Friday, August 4 - Stopover in Lefkas Lefkas
, also called Lefkada or Lefkas is a very active city, both in terms of tourism as the economic side. The architecture is relatively recent because the city was destroyed during the earthquake of 1953 and rebuilt in a rather haphazard. Only a few old houses or parts of churches remain.
Most houses are brick and the walls are covered with sheets of painted pretty colors, this to be able to withstand potential earthquakes.
The towers and pinnacles were also reconstructed with a metal, which gives him a strange look.
The city is surrounded by a large shallow lagoon, the island was separated from the mainland by the narrow channel that we borrowed the day before.
Saturday, August 5 - Lefkas - Ormos Bay Vlikho - 10,000
small step that takes us across the lagoon and its channel to a deep fjord location at the entrance to the village and beyond Nydri , Bay Vlikho completely closed.
The wind pushes us quietly, and when we arrived at Nydri, we are impressed by the boat traffic coming and going in all directions!
The "Quiet Bay" in front of Nydri and sung by Jean-François Deniaux no more tranquil than the name, at least in this time of year. A crowd of boats There are at anchor and some even spend the winter. There are even some who are in a state of disrepair ... In
penetrating further into the fjord, the vast array Vlikho is much quieter and we let down our anchor in the northeast corner.
course, there are some tavernas and restaurants on the east side, causing a small traffic of motorboats often driven by "Schumacher" ... of the boat 500 hp at the back, they pass at high speed sometimes close to the boat They make us dance!
Swimmers, beware and do not leave because they cut your head off!
That said, it's not too often and only at certain times of the day ... The water is 26 ° and swimming are welcome, especially after a few steps in the campaign trails of goats and temperatures 35 degrees, yet in late afternoon. The village of
Nydri no interest is a series of tourist shops ... but it is very convenient for shopping and internet. For cons, the little sleepy village of Vlikho is very interesting with its old houses juxtaposed with a side of the mountain, all decorated with grape arbors showing clusters of beautiful golden. Life here proceeds slowly, read, or elders of the embroidery (without glasses, we have noticed) in their arbor. Curiously, tourists are unaware of this village!
Nydri Opposite lies the island Madouri
where you can see the beautiful villa of Greek national poet Aristotelis Valaoritis, now extinct, and almost quiet bay, lies the tomb of the Dorpfeld archaeologist who issued the thesis that Lefkas is the homeland of Ulysses and Ithaca ... It is not obviously revered here.
A boat that we are not unknown wets not very far from us, "The Owl" back to Turkey, Yves and Anne-Marie (Yves Breton from Douarnenez) invite us on board and we tell each other our adventures.
Thursday, August 12 - Vlikho - Bay Abelike (Meganisi Island) - 7000
This time we cast our sights on the Bay Abelike north of the small island of Meganisi. After a short voyage that allows us to pass to admire the island of Skorpios, owned by the Onassis family, we faufilons among the few boats anchored to the bottom of the bay where we anchor in 6 meters of water elsewhere it very deep ... It's only 11:30 ET any day, the boats come in, piling on each other, putting a lot of ropes to the ground.
We begin to find that a lot of people, but the surprise is the return of the promenade, a dozen boats Dutch (rental) tour came up a floating village not far from us! And a party in the evening ... Oh the joys of August!
Port Vathi is only a quarter of an hour's walk along a narrow road that winds through the olive trees is a pretty town with a small port where docked ferry which runs between the islands.
The next day, many boats leave and we will be more quiet! We will go, always walking on foot, sometimes under the hot sun, among countless olive trees, visit the cute and authentic village of Katomeri. Again, many elders, women in evening dress, greeting us all the traditional "Yasser"
... The return will be by Port Athens which houses many small brightly colored fishing boats.
Saturday, August 14 - Abelike (Meganisi Island) - One House Bay (Island Atoko) - 15,000
Heading south this morning to joining the small mountainous island of Atoko not inhabited. The wind is low but sufficient to make the journey under sail, it will force elsewhere in the end. The only real anchor is south-east of the island and is called "One House Bay" because it is a small home (uninhabited) near the beach.
We arrived about 14 hours and already a dozen boats at anchor in this narrow space, but of great beauty, imagine a giant green screen from the shore and climbing almost vertically to 334 meters altitude, the green of the trees contrasting with blue turquoise Water, all on a background of sky blue Mediterranean.
Thousands of cicadas inhabit the scene and some wild goats that we descry the evening on the beach.
Wind is already well established in the northwest and gusty down the mountain. We hardly find a place and anchored near the beach, the anchor is highly requested, but it is well crochée in the sand and held good. In the afternoon, the boats leave one after another and we will not be until five in the evening. The night is windy and unfortunately very little quiet ...
Sunday, August 15 - One House Bay - Astakos (mainland) - 13 000
Back to the mainland, still sailing, with good wind range. We make our entrance into the Bay Astakos 12:30 ET anchored to a half-hour later in front of this big port town once turned to lobster fishing ... Astakos means lobster in Greek.
We are only three at anchor, you breathe a little, but ... The heat is overwhelming, he blows a hot wind, the temperature rises to 40 °. A small bath from time to time to refresh and late afternoon, we're going "in town" ... a drink on a terrace! This town is built
haphazardly, old houses stand alongside rather ugly buildings and streets are straight.
However, in the rear, at the foot of the imposing mountain, we find small quiet roads lined with small houses with lovely gardens nice.
at anchor when the wind comes from the north, we have some unpleasant odors and we assume there are still some who need to dump sewage into the sea!
Tuesday, August 17 - Astakos-Messolonghi (Gulf of Patras) - 35 000
Astakos We leave around 9 am, the forecast of stronger winds in the afternoon, but as they will healthy, it does not worry us. We
faufilons Echinades between the islands, admiring the scenery, the wind pushes us slowly but gradually became stronger.
At the entrance of Gulf of Patras, it reaches 15 to 20 knots and then increase to 30 knots with gusts over 35 knots ...
So rough seas at the entrance of the long channel lined with pretty houses on stilts, which leads to Messolnghi, then the water is calm and we arrive at the new marina.
Wednesday 17 to Friday, August 20 - Messolonghi
Escale extended in this marina being finished ... so in work but not too bothersome. The environment suffers, of course, but it yal'essentiel. After seeing the city that is lively and pleasant, the area covered (lagoons, salt marshes, but also mountain) with our bikes that we have out for the occasion, and also examined the rates are attractive, we decide that this will be our wintering grounds from mid-October.
Meanwhile, we'll continue to explore the Ionian islands that still have lots of treasures to discover us.
Saturday, August 21 - Messolonghi - Port Vathi (island Ithaca) - 41 000
This morning, the heat is scorching, the wind blows strongly from the East, it would be a shame not to take this opportunity to exit the Gulf of Patras. So we are a bit rushed and sudden, we forget the documents of the boat at the marina ... Too bad, we will return later to fetch them.
Until the release of the gulf, we will have a good wind on gusty at times though, some peaks exceeding 35 knots and there are the wave!
Once passed the milestone ... we need to start the engine and it is late afternoon as we enter the great bay of Port Vathi, not to be confused with Port of Meganisi Vahtera. The village surrounds the bay and the entire bottom is surrounded by docks, restaurants, tavernas, the place is rather crowded but the village, which is spread on the heights, is beautiful!
We are in the homeland of Ulysses ... ...
This bay, though a bit noisy at night, is nice and we have everything we need, even the internet on board. So we will stay there five days because we're in no hurry. The city, like many places in this sensitive region, was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1953 and then rebuilt. She does not lack for charm with a bustling and pretty houses the hills surrounding the bay. We spend a Sunday
very quiet, featuring a walk in the hills, always with beautiful panoramas.
Then, late Monday afternoon, a horde of rental boats arrived, some crowded dockside, others are at anchor, we identified several boats closely and may slammed! They all depart the next morning leaving the empty bay, then others will replace them in late afternoon ...
We will use this day to rent a scooter and exploring the interior of the island by small sometimes bumpy mountain roads. Perachora is a small quiet village nestled in the mountains, colorful houses spread out on his side.
After the fountain Arethusa, where Ulysses met the swineherd Eumaeus, south of the island, we are forced to turn back because the road is not passable. We give
heading north again pass by Vahtera, and after a delicious swim in clear water at the bend of the road, we make our lunch break in the beautiful village of Stavros. Here it is said, was the palace of King Odysseus, although its location is controversial. The
Return by Piaggio in and takes us to our nearly 700 meters at Anoga who is the former capital of the island. Today, this small village, where many houses are in ruins, is completely asleep and we talk in whispers for fear of waking the people ... It is true that at 15 pm, everyone is sleeping except ... Crazy tourists!
But we want to join our board early because the wind would be felt strongly at the end of the day ... And the rental boats threaten!
The next afternoon, the wind is crazy and gusty to 30 nodes and more ... Go 17h, our brave anchor who had never wavered, and takes down Algieba goes smoothly. Fortunately we're on board, I realize once and a new maneuver we repeat anchor with a chain length greater because there are few boats at that time (35 meters to 3.50 meters of water ... The Connoisseurs will appreciate!).
August 26 - Vahtera - Kioni - 6000
The pretty little cove Kioni open to us by late morning after a short sail to the engine. We quickly found a place to rock ass after a clever maneuver to put the ropes on the ground!
There are few boats at this time but this will change in a short time.
The small port is full by mid-afternoon and late find no place. The place is very cute and extremely well protected from the prevailing wind from the Northwest, it also offers the opportunity to hike in the mountains, what we do in the morning, enjoying a mild temperature even to climb the mule tracks current olive groves, vineyards and forests of oak and showing us superb views of the surrounding islands.
There is not a soul on these roads, except a few biquette.
August 28 - Kioni-Fiskardo (Kefalonia Island) - 10,000
We leave for Ithaca Kefalonia, its larger neighbor and we stop in the small port of Fiskardo. Again, mooring to rocks ass but the maneuver is complicated by the crosswind. As he must hurry, I throw myself into the water with the rope and swam vigorously towards the rocks.
Gasp! The boat is already running and I miss 2 meter mooring! Fortunately, a Dutch already there comes to the rescue with his schedule and we can tie Algieba who went tu his neighbor (Quite distant), but no damage!
Next time I promise myself to take a very long tether!
We are well settled in this quiet, disturbed only by the passage of some ferries. The village of Fiskardo
(the only island to have been spared by the earthquake of 1953) is very pretty and nice but very touristy. It is famous for the passage of showbiz stars and other millionaires ... Large yachts are moored.
The next day a French sailboat is moored near us and encounter many difficulties in the successful docking. Revenge of the previous day, I will help carry their moorings. So, we sympathize with Dominique and Nicole traveling aboard Houbibi a solid Nordship built in Denmark.
August 30 - Fizkardo - Eufimia - 12,000
We borrow the channel between Cephalonia from Ithaca to Ithaca. This arm of the sea, a few miles offshore is deemed very windy, but this morning a gentle breeze pushes us slowly and we three little hours to reach Eufimia.
This village is nestled deep in a small bay at the mouth of a valley, also a strong current of air (20 knots) and we welcome the wetting is made difficult with the wind and again, the bottom is a bad place. So we need to return three times to hook anchor.
Along with Dominique and Nicole, we do a short visit to this pleasant village, but without much character.
Late afternoon, the inevitable rental boats pouring in and invaded the platform, fortunately we are far enough!
August 31 - Eufimia - Messolonghi - 43,000
Back to our marina winter to retrieve the papers of the boat and repeat the refueling before returning to the islands or the Gulf of Corinth. There took a shower this morning, the first rain we have seen since mid-June.
soon for new adventures.
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