Sailing north to Corfu -part 2 - to Paxos

 In darkness we left Preveza using some light land breeze and turned after the long channel towards the north. Daylight came and we moved slowly towards our chosen destination of Paxos Island, with the advantage of going further west to minimise contrary winds to Corfu.

Greece has been experiencing the hottest summer for 30 years which has been challenging for us on many days. At least we had a few cooler hours by starting early. It became really hot and Anita asked if she could swim as we were barely moving. I consented to her holding onto the swim ladder which allows almost full immersion into the deep blue water, which here with the sun behind was just like deep ocean blue water.

Then I took my turn too.

Before we reached Paxos the afternoon head wind started and we had a brisk beat for the last couple of miles into the wind before anchoring in a really shallow corner of Mongonisi which we know well.

Later we took showers at the taverna, four euros for 3 minutes,  the most expensive we have encountered,  and grabbed a take away pizza from the cafe bar closer to our boat. Then we walked for almost an hour to the port and big town of Port Gaios where at last we could connect to a WiFi signal. The place was buzzing as in a normal summer.  We came home after midnight and an ice cream. We find good ones in Greece.

After a second night there we motored to Port Gaios where my old neighbour Peter from Spain was anchored in his 40' catamaran Windrider. We had sailed together years ago but not met up for a few years. Anchored in the bay outside of the harbour they were suffering swell from the many motor boats passing.

The Port is basically a canal between Paxos and a little island,and quite narrow in places. I decided to experience it by motoring through which was very pretty.

The north end is wider and the ferry comes to there.

 

We continued north to the Bay of Lakka with beautiful colour of water for that night and had a drink at the Taverna overlooking the anchorage. There were almost 60 yachts anchored, some with stern lines taken to rocks or trees ashore, some swinging at anchor like us. In 2018 I had counted 80 yachts in the Bay.

The water is so clear and such beautiful colours, from turquoise to deep ocean blue when the sunlight is right outside of the bay.