On to Sicily and A night at the Opera (for those who know me - not a Marx brothers film)

We completed work on Moondance in Corfu - engine back together and Solar Bracket fitted. Peter and Nikki Zabell arrived from Australia to join us for the rest of our time in the Mediterranean. We left the marina heading for a small island north of Corfu when the battery alarm sounded so we called in to Kassiopi - a small town in the North of Corfu. The combination of solar + engine charging was the culprit so after fitting a cutoff switch to the solar panel, we were on our way overnight to Italy.
For the first time in a while we were sailing. Very efficiently and arrived at Porto La Castella at 11 am the next morning, tired but safe. The marina was basic - no hot water etc etc and charged 25euros for the pleasure. we had a walk around the town in the evening and were treated to a fireworks display from a vantage point above a restaurant complex. The fireworks were exploding impressively above our head.
Sailing down the Southern Italian Coast the next day we arrived at Porto Delle Grazie, a pleasant enough stop with an interesting shifting sand bar entrance which we negotiated easily. A long day saw us leave in the dark following our track in. There was about 60 miles to Taormina Sicily achieved by a combination of sailing and motoring. This included crossing the Messina Strait - our first encounter with currents for a while. We arrived safely in the bay (Mazzaro at the foot of Taormina) anchored amongst laid moorings and tied to an offshore rock.
Since then we have visited Taormina by Finicula (actually a cable car) and enjoyed the sights including a trip to Castel Mola - a village perched on the top of a hill, and a nearby town of Naxos. Of course an Italian/Sicilian dinner of pasta at an outdoor restaurant preceded an evening at the Italian Opera. A wonderful evening and we felt privileged to be entertained and having drinks on a balcony overlooking a magnificent old town and bay.

Sunrise

Mt Etna

Pillars of Hercules?



Castelmola



Castelmola
 

Anchorage Mazzaro

Taormina



Taormina




Taormina
 



Taormina
 

Taormina
 

Taormina
 



Castelmola
 



Castelmola
 

Mozzara
 

Scenes from Corfu

Kontokali village

Georges chicken shack

Georges Chicken Shack

View from the bathroom window

Caught in Corfu

It was easy enough locating Panos. A google search showed he was a marine electrician/mechanic operating from Manduki. So, I got on a bus to Manduki (on the way in to Corfu town) Walked down the road indicated on the map and came across a wood workshop. No Panos. The owner of the workshop phoned directory service and I was given an address in Corfu town. On the bus, the driver dropped me at the top of a street and said “down there”. So I walked “down there” asked a shop owner where the address I had written down was. He pointed across the road to no. 54 – the door to multiple apartments was being cleaned by a young lady I had passed minutes before, so I approached her and said I was looking for Claudia (Panos’ wife) It was her and she said Panos  now had a workshop at Kontokali village – by Pipilas Restaurant – exactly where I had started the journey. Got the bus back to the marina and located Panos – he remembered me, so after all that an adventure and a roundabout way of doing things.

Panos looked at the batteries – confirmed their demise – they were boiling and smelled of sulphur. He installed 3 new AGM house batteries. While Panos had access to a workshop, I decided to get the heat exchanger fixed properly (it had a temporary repair in Siros), the alternator upgraded with a 3 step charger, the starter motor checked and an oil change. All this was completed efficiently and the charging systems (including solar) checked and all OK. During checking Panos noticed a small leak in the diesel injector pump so that is now in Athens along with the injectors.

That is where we are now – still in Corfu. While none of the extra work was terminal, it had to be done sometime and I would prefer it was done with Panos’ supervision.

In the meantime we have had time to explore Corfu island by bus – going North to Sidari one day and paleokastrtitsa another. Sidari was full of English enjoying their short break. Paleo was a delight. We swam in the clear water, lazed on sunbeds and walked to the monastery. We also explored Corfu town which is just as I remembered it. I got lost several times but Raewyn never complained about all the walking. Never told her I was lost.

Yesterday (Saturday) we took a day excursion to Sarande – Albania. 1.5hour ferry ride, then a guided bus tour to an ancient Venetian/Ottoman/Roman site – Butrint, buffet lunch at a good restaurant and back to Sarande. Our first experience of a guided bus tour this trip.  Easy – just act like sheep. Picked up from the marina and dropped back there at the end of the day. Seriously though we enjoyed the whole day and the guide was very knowledgeable. A great tour and a tiring day.

Goatherd Paleokastritsa

Monastry

Monastry

Rena (Pena in Greek)

Sarande

Chain Ferry/Bridge

Albanian Fisherman

Basilica Butrint

Theatre

Map - Note the neighbours Montenegro Kosovo Macedonia Greece

Albania Transport



Collecting Firewood

20 person Bunker

5 person Bunker - these bunkers are all along the Albanian Coast. Relics of recent Communist occupation

End of a perfect day

And on to Corfu

From Eufimia on Zakynthos we sailed to Ithaca – not far and getting used to places mentioned in Homer’s writing  by now. Anchored in a beautiful small bay near an islet. There were not many other yachts and most moved in the afternoon so we shared it with a few overnighters including Shalimar from Auckland. Swam and walked on the beach which was mostly marble. Stunning.  After lunch the next day we motored in the morning and sailed in the afternoon (typical Ionian) to Tranquility Bay - Nidri on Lefkas island. The sailing was so good we passed Sivota which was a pity and headed up the Meganisi Channel. A couple of nights in Nidri, then through the Lefkas canal to Preveza on the mainland where we rediscovered the Mermaid tavern which has now been altered to incorporate a mini market.  That spoilt the authentic Greek feel somewhat. Again we took advantage of the Scotsman’s anchorage and dinghied in to town. Looked like showers, so back to the boat to get jackets and close hatches. We have not been used to clouds or rain.

Preveza to Emerald Bay Antipaxos was a short day and we arrived as a flotilla was leaving so shared the bay with one other yacht. Emerald bay is well named. Beautiful clear water with caves in the rocks. The beach is not great but by swimming off the yacht it was just magic. Not really an overnight stop, but we managed it. Again, just a short hop to Paxos and anchored at Mongonisi. A very sheltered bay with Theo’s tavern which has been there forever.  We are passing many lovely anchorages now but there is just not enough time to experience every one.  From Mongonisi we went in to Gaios for a look before carrying on to Lakka at the top of the island. Second night in Lakka we got an electrical storm at 3am. A yacht ran over our chain and dislodged the anchor so we motored around the anchorage staying out of trouble until daylight. Other yachts were not so lucky as they dragged individually or together. We re anchored at daylight and left at 2pm for Corfu. Halfway there we saw another storm approaching so headed for End Bay on the mainland. A really good small shelter – just enough for one yacht and we were lucky. Many yachts were leaving a very nearby anchorage before the storm. With local knowledge (I had been there many times before) we stayed until the storm passed. (They are not fun to be out in) and we arrived at Gouvia marina late afternoon.

We are still at Gouvia. Panos is doing some work on the boat. When I met him in 2004 he was just starting working for himself and mine was his first job. Renovating an anchor winch motor. He now has a staff of 17.

Ithaca

Ithaca - moveable floating structure from an Italian superyacht. How some people live

Meganisi Channel

Robbies boat off to start the Southern Ionian Regatta. Note the cannon on the foredeck. Lethal

Emerald Bay

Emerald bay

Emerald Bay

Olympic Games, End of the Golden Weather. What a difference a day makes

From Pilos we sailed to Katakolo - again on the mainland and a stop for cruise ships who visit Olympia. Again we stayed in the "Scotsmans" anchorage (outside the marina) overnight and went in to the marina next morning. We are becoming used to having power and as much good water as we want. Katakolo is pleasant enough - a typical Greek foreshore town full of tavernas and tourist shops (well more tourist shops than usual). Got the outboard fixed. - No water in the cooling again. Met a kiwi boat - Zee Kiwi from Omaha - 49ft Fountaine Pajot catamaran and had drinks on board in the evening.
Train to Olympia left from the marina 9am the next morning. It only returned to Pirgos but that is later in the story.
Another historical day at Olympia - imagining how life was like in ancient Greece under Roman rule. In those times the rich influential and powerful had it easy. Times don't change much do they? It was easy to picture life back then with the stadium and surrounding temples, houses etc. Temple to Zeus being one of the buildings. There have been several earthquakes since the Olympic site was abandoned but there is still a lot to see.
Train back stopped at Pirgos - so we did some shopping. Missed the connecting bus and waited 1.5 hours for the next bus. Fun sitting in an airconditioned coffee shop while everything els was closed on a Saturday afternoon.
Had drinks with an English couple - Miss Fortune - Moody 36
Next day (Sunday) Filled with diesel and had a relaxing day with a meal out at a Taverna for fathers day. Greek restaurant food varies from excellent beyond belief to terrible - beyond belief. This one was the latter. Veal steaks which the poor dog had to endure.
Zakynthos - our next destination saw us at Southern Zakynthos which is mostly a turtle reserve. We did not see any but it is a nice enough anchorage. early hours of the morning a thunder storm started. Our intention was to go West to Vromo, and Wreck Bay , (famous on all Greek tourist photos)  and the Blue Grotto but the wind was against us so we went East and headed for Cephalonia. Got most of the way there and the wind went North. we turned around and sheltered in Zakynthos town. (Again the Scotsmans anchorage)
Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Hail, (yes, hail) Wind, Waterspout, we got it all plus a near knockdown while safely anchored in the town. Read 42 knots when we checked the windspeed but must have been more in the two severe gusts.
This happens when the upper air temperature is less than the sea temperature.

Someone is looking after Moondance.

Walked around the town - again like most Greek foreshore towns except it was rebuilt after a major earthquake in 1953. many large ferries coming and going. Very near where we were anchored.
Raining again today, so between showers we used our usual pastime of putting patches on the dinghy.
A few superyachts came in presumably for shelter. One (Titan) owned by a sheik and valued at 30M. How the other half live.
We are now anchored in Eufimia Cephalonia (in the town basin). Once we are tied up to a town wharf Raewyn does not want to leave so we will be here tomorrow. It is Raewyn's preference to free anchor in a sheltered bay with the anchor well dug in. It has become a standard saying "Are we safe Raewyn?"

Katakolo

The stadium

On your marks

Get set

Transport to market on Saturday

Olympia