We worked on Island Drifter for three weeks in Aktio Boatyard and for a further two weeks while moored alongside on the quay at the old fishing port at the northern end of the Lefkas Canal. Thereafter, we sailed south down the west coast of Lefkas to Ag Efimia harbour in Kefalonia, ready to meet our younger son Will and our granddaughter Emmy, who were due to join us for her half term, at the island's airport near Argostoli.
Kefalonia,
also known in English as Cephalonia, is the largest of the northern Ionian
islands. We had initially made landfall there after our passage from the Aegean
in 2022, although we did not fully explore the island then.
Will,
having previously enjoyed reading Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de
Bernières, was however enthusiastic about exploring the island. In brief, like
its neighbours, Kefalonia was overrun by Italians and Germans in WWII. The
‘hand-over’ after Italy’s capitulation in 1943 led to the massacre of over 5000
Italian troops on the island by invading German forces, as chronicled in Louis
de Bernières’ novel.
Subsequently
almost all the island’s towns were levelled in the 1953 earthquake, thereby
destroying most of the elegant masterpieces of Venetian architecture in what is
otherwise a severe mountainous landscape.
The
island’s airport is some 7 miles south of Argostoli, Kefalonia’s capital, which
is a large and thriving town – virtually a city – with a marvellous location on
a bay within a bay. A causeway connects the two sides of the inner bay. It was
initially constructed by the British in 1813; it is now pedestrianised.
We
concluded, when investigating its suitability, that its EU-financed,
uncommissioned, rat-infested marina/boat graveyard was not an appropriate
location for the start of our family holiday and cruise. Argostoli’s town quays had negligible space
and was full of charter boats, while the southern end of the island itself was
simply one big, long holiday resort.
Therefore,
we based ourselves in Ag Efimia, a charming little ex-fishing now holiday
village on the east coast of the island, even though it was an hour’s drive
over mountainous roads from the airport. Since we were early, we had supper on
the nearby tourist ‘strip’.
Thankfully,
Will and Emmy’s Jet2 flight from Stansted arrived on time. The road down the
west coast of the island to Argostoli and surrounding scenery had been ruggedly
picturesque. Returning at night, however, with very few road markings, many
corners, gulleys on either side and the possibility of goats lurking around
each bend, it was a significantly hairier experience!
Next
day we all took it easy and got to know Ag Efimia – in particular frequenting a
very attractive, small pink-pebbled swimming cove just 200 metres away from our
berth on the town quay – and having lunch in the taverna adjacent to our berth!
On
Sunday Will, after surviving Friday night’s white-knuckled ride back from the
airport, insisted on taking over the driving duties, when we went out for a day
trip around the northern part of the island. Initially we went to the stunning
Myrtos Beach, said to be one of the best in Greece, where we swam in aquamarine
water.
We drove next to Assos, a tiny well-sheltered port tucked behind an islet topped with
an ancient castle, where we had an excellent lunch (red snapper, giant prawns
split and grilled on a spit – and mac and cheese for Emmy).
Finally,
we drove round to Fiskardo (also known as Chelsea on Sea!) on the northern tip
of the island. The village sits on a bed of clay which ameliorated the damage
of the 1953 earthquake, thereby preserving its Venetian and Victorian
buildings.
We
have always believed that to get to know an island, it is necessary to drive
around it rather than simply sail between selected harbours. Hence, on our
third day of our car hire (with Will still insisting on driving…), by popular demand
we first returned to Myrtos Beach for another glorious swim.
Thereafter,
we drove south along the spine of the island to Argostoli, to see the Italian
Monument to their troops massacred in 1943.
We
returned to Ag Efimia across the island’s spine via Sami, now the main ferry
port, where we had originally made landfall in 2022. The town was used as the
set for much of the filming of the movie of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
ITHACA
Ithaca
is the legendary homeland of Odysseus. On our passage north from Ag Efimia our
engine alarm went off, indicating that the alternator was not charging the
batteries. We therefore pulled into Vathy, the island’s ‘capital’, which was
nearby, to review our options.
Next
morning, John, a diesel engineer we’d met there in 2022, visited us. Although
he did not have the parts available to correct the situation, he did confirm
our view that we could still keep motoring north (subject to fuel), providing
power usage was kept to the minimum (primarily by hand steering and not using
the autopilot) and keeping the batteries topped up as best we could with the
solar panels. This we did.
That
night we made it to and anchored in One Tree Bay on the south-west corner of
the Aktio peninsula close to the southern end of the Lefkas Canal. There we all
thoroughly enjoyed swimming off the boat in the crystal-clear water of this
lovely bay. Next morning, Emmy, to our delight, took to jumping off the boat
(multiple times!) and insisted on swimming to the shore with Helen – a good
200m away.
Once
we’d reached the peninsula, we knew that, if necessary, we wouldn’t have a
problem getting Will and Emmy back by taxi to the airport which is on the other
side of the peninsula – a major consideration in the circumstances.
LEFKAS
On
passage from Ithaca and subsequently north up through the Lefkas Canal, past
Lefkhada, to Preveza, Emmy showed both increased enthusiasm and competence
steering ID when motor-sailing.
During the last day and night of Will and Emmy’s holiday, we stayed on ‘our’ (H&M’s)
quay at the north end of the Canal, where we had previously spent time
servicing ID. Both Will and Emmy enjoyed the spit’s excellent beach (and
fresh-water shower) and eating local Greek fare at the nearby ‘greasy spoon’.
During
our time on the quay, Will tested out the dinghy and outboard, which we had
previously refurbished on that quay, and drove us all into Lefkas town to shop and
sample a few beers at one of the quayside bars.
CLEOPATRA
MARINA (AKTIO)
Next
morning we had an early swim, before sailing up the west coast of the mainland
to Cleopatra Marina, where we’d booked to stay overnight.
There
Will and Emmy completed their packing and had a welcome shower, before we had
an early supper together at Panos’s taverna nearby.
They
were picked up there by taxi and taken to the airport (a five-minute ride).
They arrived in Gatwick on time but unfortunately, as expected, there were no
trains running due to an industrial dispute, and they had to get a cab back
home at a cost almost equal to what they had paid for the flight!
PREVEZA
We had
already arranged to meet on Preveza town quay with Vassily, a local electronic
engineer, about our alternator problem. Since we also wanted to look round
Preveza itself and were limited by the fact that we would otherwise have no
means of fully charging the batteries, while Vassily sourced a new alternator
we stayed for the long Greek Whitsun weekend and plugged into one of the quay’s
electricity pillars, before moving back south to the Santa Maura quay where the
alternator could safely be fitted.
LEFKAS
While
we were on the Santa Maura quay, we were sold 1.5 kilos of mixed fish by Tajha,
the Egyptian mate on a Greek trawler. He then insisted on preparing and cooking
the fish for us, as our hob was temporarily out of action, awaiting repair.
Next
day, Vassily replaced the alternator, and George, a local gas engineer,
replaced a faulty thermocouple on our hob.
From
Lefkhada at the north of Lefkas island we motor-sailed back south through the
Lefkas Canal, down the east coast of the island, past Nidri, to Vlikho Bay,
where we anchored just in time to join the Ocean Cruising Club’s two-day ‘meet’
commencing that evening.
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