GOING SOUTH AGAIN

After the most enjoyable, but intensive two weeks of the family cruise we needed to rest. I was even more fired up than usual by Bob’s desire to use the sails whenever possible. A mile sailed is a mile of fuel saved.

We re-provisioned at Lidl, Corfu Town and replenished water supplies from the popular public taps by Garitsas Bay. With days of light wind forecast we drifted slowly under sail, when possible, back to the calm Valtou Bay. Our course crossed at a narrow angle the course of the Igoumenista – Corfu Town car ferries and one in particular did not show any sign of respecting the “rules of the road” to avoid a “sailing vessel”. Being prudent I made a small course alteration. Two more ferries passed at a safe distance. The photo shows one which passed safely.

At Valtou a young woman in an inflatable kayak stopped to speak with us, having seen our Polish flag. Agnieska and Lee (English Captain) came over to spend the following evening with us. Two Anglo – Polish teams !!

After three peaceful nights both boats motored out to take advantage of some wind. We wanted to visit again Two Rocks Bay but felt that there could be uncomfortable swell the next day. We headed instead for the popular tourist bay at AntiPaxos, arriving in fading light having been helped quite a lot but the evening wind.

This is August and whilst I expected a few boats to anchor overnight it was full of mostly large boats, and many people. 

Last photo was setting sun but I saw many sunrises too, including there.

We anchored inshore of them all and enjoyed being there, despite some swell, the bay not being very protected from the stronger than usual NW night wind. We were keen to leave the clear turquoise waters before the first tourist boats would bring the daily invasion to this popular “must do” destination.

That same wind gave us an energetic sail to the East 

and we were soon back in one of our favourite anchorages, Two Rocks Bay, on the mainland.

We enjoyed two nights there before jumping on the next wind, light at first, but blowing Force 5 or 6 as we arrived in time for the 18.00 opening of the bridge into Levkas Canal. We anchored off Levkas Town for the night. It was full of charter boats, in for change-over day. 

We bought some fruit and explored the bustling town. We especially enjoyed two buskers playing lovely Greek music.

Anita found some leaves of mint to pick for our drinks. Many of our infusions are from ingredients she picks on our travels.

We motored south next morning through the canal and caught a good north wind to hasten us to the East Varko Bay, and rested a couple of days there, enjoyed paddle board etc. 

This was the once place we dragged anchor this year in afternoon gusts while using our lighter anchor.

Our five week trip north to Corfu, and family holiday, had meant that we had cut short our earlier visit to these southern islands and mainland, and we wanted to experience the wilder side again in the limited time still available.

We used the wind once more, very light and first and wild and gusty at the end, to sail south to the tall Kalamos Island, anchoring in Port Leone. 

I have written before that late afternoon can bring two or three hours of strong winds, but that is often not enough to reach a destination in daylight so it is necessary to sail slowly to make the first miles, of sometimes to motor.

We anchored off a small beach which we had visited last year going straight to that spot to get the anchor down and relax from the wind. We were close to a small Dutch yacht but it was no problem, nor did we worry the owner.  A few wasps found us next day but far less than last year.

The winds continued into the night, and even in the morning. Next evening three small trimarans motored to our corner of the bay, dropping anchors just before the beach and taking stern lines ashore to trees. 

These were the smallest multi-hulls we had met, really camping with feet in the water. The French sailors told me that the Astus 22 is built in Brittany, and the three couples had brought the boats by trailer from France and ferry from Italy to spend four weeks cruising together. The next day they were to lift out at Mitika and start the drive home on trailers behind their cars.

These are true sailors, unlike so many charterers who don’t even unfurl the Genoa to sail downwind. The just motor every-where, and sadly are in the majority from my observations.

Leaving Kalamos we had two miles to cover in the Kalamos – Kastos Channel westward until we could turn to head north to Meganissi. It was mid-morning and we had a strong gusty headwind again, whilst on the Kastos side of the channel yachts were tacking slowly to the west in light winds.

This is a windy corner, and influenced not only but the steep hills but by the common strong airflow from the open sea which blows between Cephalonia and Levkas.