More Ionian Cruising



Our walk on Meganissi Took a circuitous route up the hill away from the anchorage, past an old lady watering her garden, to a fork in the road by a church. It was all downhill to the port village of Vathi, so we  backtracked to the church, wandered round, then took the fork to the hill village. Passing the bakery where warm, freshly baked bread was wafting its smell across the road meant we had to stop and buy two loaves (.80E) each.

A sign directed us back to the bay we were anchored in so we took it. It joined up with a better road after about 1k – we could have taken the better road the whole way if we had ignored the sign. This happens to us often. The walk back to Wild Indigo took us full circle.

From Port Atheni  we went to Nidri on Levkas Island and tied to the town quay – we needed water.  We had anchored next to a large yacht which provided perfect shelter. However, a large motor yacht – Sun Annemos arrived on the other side. Raewyn helped them berth by fending them off us. The skipper rewarded her efforts with a bottle of Red Wine. So good the grape growing area was shown as “Protected Geographical Indication Drama” on the label. A bottle of Thema 2014. There was wind when we came to leave and it blew us in the direction of Sun Annemos. It was their turn to hold the fenders. The anchor was well dug in and I had not calculated on a 60ft motoryacht being next to us when we left.  We had difficulty lifting the anchor and drifted close to their mooring chain. No damage done, we escaped but it was not prudent to return and offer a bottle of wine for their help. So we didn’t. Another factor was – we only had their wine on board, or Prosecco which Raewyn guards with her life.

We anchored in Abelike Bay Meganissi Island where we lay claim to a wonderfully protected anchorage. We have spent a few days enjoying the splendour of having no other boats too near us in a sheltered bay. It is only a short but steep uphill walk to Vathi in the next bay.

Our next sail was to the mainland – Port Marathia which is not a port, but an anchorage with a motorhome park and campground at the head. There were a few “residents” who appeared to be living there and working at the nearby fish farms. It was interesting to watch a family of pigs wander out of the bush and down to the beach. The “residents”, complete with dogs, did not worry the pigs who fossicked around on the foreshore before heading back to the hills.

We then spent a day just a bit further up the coast at a town called Astokos.

Our next sail was past a small island called Atokos. One House Bay looked delightful, but was too full of other yachts. Cliff Bay was just that – cliffs with a deep anchorage so we continued to Ithaca where there is a small bay with a reef and protective Island. The water is very clear and we stayed for the night before sailing to Vassiliki at the bottom of Levas.

Vassiliki has a large sailing school. We anchored in the bay and were surrounded by Brits on everything that would float – paddleboards, windsurfers, lasers, kitesurfers, catamarans etc. This was all a bit much, so in the morning we moved to the own quay. There was strong winds and rain with thunder and lightning in the lulls. From there it was back to Tranquil Bay Nidri where we encountered more electrical storms. No problem for us, but a very large, new yacht dragged right passed us. I did not have my dinghy down and by the time I realised help was needed, another yachtie had boarded the dragging yacht, let out more chain and re anchored the yacht. The family owners returned late in the evening and we watched the panic when they could not find, then found their yacht.  They moved immediately.

We carried on to Levkas through the canal to arrange for the new mainsail to be fitted.  A large motor yacht – Forty Love followed us. I wonder which tennis player owns that?       

Gaios - Paxos Island

Port Atheni. Meganissi Island

Storm clouds - Vassiliki

Vassiliki waterfront

Anchorage Kalamos