the seafaring town of Galaxidi

After the storm had passed the prevailing NW/W winds had returned to provide us with an exhilarating sail approximately 20 nautical miles east to Galaxidi which was well hidden behind the peninsula. This time we had to pass in-between two low islets and towards a prominent square marker that marked a reef. Once past the reef, the harbour and cathedral of Galaxidi came into view. Having spent one night in the anchorage with an unexpected F7 wind we decided to relocate onto the town quay moored stern to the harbour wall. The wooded peninsula opposite the harbour provided additional protection from the east so we felt content that we could leave Flirtie for our inland trip to ancient Delphi a short distance away. It was our main reason for stopping here, however unexpectedly we had arrived in a seafaring port that also had it's own story to tell...


spot the British ensign!

Galaxidi wasn't a particularly large port so we were therefore surprised to find that it was once a major shipbuilding centre during the 19th century boasting a fleet of 400 two and three masted schooners that traded as far as the UK. These schooners were built by local skilled carpenters, masters of their trade using hand operated tools. Unfortunately thought, with the introduction of steam power and new trading routes less ships were built and decline set in. To imagine these huge ships at anchor in the bay just off the town would have been an incredible sight to behold.


a picture depicting schooners anchored off the town of Galaxidi

The Nautical and Historical Museum of Galaxidi held an impressive archeological collection as well as international collections of the maritime world from antiquity to modern times. There were displays of nautical instruments such as compasses, sextants, charts, clocks, ships logs, seaman's book, provisions, account ledgers to name a few and collections of international stamps & postcards, local coins, paintings of schooners, figureheads and replica model ships.

Nowadays, Galaxidi is very much a seaside town with a promenade lined with a good choice of tavernas and a few supermarkets. A number of traditional Greek shops with their friendly owners were set back along the narrow cobbled streets which made it feel less touristy and more traditional Greek. Several buildings were lined with colourful facades, flowers, stone balconies and figureheads. There were also a host of monuments and artifacts scattered around the town like ruins of walls, statues, traditional captain's houses, bell towers, two churches, one with an imposing dome and the other with a sun clock and a zodiac circle.


a traditional captain's house. Historically, when the captain died the figurehead of his ship and the shutters of his house would be painted black - the owner of this property is still very much alive then. ;-)


The harbour was littered with thousands of barrel-shaped gelatinous creatures which we initially thought were a kind of jellyfish however they were 'Salps', (a free-swimming marine invertebrate related to sea squirts that appear just for a few weeks in the month of May). Apparently they don't sting but because of the sheer volumes we wouldn't have wanted to swim.


a string of salps, one of the most efficient examples of jet propulsion in the animal kingdom that play an essential role in the ocean's ecosystem

For our trip to Delphi, we had initially planned to catch the bus however the timetable would only give us a couple of hours at the site so we hired a car instead and risked life and limb as we followed the road with dozens of hair pin bends that led us up the dizzy heights of Mount Parnassus. We had arrived within minutes of it opening and before the crowds arrived. According to legend, the ancient site was declared as the 'center of the earth' after two eagles crossed paths in the sky above.

The well trodden path took us past various ruins and huge structures such as the Temple of Apollo, the Theatre and the Stadium which made us wonder how on earth our ancestors managed to build such grand structures with such basic tools. It's fair to say that the structures were incredible and the detail impressive. A walk around the Delphi Archaeological Museum showcased a collection of sculptures and architectural remains, various friezes, gigantic statues and treasures along with presentations that told the story of everyday life in an ancient city. It was an excellent if not mentally tiring day and well worth the visit.


one of many friezes on display in the museum that tells a story


walking the sacred way lead to the 6th century Temple of Apollo, the path would have been lined with thousands of statues and treasures


the theatre seats 5,000 people and reported to be one of the finest theatres in Greece


the Stadium, 200m long with a capacity to hold 7,000 spectators


a colossal sphinx that stands 2.3m high, once sat on top of a column exceeding 10m in height. Amazing!


the Charioteer, a life size bronze statue of a chariot driver


the Column of the 'dancers' would have stood on a column made of 5 drums, decorated at intervals with acanthus leaves - approx 15m in height

Back at the port, as if the sights didn't provide enough excitement for the day we felt an earth tremor that suddenly shook Flirtie for a few seconds. Apparently this is typical in the Gulf of Corinth which is a highly active tectonic zone where moderate tremors are frequent!!


Tuesday 27.05.2025, 3.06am - a 5.0 magnitude tremor which occurred 13 kilometers southeast of Galaxidi at a depth of 13.5 km

Total distance this season: 433.89 nautical miles