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"There's always a plan, but unexpected things happen and we just go with the flow. Though I do believe that fate and destiny often play their part"
sailing blog
On the day of departure back to the boat there was a little bit of trepidation and even a hint of fear as we set off. Going to the airport on 13th June was right in the middle of daily horror stories in the media about last minute flight cancellations, massive queues at check-in and security, all caused by staff shortages. Even worse were take-off delays of up to four hours, often sat in the plane on the tarmac. So, yes, there was definitely a degree of apprehension as we travelled to Bristol, but mostly we were excited to be heading off for a six week stint on the boat with plans to restore our sense of adventure. Phew....we needn't have worried. It took all of five minutes to check-in our luggage and just ten minutes to get through security. We'd barely waved goodbye to our chauffeur (son James) before we were sat in the departure lounge feeling very relieved indeed, but sad for the people who were caught up in the travel nightmares at other airports. Thankfully, we also took off broadly on time too. At the other end it was just as quick and there were plenty of taxis available despite the late hour. This meant we had time for a swift nightcap at the Telesilla Hotel before retiring to a big comfy bed for the last time in a while. Staying at the hotel just outside the marina for our first night is now standard practice, rather than clambering onto Comino in darkness at one in the morning. Being a bit older and a bit wiser, we try to make travelling as comfortable as possible these days. So, on 14th June, we moved onto the boat. The next day the diver came to fit our repaired propeller we'd taken home and brought back (hence the need for luggage). A couple more days in the marina were required to stock up and generally acclimatise to boat life again. Then we slipped our lines to head south. First stop Lakka, on the island of Paxos. A six hour voyage with virtually no wind, but clear blue sky, flat sea and baking hot sunshine. The engine and the autohelm did all the hard work whilst we enjoyed relaxing out at sea in such glorious conditions. Do I allow myself a cheeky beer whilst underway when it's so calm......yes I do - as long as the sails aren't up! Lakka is a tranquil bay surrounded by green hills and the most fantastic turquoise sea, plus a cute little village with several tavernas and a small supermarket for supplies. I guess that's why so many boats go there and there's the rub. It's busy. I mean really busy. Luckily, we found a good spot to anchor, but we watched as more and more boats piled in right up to nightfall. And then there was simply no room left and boats had to turn-around and head off somewhere else in the dark. Not ideal for anyone, least of all inexperienced charter crew. We stayed in Lakka for two nights and despite the number of boats crammed into the bay, it was a truly wonderful time......swimming, eating, wandering around the village and watching spectacular sun rises and sun sets. Those precious moments at dusk and dawn made the stay very intoxicating. Next, a four hour sail south east to the Greek mainland and a place called Two Rock Bay. We'd been told about this spot and my word it didn't disappoint. Even more spectacular than Lakka and, with only half a dozen other boats there, it was quiet too. No buildings at all, other than a shack on the cliff top housing a small bar. You dream of anchorages like this and it humbles you to realise how privileged you are to be there. I do have one beef with the place though. It's got three rocks and technically it should be called Three Rock Bay - or maybe I'm just being a bit OCD. Such was the peace and tranquility of the place, we could have easily stayed put for weeks, but after three days we managed to tear ourselves away and head further south to Preveza. You can moor up on the busy town quay in Preveza, but we chose to spend a couple of nights in the swanky new marina. Very pristine, almost posh......the toilets and showers wouldn't have been out of place in a 5 star hotel. And, in the evenings, it was the done thing to promenade along the bustling waterfront boulevard lined with a vast selection of tavernas, restaurants and bars. However, it's best to venture a few streets' back where the real Preveza is and meander through the old cobbled streets and alleyways. Here you find more traditional tavernas with slightly less touristy prices. We enjoyed a couple of terrific dinners with local wine a plenty. Onwards and upwards......next stop Lefkas Marina, just over an hour away. But first you have to wait for the swing road bridge to open, allowing you to proceed down the Lefkas Canal that joins the North Ionian to the South Ionian. The bridge opens on the hour, so timing your arrival is essential as there's little room in the shallow entrance to dance around other boats in the queue. If the wind is blowing, it can be very tricky. We had flat calm thankfully. The canal means you don't have to go all the way round the island of Lefkas to head south and takes about ten hours off the journey. Now here's an amazing thing. It was built by The Corinthians in 650 BC. That makes it over two and a half thousand years old. We get seven nights free in Lefkas Marina as part of our Gouvia contract because both marinas are owned by the same company. We stayed for three nights with a view to considering if we might move the boat here one day, given its proximity to the Southern Ionian. There are many more islands and stunning anchorages down south, but equally it's much busier. And in Lefkas Marina we could see why. There were literally hundred and hundreds of charter boats.....massive catamarans and all the mono-hulls were between forty and fifty feet. Actually, we were quite shocked at how big the marina was. We had a very special reunion here with our good friends Roger and Lynne, who were moored up in Nidri, but did an hour long bus ride to see us and have dinner at their favourite local taverna, just round the corner from the touristy bits. We first met these two in Portugal in 2012, then again in Gibraltar and more recently in Corfu in 2019. They've been sea gypsies for around 20 years and have sailed back and forth from the UK to all over the Mediterranean several times. As ever, we laughed ourselves silly throughout the evening.......they are such good company. So, would we consider moving to Lefkas Marina? The marina itself is OK despite its size. There's a hotel swimming pool on-site that costs €5 each for a day, which is essential given the heat. The town waterfront is lined with dozens of busy tavernas, but a short walk away is the lovely old town with shops, cafes, bars and more traditional tavernas tucked away in side streets and alleyways. Quite similar to Preveza in that way. We're not sure though......we'll think about it. Having now sampled the marina and explored Lefkas Town, we set off down the narrow canal again. After just fifteen minutes it opened up into the wonderland that is the Southern Ionian, or the inland sea as it's called. It's a beautiful sight......clear blue sea, mountains all around, many islands in the distance and many more boats heading south just like us. We'd arranged to meet up with Roger and Lynne again on the island of Meganisi, in Abelike Bay to be precise. After a couple hours of motoring in no wind whatsoever, we anchored next to them in what can only be described as a little piece of paradise. That evening we took the dingy ashore for dinner in one of only two tavernas in the bay. We chose the more rustic one and enjoyed another fun filled evening with fabulous home cooked food and a carafe or two of local wine. This taverna, with its slightly ramshackle layout, and trees growing in-between the tables, was quite simply the best. Greece how it was decades ago when we first came. For our next stop Roger and Lynne suggested we follow them to a small town on the mainland, about two hours away. WOW......Palairos was an absolute gem. After mooring up stern to on the concrete town key, we wandered round what was more like a village than a town. Authentic and typically Greek would be a good way to describe the place. Clearly there was some tourism catered for with bars, tavernas and a great beach club where you could lie on trendy couches with umbrellas on the sand for free if you had a drink. No hardship there then! The first night I cooked a meal for the four of us and the second night we dined out in a smart restaurant perched half way up a hill overlooking the sea. To round off the evening we had a nightcap in the bustling village square amongst the mainly Greek holidaymakers. We liked Palairos very much and we'll certainly come back again. Back again to Lefkas Marina for a few days and then up the canal into the Northern Ionian, where we followed our same route back the other way. The final stop was meant to be a new harbour at Sivota Mourtos on the mainland opposite Corfu, but when we got there is was so full of boats we decided to press on to Gouvia. It took nine hours on that last leg and when we got back to our berth at the Marina we were exhausted. We did venture out on other short sails during this time in Greece and we also spent time relaxing in Gouvia Marina, plus a day on the beach, but we flew out on 26th July just in time to avoid the really busy part of the season. It was already getting noticeably more crowded and the heat was getting quite draining. We'll be back again to enjoy the whole of September, with plans to explore more of the Corfu North coastline. Until then it's going to be about catching up with family and friends in Blighty, in sensible temperatures and undoubtably some (lots of) rain. A few miscellaneous pics from our six week trip...
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A FEW PICS OF COMINO Click a photo to enlarge and use side arrows to scroll through. COMINO IS CURRENTLY HEREDID SOMEONE SAY SEAFOODOn our journey from Portugal to Greece we enjoyed amazing seafood almost everywhere we stopped. Finding the local fish market was always a priority because seafood was so plentiful and so reasonably priced. And, the displays were a feast for your eyes.
Locating a market sometimes meant pounding the pavements in searing heat, but if you kept your eyes peeled, you often came across a little clue. The pic below was a rather less than subtle advert for a fish market - it was eight feet tall.
Freshly cooked onboard, a plateful of giant prawns, baked in wine and garlic, washed down with a few glasses of local vino, was like heaven. Watching the sunset on the boat eating a meal like that was the epitome of "living the dream".
Now we're in Greece we've another favourite to savour. I'm talking about fried Calamari. It's usually good, but every now and then it's off-the-scale fantastic. At Natalie's Taverna on Kontokali Beach in Corfu, it was nothing short of epic.
We're based in Lefkas now and It's been a bit of a mission to find somewhere just as good. And we have. Rakias is a mere ten minute walk from the marina and this little fish market, with its very own taverna attached, is quite sensational.
Oh...and it's also worth mentioning that, on occasions, a bit of barbequed Octopus is on the menu at some of the tavernas we frequent. Can I resist....no. SUNSETS AND DRAMATIC SKIESNo filters, or any other monkey business, have been used to enhance these images.
OUR ADVENTURES FROM THE BEGINNING CATEGORIES
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