabited since the antiquity. It is about 28 kms long and is surrounded by two large mountain spines: the Orjen mountains to the west and the Lovćen mountains to the east. The bay is composed of several smaller broad bays, united by narrower channels. The bay inlet was formerly a river system which by tectonic and karstification processes, disintegrated.
We entered the marina and found our way to D15, where with virtually no wind, the skipper positioned Trilogy perfectly between two very large motor cruisers. It felt very hot in the marina and it didn’t take long for us all to work up a thirst. Plugged in to water and power, we soon had the aircon cooling below decks.
From here on the schedule is focused on preparing Trilogy for the winter months. Trilogy is currently located in Porto Montenegro, a large and very modern marina. The facilities are modern and clean and there are more restaurants than you can count, all vying for the tourist dollar. All the big brand fashion stores are showcased, so anything your little heart desires can be found.
This is the last report for this season. Thank you to all who have joined Trilogy in 2023 and have contributed to the success of the journey. For the last 7 weeks we have enjoyed beautiful scenery and weather, had a close-up look at some of the Ionian Islands and have had a tempting taste of Montenegro. Next year Trilogy will move further north into the Adriatic Sea and cruise the coast of Croatia.

Ros Brice

Some of us went for a walk in the cool of the early morning, to explore Paralia Notos, a small fishing village. The fishing boats came in with their catch, which amounted to very small sardine size fish. The larger boats had huge reels of fishing nets with the smallest of holes to trap the smallest of fish....there are no large fish, after all! Some locals arrived to get their fresh fish purchases from the boats but it was decided we weren't in need of such small fry.
Trilogy was underway by noon and motored only 4NM north to Moraitiki Beach where we dropped anchor in 5 metres. The sea was glassy and we all enjoyed a swim around Trilogy before relaxing. We decided to go ashore for dinner, as there was a dinghy wharf conveniently positioned right outside a 5 star hotel called Domes Miramare. We tried unsuccessfully to make a phone booking and, not to be deterred, we dressed in our 'finery' and approached the seaside facing restaurant which looked very inviting. The skipper spoke to the maître de and the only table available was inside, which he graciously accepted. The meal was beautifully cooked and we enjoyed our selections from the menu. We had some indecision over the wine selection and before we knew it the sommelier was at our table and she recommended a delicious but somewhat expensive wine for our meal. At no point was the price of the wine mentioned and that is the trap.....but we did enjoy every drop! Some of us stretched our stomachs to have dessert, which were delicious...baklava parfait and the bitter chocolate cake were both memorable. A nice touch was that the chef came to our table for a chat at the end of the meal. Naturally we let him know how much we enjoyed the meal. We mentioned that we were from the yacht 'out there' and that this meal was well above our usual evening fare. He humbly replied that he'd rather be 'out there', which again reminded us how fortunate we are. We waddled back to the tender and without incident, made it safely back on board.
Next morning, the sea was glassy smooth and some of us made our way to the same dinghy dock as the previous evening. The air was refreshingly cool and we walked along the foreshore in front of a continuous strip of low key resorts and restaurants. We eventually were stopped by a small inlet which was used by the local fishing boats. We headed inland and crossed the water by road bridge before heading back to the coastal strip, where we found predominantly local homes. We circled back past the local bus station and found a lovely little coffee shop across the road. Fortified by delicious cappuccinos (the Greeks do coffee well) we headed back along the main road to the Domes Miramare. The skipper was ready to lift the anchor straight away, as our next stop was to be in the D Marin Gouvia Marina, north of Corfu Town. The trip was very scenic, with green slopes and many beautiful homes perched on vantage points. The striking 15 C old fortress which overlooks the Corfu Town is positioned on the prominent headland to the east of the town. There is in fact a second fortress built by the Venetians which has a network of underground tunnels and this is located on the western side of the town.
We motored past the fortresses and admired the vista that surrounded us - superyachts, yachts, motor cruisers of varying sizes, Islands peninsulas, bays, fancy houses and folding hills. D Marin Gouvia Marina was at the end of a sweeping bay that required careful navigation through channel markers - woe betide those who take a shortcut across the shoals! We hung about while the marina staff assisted a superyacht ahead of Trilogy and then in we went - such a skilled crew are we....that it was a seamless operation, though there was no wind to hamper our performance! It was then that we met our new neighbours Mark and Nicole, from the UK on a Jeaneau 54, Absolute.
We enjoyed lunch below decks because of the heat, followed by a siesta (by now a habit) before emerging for a swim at the marina pool and a refreshing cocktail at poolside. The facilities at the marina were very pleasing with a laundry service, restaurants, supermarket, very clean shower facilities (with no hot water!!!) and good coffee! The downsides was that we had a 300 metre pontoon walk to get to the facilities and the marina is 15 minutes drive from downtown Corfu.
Mark and Linda were invited on board for drinks which melted into all going to Olympia Mare Restaurant in the marina for a very happy meal together. They were an interesting couple who are living the dream by living on their yacht for 3 months in the Greek Islands, 6 months in Barbados, where they have their home and the rest of the year in the UK. They were keen to visit Australia, even if we do have snakes that terrify Nicole. It was a very late night for us Aussies - we even saw midnight!
Next morning was another glorious day and this was to be our one day to get everything done and to do some sight seeing. The skipper was required to do a lot of paperwork relating to our imminent departure from Greek waters. With the help of an agent to make to process as smooth as possible, the job got done as the Greek authorities can string things out a bit.
Three of us set off for a drive north to explore the peninsula and the top of the island. We hired a small car and Ross negotiated the driving on the right side on the winding road with hairpin bends with ease. We were grateful that we did not encounter one of the local buses on these switchbacks! Most of the side streets seemed impossible to pick up before we passed them, so we drove on until we had time to see one that wound down into a beautiful little seaside village, Agios Stafanos Kassiopi, situated at the end of a deep bay called Agios Stefanos Harbour. At one end of the village there was a restaurant called Eucalyptus which reflected the number of Australian eucalypts in the surrounds. At sea level the road narrowed even further for about 100 metres on which sat five tavernas, with seating on the harbour side and the kitchen and indoor eating on the other. This is not uncommon in the Mediterranean cafe scene and waiters dodge the cars to deliver the food and drinks. In this little village thankfully, there were very few cars passing through. Google maps gave us the restaurant star ratings and we settled for the highest score of 4.7 at Taverna Galini. Ross had his heart set on a lamb chop meal for lunch and he was delighted when 6 plump cutlets and chips were delivered. Mary Anne chose a grilled squid and salad and I chose a Galini house specialty salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and avocado, on top of which was a generous serve of smoked salmon, crowned with a huge dollop of black caviar - we were all happy campers! We didn't travel further north as it could have meant going over a high mountain pass and we wanted to get back to Trilogy. By the tome of our return, Garth and Paul were free of the paperwork and we all headed into Corfu Town for a little look in the cooler part of the day.
Corfu Town is built on a promontory and is wedged between the two fortresses. The old town is a special place due to its beautiful Venetian buildings and setting. The usual tangle of narrow walking streets add to its charm. We found a spot to park near the east fortress and wandered along the paved cliff walk looking down upon the beach and swimming facilities below....sans sand. We passed through an archway and found a nice park area, with very old olive trees and pleasant garden beds. There was an overall impression of shabbiness about the outside of the residential buildings, but the public buildings were nicely maintained.
A little bit about the history of Corfu always adds to the understanding of the key ports of the Mediterranean. Around 1200BC Homer's Skheria described Corfu was the island home of the Phoenicians. Later the Corinthians colonised Corfu between 734-434BC, followed by the Romans in 229BC. By 722AD Corfu was part of the Byzantine Empire. The Turks mounted major assaults on Corfu in 1431 and 1716 and in 1797 the French took over and the regular street plan of Corfu Town was developed. By 1814 it was the British who occupied Corfu and they began many public works as well as introducing ginger beer, fruit cake and cricket!! In 1864, Corfu was ceded to the Greeks, but today Corfu still reflects these historical influences in its own architecture and culture.
Back at the marina we bought the last of our food items and then enjoyed our gin and tonics. We ate at a different marina taverna called Argo, where the service was friendly and the meals delicious. Paul was particularly delighted with his monster smoked pork hock....not a morsel remained! The other meals were slow cooked pot lamb and potatoes, veal in a garlic cream sauce and feta stuffed chicken breast....all yum!
Next morning we departed D Marin Gouvia Marina by 10.00, having bid farewell to Mark and Nicole. This was our last 24 hours in Greece and we all enjoyed the sail north along the Corfu coast, sailing in the narrow strait that separates Greece from Albania. We anchored in Arias Beach close to the north east tip of Corfu and found that we already had company. It was a tourist boat destination for day trippers and there were three boats all crowded into one side of the end of the bay. This was not the most scenic of beaches and we felt a little sorry that this was the experience that these people had been given. One boat had a big BBQ hotplate that was sending up clouds of smoke while the souvlaki was been charred for the guests. Lucky for us the smoke was being blown on shore, but for the guests on the beach..... none of these boats stayed too long and then we thought that we would have the bay to ourselves for the night, but that wasn't to be! By late afternoon a charter yacht decided to join us, but as Trilogy was nicely positioned in the middle of this small bay, there was insufficient swing room for another yacht. This skipper was not going to be deterred by that though and we were all entertained as he tried to anchor one side of Trilogy, then the other and several other failed manoeuvres lead the skipper to decide to Mediterranean moor by coming in between Trilogy and the beach and tying off to trees in the dense forest behind the pebbly beach...at least we didn't have to worry about them during the night, if the wind came up.
We had our last glorious swims on the island of Corfu and settled for the evening, well fed and watered, as usual. It was lovely to look out of the bay across the strait to Albania. The last rays of sun caught the silhouettes of white buildings, that appeared to be several storeys high. Behind the low hills of the township, steep slopes towered. A small island in the foreground had evidence of a fort in ruins, another reminder of bygone days, when naval attack was a serious threat.

Ros Brice

The weather conditions did not abate. Trilogy was nicely positioned in the bay but just the same, the wind gusts were 35-40kph through the night and into the following morning. It was time to stay put and have a day below decks. We'd take turns in venturing up into the cockpit, but it was uncomfortable. It was even more uncomfortable when the skipper decided to collapse the bimini and strap it tightly, so that there was no chance that strong wind could shred the new bimini. The day passed quite quickly and we all enjoyed having time to rest, watch movies, read or catch up on lost sleep from the rough night.
Next day, the weather appeared to have improved but the forecast had a different opinion. There were still strong winds predicted to come at the end of the day and so we all made the most of the calm conditions to go cave exploring. We took the tender to the next bay and snorkelled off to discover a series of caves but none were particularly special. Some of us decided to swim all the way back to Trilogy. A problem arose when those who chose to come with the tender discovered that the anchor had lodged firmly under a rock. Try as we might, the anchor would not budge. Mary Anne made a valiant effort to dive down and wiggle it free but without success. Oh dear, three of us were stuck in the tender and could not get back to the boat without some help. Mary Anne was already in the water so without much more thought, she took off to try to catch the others. Before too long, Ross and Mary Anne were in sight and Ross magically released the anchor by pulling the shank rather than the wedged blade. Crisis over!
However meanwhile, the skipper discovered that Trilogy's anchor was not embedded and sat on top of the sea floor..... another 'oh dear'! This lead to the decision to change our anchorage and also a change of scene, but with due consideration to the forecast that was still predicting strong winds. We only went 4NM to Monastery Bay, which was in the approach to Sivota harbour and the village of Sivota. We anchored on the outside of other yachts and looked to be secure.....but, the anchor was not dug in, despite our best efforts. The sea floor had big clumps of weed and an anchor will not penetrate through the weed. Suddenly the skipper realised the situation and took immediate action to reposition Trilogy.....never a dull moment!
Meanwhile several of us were on shore by then and were unaware of this crisis. The skipper said that his intuition told him not to leave Trilogy at this point, as he has learnt not to ignore those thoughts- the art of keeping your boat safe! Those on shore discovered yet another pretty township, with the usual plethora of quayside tavernas. Sivota is a well developed resort, owing largely to the numerous pristine beaches that are accessible by small motor boats. Several companies along the waterfront offered boat rentals from small to large 'with no licence required'! The permanent population of Sivota in 2011 was 875 residents. There was time for a cocktail while a rain shower passed overhead and then some more exploring of the shopping precinct which seemed to have too many 'junk' shops and amusement parlours for children. We bought some fruit and veg supplies and took them back to Trilogy to deliver our findings regarding dinner options. The weather again looked ominous and it didn't take long to know that dinner would be on board. Salad Niçoise was enjoyed by everyone for dinner and before long we retired to read or listen to music.
As predicted the winds got up through the night and created a lot of noise as it ripped through the rigging. The big fear is that the anchor will not hold and the skipper sets the anchor watch app to alarm when 10 metres of movement has occurred. Other boats anchored nearby are equally capable of causing havoc. Needless to say, it wasn't a restful night of sleep for those tuned to vigilance.
We awoke to sunshine, which was a total surprise! The general desire was for all to go ashore for a coffee and maybe breakfast. It was beautiful to glide through glassy smooth water past a popular beach and a low sea wall into the quay. A local boatman gave a welcoming response when we asked if we could tie up nearby - good cheer goes a long way!
We wandered the town independently, some looking for new flippers, some for take home treasures and some for a brunch of street food - gyro (pronounced Yee-ro in English) - which consists of beef, veal, lamb, pork, but in this case, lamb. In a wrap the gyro is served with tzaliki, raw onion, tomato, thinly shaved pieces of lamb and a handful of cooked potato chips - everyone enjoyed it! Another point of interest was found outside the Greek Coastguard Office in the village. There was a small shrine which housed iconography relating to St Nikolaos, the patron saint of Greece, where his primary role is as protector of sailors and seamen. Thank you Saint Nikolaos for keeping Trilogy safe!
We all headed back to Trilogy and as 30 knot winds were predicted through the night, the skipper wanted to move to a more protected spot. Only a nautical mile away, tucked in behind a small islet, we moored Trilogy in a nice little cove called Nikolaos (fancy that!). There is always something to occupy your attention when the yacht is settling, but in particular watching what others around you are up to. It is very tempting to offer advice, but that is not always well received, so silent watching is better and let the skipper do the talking if necessary. The sky was filling with grey clouds and some of us hurriedly got in the water for a quick swim, in case a storm was brewing. With nothing better to do than freshen up and relax with a cocktail - we're on a mission to finish up half bottles of liquor! - we slipped into dining on delicious Atlantic salmon pieces in a lemon sauce, broccoli and sweet potato mash prepared by Mary Anne. There was one more treat for the day - a spectacular sunset behind the island of Corfu - day was gloriously turned to night!
There was no wind overnight and we woke to a perfect morning of clear skies and glassy water. Some of us took the tender ashore for breakfast while a Trilogy meeting was convened on board with the other owners. The breakfast was delicious and a bit more shopping completed the shore time. Back at Trilogy, we realised that the rubbish bag had not accompanied us the first trip, so a second run into Sivota to take advantage of the large rubbish disposal bins.
We slipped our lines and set a course for Corfu, which is where we had intended to go before the storm altered our plans. The sea was like glass = shiny smooth and glistening and such a contrast to what we had seen it like, only a few days ago. We motored all the way and arrived at our chosen spot around 2.30. We wandered around looking for a 'best' place to anchor and finally decided that our first spot, Notos Beach, was likely to meet our criterion of attractive to look at, a taverna we could eat at and a beach we could swim to. Notos Beach was described as a small quiet beach on the east coast of Corfu, surrounded by an abundance of flowers and fruit trees...sounded idyllic! A late lunch of a wrap filled with delicious salad and tuna set us up for an afternoon rest before a swim. All the other boats had moved on by this time and for a while it looked like we would be on our own, but as is so often the case, Trilogy seems to be a magnet for other yachts to gravitate to.
We dined at the Panorama Taverna which was well-rated, set in tropical gardens and panoramic views from the deck across the Ionian Sea towards mainland Greece. The foliage was abundant, bougainvilliea blooms and Angel's Trumpet added colour and as promised a banana tree with a large bunch of bananas were waiting to ripen. Our meals were all delicious- oven baked feta with tomato and onion plus fried sardines for starters; lamb shank, sea bream and traditional beef sofrito, a Corfu specialty for mains. The wines were 'homemade' and unfortunately tasted pretty ordinary. We were well satisfied once more and we headed back to Trilogy for a tipple of Amoretto and chocolate to end the beautiful day.

Ros Brice

One month of our two months on board Trilogy has already slipped away! The month of September has begun and we’ve sensed a slight drop in the temperature, now that August has finished. August was hot but from all accounts July was hotter, with temperatures over 40 degrees consistently.
The skipper announced that everyone was to be on board by 9.30 for a 10.00 departure from Lefkas Marina. We got away smoothly and immediately prepared to tie up alongside the fuel wharf. With full fuel tanks we could then take our position in the queue of vessels waiting for the canal bridge to open, which happens on the hour for 15 minutes. The bridge has a rather peculiar construction: it serves as a draw bridge and a swing bridge. If there are only a few boats waiting, the operator can open just one wing. If there are a lot of vessels, as was the case for us, both spans are opened and the whole bridge turns sideways. This manoeuvre takes a fair bit of space, so the queue of yachts need to stand back an adequate distance. A siren sounds at the start and finish of the opening and the boats are required to stop and wait and the traffic flow starts again. I couldn’t help but wonder the impact of holding up the traffic every hour on this main road. The locals’ lives must be dictated by it!
Once through the bridge section of the canal and out into the northern end of the canal, it wasn’t long before we were in the local fisherman’s harbour and then followed channel markers out to sea. The Castle of Santa Maura is a fortress in ruin, which stands adjacent to the swing bridge. The castle was a small fortification in 1300 to control access to the island. By the early 15 C it had grown to a walled town. When the Ottoman Empire took possession in 1479, it was again rebuilt and enlarged. The Republic of Venice captured it in 1684 and the castle was used purely for military purposes. The fortress was modernised in the early 18 C but was abandoned by the Venetians in 1715-1716. It was then passed between France, Russians, and eventually back to the France from 1797-1810. It was captured by the British, who controlled it until 1864, which is the year that the Ionian Islands were ceded to Greece. So much change of ownership, it must reflect its strategic importance.
From exiting the canal, Trilogy set course for the small island to the north called Aldipaxos. The seas were relatively smooth and the ride comfortable; we anchored midway along the east coast in a beautiful bay named Karachi North. There were multiple small craft around us, but we figured there was room for us if we anchored stern-to; this didn’t please some of the day trippers very much, but we were just playing the game by the rules. The water was absolutely crystal clear and azure blue- the clearest water so far in the Ionians. The temperature was a few degrees lower than we have been used to, so that was a bit of a shock when we dived in!
This island has very interesting rock formations and it is clear that turbulent uplifting of sedimentary layers in primordial times had occurred, leaving curves, arches, steep inclines and flat layered sections all twisting and folding into each other. The rocks were creamy beige through to white with some darker patches and the more we looked the more we admired their beauty. The beaches continue to be covered in small round pebbles, mostly rounded but at times can be sharp too!
Snorkeling was more interesting in this bay as there were more fish to be seen and the rock bed of the bay had some different formations. We decided to explore the other beach around the headland the following morning. Dinner was relished as it was barbeque chicken, which is the first time we have seen them in Greece. Teamed with mashed potato, broccoli and gravy it was a familiar Aussie meal that was simply delicious. Mosquitoes appeared in the cockpit for the first time in our journey, which sent us all down below and into bed.
We loved Karachi North so much that we decided to stay another night. Our swim was quite interesting, with large rocks all piled at odd angles, caves below the waterline and wonderful schools of fish that flicked this way and that, in the ever moving water. We all got in the tender for an exploration of the next bay, which we thought had a taverna, that might have been of interest for lunch. To our amazement, the next bay was a hive of activity with several boat loads of day trippers disgorged onto the rocky platform and lines of buoys pegged out for swimmers. There were hundreds of people and at least four large day cruise boats, along with lines of beach umbrellas on the beach. We had read that Andipaxos had one sandy beach and two rocky beaches - this must have been the sandy beach! Our desire for a taverna lunch did not last long and our preference for our quiet bay was confirmed. We enjoyed a lovely fresh lunch Trilogy-style, retreated for a siesta, read our books and swam once more. Other boats in the bay departed and we enjoyed our evening with only one other yacht at anchor.
The next day we moved on to Kipiadi on the next island to the north called Nicos Paxos, the smallest of the seven principal Ionian Islands. The island is 10 kilometres long and up to 3 kilometres wide, with a population of 2300 people and much of the hilly landscape is covered in olive trees. Giaos is the main port of Paxos, located on the south east corner.
In Greek mythology, Poseidon created Paxos by striking Corfu with his trident, so that he and his wife Amphitrite could have some peace and quiet. The island has been inhabited since prehistoric times and according to tradition, the Phoenicians were the first settlers on Paxos.
Kipiadi was notable for the number of pencil pines that were dotted throughout the slopes. There were also a couple of quite substantial homes with modern architectural features like flat roofs and large expanses of glass windows. Something that has struck us is the massive retaining rock walls that seem to be essential to every new home’s foundations. The beach was a bit too far away for a comfortable swim, especially as there was a fair chop in the bay in the afternoon. The water was very clear and the most beautiful turquoise blue.
Next morning, there was the chance for everyone to enjoy a swim in glassy smooth water. A strong north-westerly was expected around 9pm the previous night but it didn’t eventuate. Trilogy was on the move again and the navigator (Paul) was keen to have a look at the the inlet where the village of Lakka was situated. Lakka is known for its unpretentious slow pace of life, crystal clear waters and steep chalky cliffs. It lies at the northern end of Paxos and is surrounded by green olive groves and cypress trees. The almost circular harbour is created by two headlands that shelters the bay from the open sea, but not entirely as a swell of up to one metre has been recorded in the bay.
The skipper was keeping a close watch on the weather conditions as a storm was predicted in the early afternoon. We ventured into Lakka harbour and it was decided to drop an anchor so that we could all go ashore for a while. This turned out to be a lovely experience with a relaxed feeling in the harbour and around the quay. There was no hassle tying the tender securely to the wall while we wandered to the back streets and lovely open plaza, where we found some inviting shops for clothes and food. The bakery was a hit and we walked out with more than bread!
Apparently there had been a big wedding on the island over the weekend and one shop owner thought that we were guests at the occasion. We had to explain what had brought us to town! The plan was to have an early lunch at one of the tavernas and then depart by around 2pm. We ordered drinks and enjoyed our delicious Greek pizza, meatballs, and smoked aubergine with feta and tomato, all cooked in the open wood fired oven. The menu advised that the fire was fuelled by olive wood from their own groves.
Before we knew it, the sky was looking ominously dark and overcast. This was such a contrast to the cloudless blue skies of the last month! The weather forecast was for a north easterly wind shift that would expose this protected harbour into a danger zone. The harbour was packed with all manner of craft and there was every chance that boats were going to be damaged. We made a hasty retreat to Trilogy and immediately set about preparing to leave. Trilogy turned to seaward and quickly experienced the rough and wild seas. Beyond our understanding, another four yachts were heading into the harbour as we escaped. No sooner had we cleared the land than the wind direction changed to a south easterly with gusts up to 35 knots and a seaway that was building to a decent swell. The plan had been to head for Corfu but when the wind turned south easterly it was not possible to get protection from that wind on either coast of Corfu. The skipper concentrated on the job of helming Trilogy through the waves as the rain started to pour down and spray got us all somewhat wet in the cockpit. No sooner had one squall passed than there was another ahead of us. The lightening and thunder were surrounding us and for quite some time the little island of Paxos disappeared from sight, shrouded in a blanket of ominous cloud. We couldn’t help but ponder on what carnage had taken place in the harbour after we left!
The skipper decided not to go to Corfu but rather head across the passage, leaving Corfu to the north and to make land fall on the Greece mainland. The most important consideration was protection from the wind which was predicted to swing to the north and east, throughout the night. There was a hasty check of Navionics to find a suitable bay and we dropped anchor in Ormiskos Perdika, a large bay that was surrounded by medium size hills. We could see that there was a camp ground (Sofas Campground) immediately behind the beach and on top of the hill was a line of dwellings, which would have lined either side of the only road into the area.
We had a light supper of garlic prawns and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the sea which was quite amazing after the spectacular storm event of only a few hours earlier.

Ros Brice