Methoni to Corfu

Turkish Tower Methoni

Methoni Castle

Sailing Companions

Zakynthos

O.Peri Pighadi Anchorage

O.Peri Pighadi Anchorage

Parga Town

Corfu adventure tour

Tony in Greek

Achilleon Palace

Neighbours - Garitses Helicopter Surveillance

Turkish Tower Methoni

Learning to row  O.Peri Pighadi

Methoni has been a short stop for us in the past. This time we anchored in the sheltered bay and dinghied ashore, visiting the prominent Turkish Tower and Fort.  The town square had the obligatory restaurants and we enjoyed a milkshake. Walking along the waterfront we stopped for lunch at a very pleasant restaurant for pizza lunch.  It was well worth the visit and we were pleased we went ashore this time.

This is beginning to sound like – ruins, drink, lunch and in some ways {interspersed with swimming) this is what travelling the coastline is like.

Pilos was the next stop. Another pretty town with buildings arranged around a large square on the waterfront. Slightly different from the usual Greek layout the town had a French influence. From here we took a bus to Kalamata to fill in some land travel which we often miss. 

Katakolon – further up the Pelopenessos coast is another enjoyable and safe anchorage where we stayed a couple of nights before heading for Zakynthos and the Ionian Islands.

Zakynthos. We tied to the town Quay and went looking for Vaughan and Zana who were to join us for the journey to Corfu. We located the hotel nearby and had our first fresh water swim in the rooftop hotel pool since Auckland. Next day we all set off for Ay Euphemia on the island of Cephallonia. There V & Z visited the Melanissi Caves by taxi. A very efficient driver had them visit the caves, jump the queue for tickets and back on Wild Indigo within 2 hours, so wev left and went to O. Peri Pighadi on Ithaka. This is a lovely sheltered clear water anchorage on the East side of the island. It has become a popular stop for flotilla charters and we were fortunate enough to have the bay to ourselves for most of the time. Joined occasionally by other yachts. We stayed overnight.

Vathi on Ithaka was our next stop. It was close to Sue’s (Othali) birthday. There is a very good spit roast restaurant there, so the seven of us celebrated Sue’s birthday as it was to be the last time we saw Othali for the year.

Next day we headed for Tranquil Bay on Lefkada Island. Nidri town is a place we visit often. We wanted to have the outboard serviced after its capsize in Spinalonga Lagoon. This took a few hours, so we spent the time wandering around the familiar town. Service completed we went back to Wild Indigo.

Negotiating the Levkas Canal is always an interesting navigation exercise and we duly waited for the floating bridge to open before going on to Preveza. There we had dinner at the “Mermaid” restaurant.

Again, this is becoming “another day – another bay as we continued to Parga where we took the Road Train to Ali Pasha’s Castle – which has been  there since about 1810-  comparatively recently. We also visited the fort as it is a pleasant flat walk after the uphill section of negotiating the path between Valtos Beach where we anchor and Parga town.

Mourtos/Sivota – Monastry bay was our next stop on the way north where we had the obligatory pizza on the waterfront.

We are now in Garitses Harbour – Corfu Town. The anchorage has been improved since our last visit with a wasteland converted to a park with a sea wall. Also tripper boats now load and unload from steps that were previously cordoned off as work was being carried out. Clarity of the water has improved and consequently with all these changes the area is much more pleasant than previously. We are still woken around midnight though with wash from the Venice-Patras ferry.

During our time between Zakynthos and Corfu we noticed considerably more yachting activity even though it is late in the season. However, apart from Ay Euphemia where there was a large flotilla fleet, we have been able to avoid overcrowded anchorages. The noticeable drop in temperature is welcome, especially at night.

Yesterday was a road trip of the island, visiting hill villages, narrow winding roads, Paleokastritsa Beach,  and Pontokonissi  for a photo shoot.