Day 32 Santa Maria di Leuca - Kassiopi

The weather was fine for our crossing of the "Ortranto channel" to Corfu we had waited for this day for two weeks.

We had a little bit of wind for the first couple of hours which helped us a long but then the wind disappeared nothing for hours, we both thought this is going to be a long day. When we got further into the channel there was a current with us so it kept our speed above 5knts mostly 5.5 plus so this was good. It was still a little rolly and there was big rollers like the Atlantic but it was keeping our speed up.

At 1505pm we had a visit from three dolphins which really makes your day they stayed a few minutes then they where off not stopping. Then about 5mins later they came back and swam around for 10-15mins.

We had thought of anchoring off one of the islands north of Corfu but decided to head for mainland Corfu and we ended up going into a little harbour called Kassiopio. We arrived at 2000pm Italian time but local time in Corfu 2100pm. It was just getting dark only two spaces available to us and this was our first Mediterranean style anchoring everything went ok which, we where both glad about. We anchored just in front of a Taverna, the waitress took the line for me as we had to go bows because the harbour wall shelved up. We did try stern to first but we had to abandon and turn around to go bows to. It was a little nerve reckoning for me as I don't do the helming when entering berths but I would rather do that than dropping the anchor! By the time we got settled and made everything secure it was 2130pm. A British couple passed by and said well done with berthing that we did a good job, they had been watching us from somewhere. We where so excited about being in Greek waters we opened a bottle of bubbly, had a ready prepared spaghetti bolognese and the both of was sitting there grinning like Cheshire cats. This was such a big achievement for us so Cyprus feels that little bit closer.

This little harbour and town is so nice. We had to go searching for a petrol station so we had a good wander around the town the next morning. We found a petrol station and a super market on the outskirts of the town a bonus getting both together. Also in the daylight we could see why the harbour was full, there was 15 hire boats with a Flotilla. We would have liked to stay another day but we need to move on to try and meet our deadline for Cyprus, but very pleased at our first stop in Greek waters.

Artemis bows pointing into this taverna, next day people sitting there having there breakfast. When your getting off the boat you have to walk through the restaurant, seems strange but this is how it is done in Greece.

Berthing 0.00euros (£0) - Harbour


Day 33 Kassopio - Gouvia

We only had a short day today 12kn miles around the corner to Gouvia. The reason we are stopping here in the marina as we need to get our DEPKA for sailing in Greek waters but what a waste of time that was the Port Police are not open there until the end of May!! We did need to fuel up but if we had known that we could have fuelled up and left and went to Corfu old town.

The trip around the corner was not very nice, we had a SE6 not quite on the nose and normally we don't even think of going out with wind like this but we where only going around the corner, it took us nearly 4 hours but we needed fuel.

Gouvia was just another large marina on the outskirts of the town and has a lot of live a boards here. Good facilities, supermarket at the marina. The one thing we did notice there was a lot of dogs running around, large dogs and people walking there dogs that live onboard can't see why people want to have dogs when you are living on a boat. I personally think it is cruel.

We did some shopping and stopped at one of the Tavernas for a beer and got nibbles crisps & olives. The girl was very friendly and most Greeks speak English. We had had a restless sleep the previous night so we went back to Artemis had dinner and crashed out. When we where fuelling up the young guy who works for the marina was there filling up his dinghy and had asked Neville where we coming into marina. He asked Neville where in the marina would you like to go. Neville said "Somewhere quite" so we had a nice quite spot and a good night's sleep.

Berthing 44.51euros (£39.23) - Free showers

Day 34 Govia - Paxio

Our trip to Paxio was still on Corfu Island. We departed at 1035am as we had only 34kn miles to travel. We passed Corfu old town and also a place we had stayed on holiday many years ago called Ipsos. There was still not any wind at 1500pm. We had a lot of rain but no wind with it thankfully. We had just had lunch in the cockpit literally 5mins before and I was just putting the dishes away when the heavens opened. It chucked it down for nearly 30mins; it was bouncing off the water. Neville had his jacket on and the rain was just running off him, running down the mainsail into the cockpit like a river. Then it stopped and the skipper dried off.

Near the end of our trip some wind did arrive, it was from the West F3/4 so we put the genoa out and we made good progress motor sailing the last hour and half. Coming behind us was more boats from another flotilla maybe 10 and there were 3 in front of us. It will be like wacky races when they all arrive.

We arrived in Paxio a smallish island. You arrived in at the North entrance and the harbour curves around like a banana shape and the water comes right up to the edge no harbour wall. The shops are only about 12feet away, it seems when they have a high tide some of it floods. There is a little square not far from the shoreline and it was flooded.

My second time berthing this time I had an audience but I managed ok and a kind gentleman came and took my ropes, this time we berthed stern to as there was plenty of water. We settled Artemis down and we sat and watched the rest of the flotilla arrive. The small harbour wall was full up with boats. There was a space between us and the next boat and one of the chartered boats filled the space and on it was people we knew from Fambridge they had there boat berthed in front of us in the marina at Fambridge. It was so nice to chat with people from our home port, he was so pleased he took a picture and said he was going to get it put up in the clubhouse and tell everyone he seen us. We also got chatting to some people whose home port is on the river Medway their boat is called SKYBIRD.

We had Lasagne one I prepared earlier with salad. I had found a shop that had nice cucumber and rocket so the salad was lovely. It was hard to find cucumbers in Italy. We freshened up and went for a walk it wasn't going to take that long as it is quite a small place. We walked a long the harbour path first then headed into the back street. There were lots of locals around. To get to mainland there is a water taxi but they also have a small ferry.

We found a very small bar (pictures in album) very narrow, there was only enough room for 3 tables and just enough room for you to walk by it was long and narrow. We decided to have Ouzo and they also give us olives and sausage with each drink we had. We where just talking about getting tapas and nibbles here in Europe, you could never see that happening in the UK giving you some food when you have a drink, but it is really nice and we seem to manage to get food in most places.

It was a lovely little place and had good shelter from the North prevailing winds and it was free.

Berthing 0.00euros (£0) - Harbour wall

Day 35 Paxio - Preveza

Our trip from Paxio was supposed to go to Levkas but this had to be abandoned. We departed from Paxio at 8am the wind coming from the NW F3 which was not to bad, we had the genoa out and we where making good progress and good speed. The wind was coming from the back; a quartering sea is what they call it. It is one wind direction that not many people like, as it picks the back of the boat up and the boat cork screws forward. It wasn't too bad to start with but once we left the shelter of the island the swell was bigger. It is not pleasant the wind picked up to
a F4 at around 1300pm and we still had 17kn miles to reach Levkas.

Levkas the place we had originally wanted to head for had a very shallow entrance around a spit way just to get to the gates before the canal. So not knowing what to expect and with the swell building and a shallow approach the skipper abandoned Levkas and we headed for Preveza. We still had 12kn miles to go we just had to sit it out. Approaching Preveza there is a buoyed channel because there is not very much water around the entrance. We only had a corner of the genoa out and not a lot of engine and the highest speed I seen was 7.3knts. We eventually spotted the buoys and we both couldn't believe how close the first set where together. Neville watched my course and we got through the gap and to make things worse there was two yachts coming out of the channel but I managed to get through first. Once we pasted the second set of buoys the waters where calmer. What a rocky rolly day, it wears you out we where glad to arrive at Preveza at 1420pm.

We tied up on the harbour wall; at first glance it looks a nice place a lot bigger than the previous places we had been and a lot more touristy bars and restaurants all along the harbour wall. There was also a very large cruise ship tied up along the harbour wall as well. There were lots of people walking about. One of the things we noticed since arriving in Greece was the number of British boats here in the area. Some are just travelling around and others seem to winter there boat here in Greece and come back in the summer and sail around the area for the summer months. Apparently if they can they go home for the month of August as that is the time the Italians arrive and it is mad.

We where on a mission to find the "Port Police" after walking around the marina and all around the harbour still no sign of there office I asked a guy sitting on a English boat and he gave us directions. You would never find this place, there office is above the post office at the far end of the seafront and the signs on the office front are in Greek so you would never know, apart from two Greek flags. Also the entrance is around the back. We headed back that way and arrived at around 1530pm just as they got back from lunch. The man that dealt with us was not a happy bunny at having to deal with us and the other guys in the office where laughing so that made him worse. Anyway he was a bit intimidating but we got sorted but by then the tax office was closed. As we where having an early start the next day he said we could pay the Taxes in next port and then get the DEPKA from the Port Police there. We had to pay 15euros for just coming from Italy to Greece and we think the Tax is around 40euros. So the process is:-
PORT POLICE - TAX OFFICE - back to PORT POLICE and they give you the DEPKA.

After all that walking around and dealing with the Port Police we decided to have a beer in the bar opposite where we had berthed Artemis. Whilst we where sitting there the people from the boat SKYBIRD where walking past and stopped and said hello again. Whilst we where chatting the waiter had come back and left us a largish plate of Tapas, Neville and I looked at each other and thought it just keeps happening. The Greek tapas consisted of Haloumi, two different types of sausages one was very nice need to find out what it is. Little parcels of filo pastry with a cheese filling, tomatoes and cucumber. It was very nice, we ordered another beer and we got different Tapas this time it was like pizza bread with cheese and salami. This was a pleasant surprise it seems we are going to be fed in Greece as well.

Berthing 4.83euros (£4.16) - Harbour wall taxes paid to Port police

Day 36 - Non sail strong winds wrong direction

We had planned to go to Mesolongion which was after the Levkas town and the canal but there was still strong winds around wind and the direction not good.

The wind picked up while we where still on the harbour wall and it was now blowing us onto the harbour wall and getting worse. One by one the boats moved from the harbour wall. We decided to move on our third attempt to get Artemis nose around we got away from the harbour wall. We headed for the marina in Preveza. This marina was built and didn't get finished nobody runs the marina, locals and chartered boats companies use it and there is no fee. When we got there all the other boats had moved here or to the anchorage next to the marina. The English guy that had given me directions to the Port Police office was there. He was called Doug and his wife Kay we had a chat, there boat name is "Swedish Girl" and SKYBIRD was there as well from the Medway.

Now that we where still in Preveza we decided we would go and complete the process for the DEFKA even though we hated the thought of going back to the Port Police and getting directions to the Tax office. We had a chuckle when we got there, there was six people hanging around waiting for the forms to be completed. The guy looked at us like "You said you where going to Mesolongion" I asked him nicely could he give us directions to Tax office and he did. We eventually found the Tax office and went back to the Port Police and finally got our DEFKA hallelujah.

We went back to Artemis and chilled out after doing a little washing, aired the bedding. Neville made me a lovely Greek salad, then I sunbathed for two hours in my bikini it was 23degrees or more it was a hot day.

As it was Friday night, I made a chicken curry for dinner before we went out to the pub for a few beers. We went to the same bar "Bar Profil" and had nice Tapas for a starter then headed back to Artemis for dinner.

Berthing 0.00euros (£0) - Marina free

Day 37 Preveza - Vathi on the island of Meganisi

It was good to go not a lot of wind around to go around Levkas spit way. Levkas is split by a channel from mainland Greece. The bridge only opens on the hour, there was another mass exit off the pontoons in Preveza around 0815am, we left 0830am. Heading to Levkas there was us and five other boats, we had left 15mins later than the rest and we just missed the 10am opening by minutes the rest got through so we had to wait until 11am. After coming around the spit way the skipper thought it was a good decision not to try and do that in strong winds with no water.

When we where going around the spit way it reminded us of the East Coast very little water, very close to the land and you could see the sandy bottom. We got some advice from Doug as he had been through here before so took that onboard the shallowest depth we saw was 3.2mtrs. Six boats came out heading north you need to stand you ground so they don't push you into shallow waters.

Whilst we where waiting another 5-6 boats arrived and one of the boats a German boat run around and had to be pulled back off by the help of another yacht. They where within the red buoys but apparently it silts up over the winter months. The bridge opened and everyone headed through some quicker than others as they wanted the last free spaces at Levkas harbour wall. We where heading further down the canal. The canal is about 12-15mtrs wide with only 6mtrs of water so you had to be careful. We got to the end and it opens up into a large bay very pretty.

The island we chose was Meganisi in a little harbour called Vathi. When we arrived it is so pretty, on the way we passed so many little bays you can anchor off this island. We chose not to go into the harbour but a little cove just outside the harbour which is run by the Taverna/Restaurant. It was lovely, peaceful and quiet the water was crystal clear and blue. No mooring fees all they ask if you come and eat at the restaurant, it was Saturday night and we planned to eat out, this would be our first meal on one of the Greek islands.

We walked around to the harbour it was only a 10-15min walk, it is still very hot today again 23degrees. The little town and harbour is very nice, lots of Taverna's, three supermarkets. There is a new marina here that has laid mooring lines, electric & water. As we where walking past the marina area we seen "Swedish Girl" it was berthed in the marina. We went onboard and had a chat with Doug & Kay, they had booked to stay here for a month, it is lovely place but we would like to travel around the islands and only stay a couple of days in each place. There is so many, Doug said they will got out and sail around, but I think once you are moored you find it hard to get up and go.

When we got back to the bay there was charter boats arriving so it went from just three of us to probably about 20. Our peaceful tranquil place had been invaded by a flotilla. There was a little bar separate from the restaurant where you could sit and watch the world go by, we had a beer while the place filled up. We noticed that they had a long table set, so I asked the waitress what time they would all be coming to dinner so we could get up and have our dinner before they all arrived. We went back to the boat and sat in the cockpit for a while chatting with both our neighbours either side of us. There was Mike who was friends with Doug & Kay and we never did get to know the names of the other couple.

We went to dinner at 1930pm. For starters we had Greek Salad, Giant Beans, main Neville had Chicken soulvlaki and I had Pastichio. All of these things we regularly cook and eat in Cyprus so it was like being at home. All of it was very nice and with a carafe of red wine it was 32euros. We had another good nights sleep, the charter boats seemed to be very quiet all night we didn't hear a thing.

Berthing 0.00euros (£0) you just need to have something to eat in the restaurant.

Day 38 Vathi on the island of Meganisi - Mesolongion

We left Vathi a beautiful quiet little place early at 0730am to head towards Mesolongion which is 49kn miles so it was going to be a long day. It was quite misty but the high mountains and cliffs where still spectacular on mainland Greece as we left the island. Meganisi the island we just left is shaped like a tadpole so instead of going down the West side we headed the East side just to see the views. Not a lot of wind for the first couple of hours but then we had a Westerly F2-3 and we put the genoa out and motor sailed averaging 5.5.knts. At 1200pm we turned to head SE which means from now on we will be heading Eastwards and will enter the Gulf of Patras in the next hour.

Mesolingion is surrounded by salt marshs so it is very flat. You have to follow the marked channel up to the harbour which was about 3kn miles, all around you can just see water. There is little house like shacks dotted up the channel, it looks a little like "Ria di Formosa" in Spain, looks like houses standing in the water. The marina is under going improvements, what they have down looks nice but it is not quite finished yet. All the facilities are there, showers blocks, there is even a large room with quite a few washing machines, but there is no restaurant/bar. The marina is on the outskirts of the town which is about 30mins away. As we where not going to be able to explore the town we berthed on one of the detached pontoons used for visitors.

We arrived at 1630pm a good day, average speed 5.5knts and no drama's. A guy in a dinghy came along side and wanted the boat papers as we had not gone into the marina, said there was no charge and to call on CH69 in the morning and they would bring the boat papers back. We both thought strange if "No charge" why do they want boat papers. We said we where leaving at 7am, he said no problems open 24hrs. Next morning the skipper called CH69 no answer we where bloody annoyed so we sailed Artemis over to the end of one of the pontoons and I got off to go and search for someone. The office was closed except for a cleaner I asked what time they would be open 9am by this time I was extremely pissed off you have to trust this people. I wandered around and couldn't find anyone I asked the cleaner about security what time they would be here and she said 8am so we had to wait as we couldn't leave without our boat papers. At 8am a few cars arrived and a man got out and said to me "You where going at 7am" I replied no one was here. Then the guy arrived who had taken the papers and I am not sure whether he was supposed to come early as they talked in Greek. The young guy went to a parked van and got our papers out of it, they where not even locked away in the office, so the office must have been closed. Low and behold the punch line was 20e's!! I said you told us no charge, we where not in the marina, no electric, no water. We own the pontoons, there is nothing you can do but pay but we both reckon that 20e's went in his pocket and the office new nothing about us even being there. There is an anchorage right beside the marina and there ended up 5-6 boats but we didn't expect to pay anything.

This is a good place to stop if heading torwards the "Gulf of Patras" then heading under the bridge "Rion" to the "Gulf of Corinth" which was our plan for the next day. Apparently the "Rion" bridge is the largest cable hung bridge in the world, the skipper tells me.

Berthing 20.00euros (£17.24) - Facilities in the marina, no wifi

Day 39 Mesolongion - Patras destination was Galaxhidi

We departed from Mesolongion at 0805am an hour delay because the staff just wanted to make a few quid, very annoying. By the time we left four boats had already departed. One went North and the other three where heading South the same way as us. No wind at the moment, forecast was for a NW F4 which is good for the direction we where heading and we would have the help of the Westerly current as well.

Just shortly after 9am the wind arrived but not from the NW it was from the East on the nose and it turned in to a F6 gusting 7, the highest I seen on the wind speed was 32 as I was on the helm. It was not very pleasant and every now and again the waves would splash I ended up soaked through, after an hour I passed the helm to the skipper as I went below to get changed. The plan was changed we had to head for Patras which was still 15kn miles away, we arrived at 1230pm after being thrashed around for 3hours. After washing Artemis down we needed a rest and lay down for a couple of hours. It was a hot windy day so we just chilled in the cockpit. Neville managed to get wifi and I got to chat with Carrie and Mandy, Nevilles sister on Facebook. I had a three way chat going on with them both at the same time, me in Greece, Carrie in UK and Mandy in the USA it was good to catch up with the family.

Berthing 31.50euros (£27.15) this is the minimum charge for 2 nights
Electric, water and showers.

Day 40 Patras - non sailing day strong winds

Today was a hot sunny day, time to chill out. Patras is a large place the commercial harbour and marina is quite a distance from the old town and beaches. In this area it is more residential, lots of blocks of apartments. It has lots of posh modern coffee shops/restaurants and we managed to find a large super market not far from the marina. The coffee shops where full of teenagers, it reminded us of Paralimni where the teenagers all congregate in the coffee shops. None of them appealed to us and we didn't fancy a long walk to the town.

The commercial port and marina have the same entrance and in the commercial port there is around 6-8 very large ferries. They where coming and going all the time but it didn't seem to affect us in the marina they came in and out very slowly. There seems to be a lot of immigrants here, there is a children's park and they seem to hang around there sleeping on the benches there must be at least 20-30 of them. They also try to climb the harbour wall to get into the commercial port. It seems strange that this is being done in daylight and every one can see them. There is a restaurant right beside this wall and just around the corner is the office for the port police. I took a couple of pictures I couldn't believe that no one does anything.

The port police came and give us a visit and asked us to pop over with our papers later, so we have got another stamp in our cruising log.


Day 41 Patras - Trizonia destination was Galaxhidi again

We set out again for Galaxhidi, second attempt weather forecast variable winds and none of it strong. Departed 0700am and there was not a lot of wind around a little from the East but it wasn't making that much difference on our speed. In the channel there is a current which runs through from the West so that helped us. The "Rion" bridge was only a couple of miles away we passed under it at 0800am, now we are in the "Gulf of Corinth".

The wind started to pick up and by 9am it was on the nose East F4. We tried tactics, tacking across the bay but eventually there is only so much bumping up and down your mind and body can take. The skipper was not very happy the second day with wind on the nose. We continued until 1130am and decided to stop at an Island called "Trizonia". It was a lovely place, quiet and only another four boats there. We arrived at 12pm and had completed 22kn miles and both felt a little pissed off with the weather.

We decided once we had sorted things out we would go for a walk and explore this small island. I got Neville to walk up a long narrow windy road and we eventually got not quite the top but high enough up we could see down over the harbour. The views where out of this world, the skipper breathless as in knackered. The town consisted of three hotels, four restaurants, one large church and we found a small church up on the hill. When we got back, I met a cat on the way a very friendly cat it liked plenty of attention, so me being me gave it lots.

We had a bit of lunch and then studied our crossing of the Aegean Sea. In the beginning I was a little apprehensive at berthing in these small islands but I am amazed at how many there is and they all seem to be equipped for all the sailing yachts who visit. There may be ones that are not quite finished or a bit run down as this one is but people still use them. So I am a little happier at the crossing the Aegean. My only concern is the weather but we worry about that every day.

I decided as we had another free night and we where both fed up we would eat out in one of the four restaurants. By the time the evening came another seven boats had arrived so the locals will be pleased.

We had another lovely meal, I had spotted "baby squid" on one of the restaurants menu earlier in the day so I knew what I was having and Neville had baked fish. We didn't sit at the waters edge we sat just outside the restaurant we where glad we did. There was three tables filled with people and by the time they had started eating I counted 12 cats around and under the tables. One pregnant cat came to our table and I gave it lots of my baby squid as there was so much I could eat it all.

We went back to the boat and there was a few cats wandering around, I said to Neville maybe one will be stowed away when we leave tomorrow. We where sitting by candle light and I heard a noise and then a cat appeared looking in the through the window on the companion way. Trizonia was a nice place to stay after a frustrating day and I enjoyed the cats that made my day.

Berthing 0.00euros (£0) free harbour


Day 42 Trizonia - end of the Corinth Canal

An early start heading towards Corinth Canal, the plan is if we get there early enough to go through. We departed from Trizonia at 0600am as it is 47kn miles, no wind around and calm waters. It was a chilly start as the sun had not come up yet and there were a few clouds around. Leaving the island there was four dolphins just swimming it seemed very slowly in front of us, they didn't come over they where bigger than the ones we seen the previous day when we arrived at the island.

It was a good day as we had the Westerly current with us and we where averaging 5.5knts. We arrived at Corinth at 1530pm and decided to go through the Corinth Canal as there were no boats around except for one ship. The skipper called them up on the radio and we got the ok to follow the ship through. So at 1608pm we entered through the gates. This was something we talked about for months and have been told it is spectacular. Our day had arrived, it was very nice I had a vision that it was going to be narrow and very high, yes it was high but the width was 25metres so it didn't seem as high and narrow as I had thought it would be. It was something to see, we took lots of pictures we where the only yacht and one ship in front. On one of the three bridges crossing the canal there was spectators taking pictures, Artemis is famous. There was a 2knt current so we where averaging 6knts and we came out the other end just under 30mins later. It was great to have been through now we have to pay for the privilege 138euro's. I asked how busy had they been and he said he had had 50 yachts through the canal today and that the time we came through was the best time to pass through. Sometimes yachts may have to wait up to 3hours so we where lucky.

We are now in the "Saronic Golf". We headed to for an anchorage 5mins away and anchored in a lovely bay. We finished the day at 1815pm nearly a 12hour day bit it was a good trip and what a view going through the Corinth Canal excellent.

Berthing 0.00euros (£0) free anchored