Sailing with Moondance : Still in the Ionian

From Atoko Island we headed back to the mainland and the town of Astokos. We tied stern to the town wall right next to where the ferry berths. The ferry operators are well used to working with yachts and in tight spaces so there was no dramas and they came and went a couple of times a day. We filled our water and diesel tanks and left for an anchorage north of Oxia Island at the entrance to the gulf of Patras. It was a very quiet anchorage in clear water near the mouth of the largest river in Greece (which is not very large)

From Oxia we went to Messalonghi which is entered via a canal. There is plenty of room to anchor once at the waterfront, with provision to moor yachts alongside the quay. The canal is lined with holiday houses built on stilts and some of these have become permanent homes. We refilled our water tanks. In the evening what sounded like a loud political rally started so we moved out in to the anchorage.

Going back to Oxia we found a delightful sheltered bay and anchored for the night. The water was clear, warm and inviting, so it was a 5 swim day.

From there we headed north again to Ag.Petalas. This is a large bay with not much there but a salt marsh. Very sheltered, but it was windy and we dragged anchor for the first time. Bit of a surprise as the water was shallow but not clear. Fortunately it was in the early afternoon and we were aboard. Reanchoring was not a problem.

12 August we headed back to Vathi on Ithaka. Managed to sail some of the way, but the wind was light and variable. We anchored near a small island with the usual church on it and went in to town. Of course there was more wind and it was a bit of an uncomfortable dinghy ride. Worth the effort as we had spit roast lamb at Niko’s restaiurant. 12E per large portion.

From Vathi we went to Sami on Cephalonia and anchored off the beach. Bob and Sue had arranged to meet their son there. The wind got up about 6pm and blew quite hard directly onshore. There was a local chap living on the waterfront who was keeping an eye on Wild Indigo. I checked with the Port Police on the expected wind conditions and as is usual in the Med, it was expected to decrease during the evening. Luckily the forecast proved accurate and after dinner we had an easy dinghy ride back to Wild Indigo and a pleasant night. Occasionally the longer range forecast gets it wrong and the wind increases. This time we were fortunate.

This was the end of our cruising with Bob and Sue and it was time for us to keep heading North in preparation for the winter haulout at Corfu.

We found a lovely bay on Cephalonia with clear water and no other yachts overnight. There were quite a few locals using the beach during the day, but again they disappeared in the evening. A sign on the beach advised that the bay was the site for filming part of “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, but I think there are many other sites on the island where the film was made.

We stayed one more day in this bay – another quiet night until we woke to thunder and lightning around 7.30am. We felt we should leave, so up anchored. Once out into the Ithaka channel the wind increased. We arrived at “Goat Bay” – a previous anchorage. There was no one in it, so we anchored for an hour or so. Wind changed so we up anchored again and went across to a bay on Ithaka just north of Polis. Goats again and no one else, but sheltered. Another yacht came in from Fiskardo and said their anchor had been pulled out and they had to cut their ropes which were tied to rocks, to get away.

Wind was due to change again, this time to the West leaving us exposed, so again we up anchored and headed across the strait to Nidri on Levkas Island. The sea was a bit unsettled but nothing sinister - Tranquil Bay was full so we carried on to Vliho.

Next morning in Vliho we went in to Nidri for supplies. The air leaks in the dinghy had got worse so we bought a new dinghy. Slightly bigger than the old one and the pontoons are bigger. It does the business. The next day we headed back to Nidri to get the rest of our supplies. Passed a catamaran who hailed us “Kia Ora” so we stopped and heard the All Blacks were playing Aus in the first Bledisloe Cup match. They would be watching at the Vliho yacht club. Finished our shopping and headed to the yacht club just in time to watch the National Anthem being sung.

We are spoilt for choice on anchorages around Nidri, and as we were headed north, we missed Meganissi and arrived at one of our favourite spots on the mainland East of the Levkas Canal. Again clear water, lots of swimming and a quiet night. We have been fortunate this year in enjoying many places like this.

Continuing North we had to motor a bit faster than usual to make the 11am opening of the Levkas Canal bridge. Made it with 5 minutes to spare. Arrived in Preveza after a pleasant sail from the canal and got water and diesel from the marina. Anchored nearby and I went and checked on a friends yacht. They were unable to make the journey this year. Raewyn used the marina facilities to have a shower. “I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a shower as much as I did this one. It was absolute bliss” and it was a cold shower – “Trouble was, once outside into the heat I was sweating again” So we had a drink at the café then moved Wild Indigo to our anchorage in Turtle Bay.

Navpolis 21/8 we visited the Roman Ruins. We took a bus as far as we could, then walked to the Odium “theatre”. It was a huge place with a big wall – one side of which was mostly intact. We then walked closer to the township hoping to find a bus stop for the trip back. No luck and the town was about a mile away. We were standing at a crossroads hoping for a passing taxi. Raewyn stuck out her thumb and a very nice Greek man speaking good English drove us back to the bus station in his SUV. A pleasant experience. “I have never hitch hiked in my life, but it was desperation and we were very lucky” I think this comment relates well to a lot of experiences for us both but especially to Raewyn.

Next stop was a bay called Iounnou. It has a fresh water spring in the bay and we anchored at a beach at the head of the bay.

Parga was only a short distance away and anchored in the small harbour along with fishing boats, yachts and up to 17 flotilla charter yachts who moor bows to on the sand. Many young cats populate the harbour wall and frolic around. The older cats come by in the evening in a line and thoughts of “Old Possums book of Cats” came easily to mind. The setting and antics were so similar to the musical “Cats”

Meteora 24/8

We booked a tour the previous day. An early start – off at 6am. Left the yacht at 6.30 and rowed across to the beach where we left the dinghy. Got to the bus stop in plenty of time 6.50 for a 7am boarding. The bus was a bit late. The day trip takes 12 hours with a stop for breakfast lunch and afternoon tea. It was a long but interesting bus ride through the prefecture of Epirus including the outskirts of Ionnina (a large city on a beautiful lake) Reaching the outskirts of Meteora, the monolithic rocks were breathtaking and the monasteries built at great personal sacrifice were literally out of this world. Our tour only included the Grand Meteora – for us it was better to visit one monastery properly rather than try and get to them all with limited time.

There are only 3 monks now living at the monastery. It has been well preserved. Building took 20 years and everything was hauled up either by hand, net, or ropes. A feat in architecture and construction. The building was started in the 11^th century (Raewyn thinks) 40 steps down from the carpark and 350 steps up. It took 3 hours to view the monastery. It was interesting to move through the different rooms, observe and learn the reasons and thoughts behind the physical buildings. The are used for wine making was next to the ossuary where the skulls and bones of former monks are kept. Bit creepy viewing the ossuary but it is part of the history