Monday, July 19 - Molfetta Bari -14,000
We stop at CUS Bari, a small marina nice and cheap in the great port of Bari. It is very hot ... We will stay three days.
Thursday, July 22 - Bari - Corfu Island (Greece) - 173 000
We left bright and early to Brindisi and then ... after rereading the weather for days to come, I think it is better to enjoy a niche that present. So we decide to cross to Corfu today after skirting the coast of Italy.
In early night as we begin to move away from the coast, we are sailing from the start with a downwind rather low (5-9 knots) but we know that helps. Towards
23h, we are surprised by a small speedboat that comes upon us without lights ... Suddenly powerful floodlights illuminate and linger over us! These are the Italian coast guard patrolling. They leave as they came.
The wind drops, we start the engine ... and the quarters. I take the second verse 0:30 ET once I leave it to sail because the wind came back and blowing at 15 knots. It will oscillate through the night between 15 and 20 knots, we can move forward at a good speed then strength to 25 knots in the morning when we arrive at twenty miles of the first Greek island: Othonoi.
We distinguish this small mountainous island in the fog and feel landing because there is a small shelter. When we pass nearby, we find that there are already quite a few boats in this confined space ... The wind around 30 knots (on) and we are no longer within a few hours, as we pursue our way up the island of Corfu.
At 14 o'clock we arrived at the entrance to Ayou Stefanos where we intend to anchor. The 173 miles were driven almost entirely by sailing in 32 hours, at an average of 5.5 knots.
There are already some boats anchored ketch whose navy blue looks very much like a zodiac ... Dam'Marine detaches is Louie who recognized our boat.
few yards farther is the Golden Dawn Liz and Julian is there ... a reunion! It is with great pleasure that we find all these friends.
As we are in the holiday period, the anchorage is crowded, the rising wind force 4 and the average holding in places, several boats hunt and go quietly, the owners being on land. Fortunately, Loulou standby and recover two with the help of other boaters. One of the owners (a South African) also offered him a bottle of wine well-deserved.
The next day, it will mix with the many charter boats in addition to those already present, it becomes a real car, fortunately the weather was calm but care must be taken to the grain! The cove is lined with bars and restaurants (the famous tavernas) and the corner is animated.
Sunday is a force 6 sweeping bay in the afternoon ... Many boats skid then eventually reach the nearby port of Gouvia. There will only be five boats in the evening!
Monday, Algieba is the only boat at anchor, we taste the calm! A good walking tour will take us on the north coast of the island, passing through a region with high relief, which is a natural park and the surrounding vegetation is exuberant ... Here, olive and green giants are worthy of Brittany. It seems that winter rainfall is very high!
Tuesday, July 27 - Ayou Stephanos - Gouvia - 9000
After an attempt at sailing is the engine that we reach the marina of Gouvia only 9 miles distant. We will stay two days in this great international marina, which will allow us to take the bus to visit the quiet town of Corfu.
This city has great charm, and when we move away from places frequented by crowds of tourists and traders, we find small quiet streets, tiny squares in which to stop in the shade of some olive .
There is of course the two citadels, the palaces of the English governors, the old port, many Orthodox churches, belfries of color and many other buildings of interest. There is even a cricket pitch, forcing English influence!
We loved Corfu and ocher.
The challenge is still to find their way through this maze, because the street names written in Greek alphabet, not necessarily easy to decipher ...
Thursday 29, we leave the marina to go lay at anchor nearby in the beautiful Bay of Komenno unfortunately exposed to traffic and water skis for the passage of vessels entering and countless Leaving the marina.
the afternoon, we leave the annex next to a small chapel on a tiny peninsula and leave on foot. Komenno Bay is surrounded by luxurious villas nestled in the woods and bordered by magnificent gardens. The heat is oppressive and we seek shade.
We find a small road that goes into the hill ... There is a farm with ducks, turkeys, guinea fowls ... and vines that grow along the fence. We enjoy this delicious sweet grape!
Friday, July 30 - Gouvia-Petriti 15,000
This morning we head south of the island Corfu in calm weather, absolutely no wind. So the engine as we reach the anchorage in front of the village Petriti. This anchorage is calm and a bit rolly at times because he is very open to the broad but sheltered from the prevailing winds from the northwest.
On landing, we find the small fishing port where some fine trawlers are aligned. The village stretches in length and on the surrounding hills. A good walk in the late afternoon, sometimes seeking the shade, we can explore this a little sleepy village and its surroundings.
As in many places on Corfu, the vegetation is generous, beautiful olive groves, beautiful gardens ... The locals going about their daily greet us, they are nice and smiling. Some even offer us to take grapes or small plums. There are very few tourists but foreigners have settled in this quiet and somewhat sleepy.
Saturday, July 31 - Bay of Petriti Kiriaki (mainland) - 27,000
A small southerly wind gradually veering to the west allows us to make the most of the way to sail. The coast is very mountainous and, after moving to the village of Parga, we discover the entrance to the Kiriaki bay until the last moment. It is a large notch between mountains that ends with a beach.
A campground, nestled in the trees, borders a part of the beach, the rest is occupied by bars and restaurants, leaving open the eastern corner. For a moment, we fear that the place is noisy, but no, we will have peace.
We anchored in the northwest corner, near the rocks in clear water. A small catamaran will spend the night and then go away the next day, leaving us alone at anchor, rocked by a small roll. We spend a quiet Sunday here, still regretting the absence paths for walking.
Monday, August 2 - Kiriaki - Vonitsa (Gulf of Amvrakia) - 37,000
The anchor is transferred around 10:30 and we drive the motor until the breeze. This occurs around noon and will crescendo during the afternoon. The 39th parallel is again today taken towards the south while qu'Algieba begins to come alive with the breeze.
We come to the entrance channel of Preveza to 15h when the west wind blowing at 15 knots, making sheep at sea under the influence of current.
We ascend the narrow channel, and sail leading us in the Gulf of Amvrakia always downwind and veins to Vonitsa where we find a good shelter to wet a sandy shoal.
The place is very quiet, hardly troubled by one or two old fishermen who come by boat lay their nets and never fail to greet us. We
Annex to reach the small town of Vonitsa located 1 mile south, the motor ratatouille takes us a bit but no problems. It is a city without much character, with some beautiful houses but also many buildings that look a little shacks and streets straight. It is however dominated by the ruins of a imposing Venetian fortress.
After some shopping with merchants friendly, we take the way back when the west wind begins to emerge. It is of course the moment chosen for the engine let us down. We must therefore join the boat rowing against the wind and the chop ... good exercise!
Wednesday, August 3 - Vonitsa-Preveza - 9000 nav
Pretty close between the islands to join a wetting front in Preveza. However, the strong breeze in the afternoon will not allow us to leave the boat. I also want to listen ... the engine diagnosis: A vent in the fuel I can not locate, I troubleshoots temporarily by making a cover pierced with several holes that I put on the air intake so as to reduce the flow, it seems to work .-
Thursday, August 4 - Preveza-Lefkas - 10,000
Departure at 8.30am in order to negotiate the tricky channel input Lefkas no wind because it is very narrow and partially obstructed by a sandbar. This will be done smoothly and we arrived just at the opening of the highway bridge. In the middle of the channel, we meet Shaka, we can only make a big hello to Mareike ... We missed the little! She then goes back to Corfu and Sicily.
We choose to go to the marina. ...
soon for the rest of the trip.
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