Elixir NZ Lefkas, Paxos, Parga to Preveza and voyage end.
08 August 2011
30/07/11 Jenny and I rent a 100cc scooter for the day at a cost of 12 Euro. Actually, the last time we rented a scooter was two years ago and that was a 75cc model, I figure that SWMBO might require a bit more power by now! Anyway the reason for the scooter is that Preveza is some 30km away and we are booked to have Elixir lifted on the 8th August so we needed the opportunity to go there to check it all out and familiarise ourselves with the whole environment.
Well it turned out to be a great day starting off by crossing the swing bridge, a steel affair with reinforcing type rods welded to the bridgetop for grip causing a real shudder for our scooter and for Jenny to declare once again that this was not her favorite form of travel! Wasps became a bit of a worry as I was wearing baggy shorts! My imagination of the repercussions if one was to actually catch one of these beasties meant I took it fairly easy most of the way. We were pleased with what we discovered at Preveza and also grateful for a Italian yacht that was showing us graphically what would happen if we ignored the cross current on arriving at the travel lift. The Italian yacht had a entanglement with about four other yachts and caused a great deal of consternation. Message learned there and part of the reason why I wanted to check it out. We went old castle visiting on the way back... again. All the while David and Elizabeth stayed back in Lefkas on yacht minding duties.
Next morning 06:50 we cast off from Lefkas and motored up the canal, through the bridge, hoisted sail and headed north 30 miles to Andipaxoi .
Passing through the swing bridge
Sun rising on exiting the canal
Chanel now behind us
We enjoyed the sail while we had wind and getting out into some seaspace again.
Stopped at Andipaxoi for a swim and lunch after which we sailed on to Paxoi itself (pronounced "Paxos").
Entering the narrow channel of Paxoi
Such a Lovely little village that at nightime after all the tourist day boats return to Corfu becomes a joyful place to just be without all the hustle that goes on in the larger tourist traps.
David and I have no trouble launching the rubber ducky.
After we have done our mooring line knitting for the night along intertwined with all the other stayovers mooring lines we feel nice and secure.
Next day we visit the caves on the south side of the island and Jenny and David actually take the rubber ducky right inside. It was fairly crowded with visitor boats that I stayed onboard.
After visiting the caves on Paxoi we sail back to the mainland to a bay with an ancient castle and town called Parga.
The famous castle at Parga
This is what we were told happens when a Greek charter launch starts to lose money. If it sinks it stops costing for mooring and maintenance.
Next morning it is a nice walk into Parga and a visit to the castle.
So - Girls the above is all about shopping in Parga.
The Sail 40 miles south back down the coast to Preveza passing close to many little coastal villages on te way
08:00 Waiting for the bus that will take us the 6 hours to Athens and the plane to Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur and eventually home to New Zealand for another 10 months. It has been an interesting and eventful 2011 Cruise all the way from Marmaris in Turkey to Preveza on the Ionian shore in Greece.
Blog of the cruises of Elixir a Dufour 45 Classic bought by New Zealand couple Ted and Jenny Peacocke in June 2007 taking delivery in Kinsale, Ireland. [...]The first cruise was a delivery all the way to Marmaris in Turkey where we intend to keep her for a year or two before sailing to Croatia then on to NZ taking the Panama route. Feel free to email me or post a comment.