ISLAND DRIFTER, AUTUMN CRUISE 2023

 

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SPRING CRUISE IN THE IONIAN – 2023

(14 June – 10 July)

We spent nine months (Mike) and three months (Helen) trying, as best we could, during the winter of 2022–23, to recover from our respective ‘ailments’ and injuries [see Blogs 1 & 2]. Hence, we set ourselves limited objectives when returning to Greece in April 2023. In brief, we needed to sort out Island Drifter (ID) which of necessity we had neglected during the Covid period, and at the same time see how we ourselves coped. We accepted the fact that we might end up simply remaining in the boatyard and using ID as a ‘holiday cottage’ – albeit it in the sun!

As it happened, we coped and progressed significantly better than we anticipated. Jack Reacher’s philosophy of “Plan for the worse and hope for the best” has proved particularly appropriate to our situation!

We ended up spending some six weeks in total servicing, repairing, improving and sea-trialling ID before enjoying ten days cruising the Ionian islands of the Inland Sea with our younger son Will and granddaughter Emmy [See Blog 2].

Emmy steering up the narrow confines of the Lefkas Canal

This, our third and final Spring 2023 Blog, covers our remaining month in the Ionian before our return to the UK on 8 July. During that time we continued to sort out issues on ID, attended our first Ocean Cruising Club [OCC] Meet, and sailed in company with friends Rolf and Roz.

Annotated Google Earth® Chart  showing locations covered in this Blog

ISLAND DRIFTER

We have always been of the view that a boat has least problems when it is actually used. Our inability to visit, use and service ID during the 2-year Covid lockdown period has clearly not been beneficial. A significant number of pieces of equipment, which worked perfectly well before Covid, did not do so when we came to use them this spring.

Refurbishing the sole boards on the spacious quay at the north end of the Lefkas Canal, while at the same time cleaning and servicing the bilges

As a consequence we have spent considerably more time than normal addressing unexpected issues on the boat. Indeed, we still have more to resolve – primarily where spares have been required that were not readily available in Greece. Hopefully, we shall be able to acquire them in the UK over the summer and resolve related issues in the autumn.

OCEAN CRUISING CLUB MEET

Phil Heaton, Vice Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club, passed us in the Levkas Canal and noticed our Club’s flying fish burgee. He subsequently looked us on the Members’ Directory before emailing to encourage us to join the Club’s forthcoming meet in Lefkas.

Ocean Cruising Club’s Flying Fish burgee 

[photo courtesy of the OCC Website gallery]

The aim of the Meet was to assess the suitability of the large, protected Vlikho Bay for a meeting in 2024 to celebrate the OCC’s 70^th anniversary.

Phil Heaton, Vice Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club

We subsequently made our way south from Lefkada back down the Canal and along the east coast of Lefkas island to Vlikho Bay. This coast is the most developed part of the island – much more so in fact than the nearby mainland coast. There are beaches of varying quality along much of the coast with a road running parallel to them. Lefkada, the island’s capital, is in fact linked to Nidri, the island’s biggest resort by far, by ribbon tourist development and seaside holiday resorts. The coast is a mecca for water sports enthusiasts of every ilk.

A small section of the ribbon holiday development 

on the east coast of Lefkas

From Nidri the bay of Vlikho lies south of a bottleneck entrance which opens up into a very large oval bay with the village of Vlikho on the west side. There one can anchor in good holding. Indeed, the bay is a major ‘hurricane hole’ which yachts use to shelter in from bad weather. The coastline between Nidri and Vlikho, with their enormous boatyards, anchorages, quays, pontoons, and services, forms a major yachting centre.  Vlikho village itself, however, remains a relaxed place compared with the commercial bustle and noise of Nidri’s tourist strip.

Google Earth ® overview of Vlikho Bay and Nidri town (to the north)

Vlikho anchorage in the early morning

Seven boats and thirteen OCC members convened for the Meet. Initially, we assembled at Vlikho Yacht Club for drinks and a convivial dinner. Together with a number of members, we later had difficulty, when returning by dinghy in the dark, relocating ID, given the size of the bay, the number of yachts and proliferation of confusing lights! Eventually we found her, but not before thinking we might well be spending the night sleeping in the dinghy!

Ocean Cruising Club dinner at Vlikho Yacht Club

Next morning we independently dinghied to the IBA pontoon in Nidri, from where we hiked up to the Nidri waterfalls – an hour or so each way. Near the top and before the falls, we stopped off at a shady little café for welcome refreshments.

Pleasant, shady little café just short of Nidri waterfalls

There was still plenty of water flowing at the falls. It was, however, pretty cold water and we therefore resisted any temptation for a dip in the pool under the waterfall.

Pool at base of Nidri waterfalls – 

some brave souls swim in its very cold water

Nidri’s principal waterfall was still in full flow in mid-summer

On return to Nidri, we were all in serious need of liquid refreshment and a snack which we partook at one of the many tavernas along Nidri quay, before returning to our respective boats. After a well-earned siesta, we once again assembled for dinner, this time on the east side of the bay at the picturesque Elena’s taverna, which has a spacious dinghy dock.

Ocean Cruising Club dinner at Elena’s Taverna 

on the east shore of Vlikho Bay

CRUISING IN COMPANY

We were subsequently joined in Vlikho Bay by Rolf and Roz (and ship’s cat Lulu) on their Moody yacht R&R. They had sailed from Athens, where they are currently based, through the Corinth Canal and the Gulf of Patras to Vlikho to rendezvous with us.

Lulu, Rolf and Roz’s ship’s cat, which they rescued 

as a tiny scrap of abandoned kitten in 2022

We’d first met Rolf and Roz in 2014 between the Canary Islands and the Algarve when they were having engine problems with their newly acquired boat (which they had just sailed from the Azores). We were able to assist them getting to Lagos’s excellent boatyard where they remained over the winter effecting initial repairs and upgrades.

Given that by the time we arrived in Greece in 2017, they had had two years’ experience of sailing in Greek waters, and were particularly helpful to us in terms of their accumulated knowledge and advice.

Rolf and Roz, with whom we cruised in company

We have stayed in contact since we met in Portugal. While we spent another winter in the Canaries, R&R headed east into the Med, eventually to Greece, where they have remained for the last 8 years. Like us, they have obtained Greek residency and Rolf, by virtue of his mother Irene, has also obtained German citizenship – and is therefore exempt from the Schengen Shuffle!

R&R’s dinghy, named after Rolf’s late mother Irene (it is best not to name the dinghy after one’s boat because when ashore it makes it obvious that the yacht could be unmanned)

We hadn’t made any firm plans, but an enjoyable ‘Cruise in Company’ with R&R evolved for the remaining 18 days before our lift-out into Aktio boatyard again on 30 June. During that time we developed a routine, which continued throughout our Cruise in Company, to host meals aboard – when not eating out in a taverna!

After the OCC Meet dispersed, we stayed for another day to sit out a particularly damp and windy time in Vlikho Bay, before sailing north to Varko Bay, where we anchored close to an abandoned, overgrown holiday bungalow complex.

Island Drifter at anchor in Varko Bay, viewed from the beach

The attractive but abandoned holiday bungalow complex at Varko Bay

The water is crystal clear and refreshing due to a number of freshwater springs.  The mountains of the mainland, with the deep gorges and gullies cut into them by winter torrents, provide a dramatic background to this remarkably attractive anchorage.

The mountains of the mainland form a 

dramatic backdrop to the Varko Bay anchorage

From Varko Bay we proceeded north through the Lefkas Canal to ‘our’ quay opposite the Santa Maura fort at the north side of the floating bridge. There we visited the fort itself for the first time.

Lefkhada town (in the background) viewed from 

the inner fort of Santa Maura at the north end of the Lefkas Canal

Originally built in the 13th century, the fort commands the entry point to Lefkas island along the spit of land from the mainland, with the sea on one side and salt marshes on the other. It was enlarged by the Spanish in the fifteenth century and takes its name from the chapel, which still stands, erected by a Byzantium empress. Thereafter, it changed hands at intervals, being controlled at one time or another by the Turks, Spaniards, Venetians and British. It is a quiet, pleasant and surprisingly extensive area to explore and with far-reaching views over the sea and salt marshes.

The old Venetian galley port adjacent to the Santa Maura fort

Rolf took Lulu (who enjoys a good walk on land) for a stroll outside the fort, whereupon Lulu, who also enjoys a game of hide-and-seek, disappeared into the undergrowth! It took an hour (while clouds of mozzies and midges feasted on us all) before she was apprehended!

R&R went ahead of us the following morning to Preveza to collect a new anchor and chain which they had ordered in advance. On arrival at the town quay, they discovered that the chandlery, who had claimed to have the required anchor in stock and for which they had insisted on payment in advance, proffered them an alternative anchor, knowing full well what they were doing, in the hope R&R would accept it. They did not and insisted that the chandlery ordered what they had requested in the first place – which they subsequently did.

The three boatyards on the Aktio peninsula contain upwards of 3,000 boats. Preveza marina and quay to the right 

can accommodate some 500 more

By then we had made our own way to Preveza and thereafter sailed on in company into the Gulf of Amvrakikos, a large 20M-long bay with even larger coastal plains. It is a breeding ground for estuary fish, sole, flat fish, eels, and prawns. It attracts dolphins, turtles and pelicans that feed on the rich fish stock.  Its wetlands to the north are home to a wide range of wildfowl and water birds.

Overview of the Gulf of Amvrakikos, with locations we visited

We anchored in Rougas Bay. It is well protected from the prevailing winds and its mud and sand bottom provides good holding. The bay is bordered by a pastoral landscape surrounded by wooded hills. There we had an excellent meze lunch in the taverna right on the beach.

View of Island Drifter from Rougas Bay’s taverna

Unfortunately, however, Mike twisted his ‘bad’ knee when helping to lift R&R’s dinghy up the beach and was totally incapacitated when the knee swelled up alarmingly. We therefore stayed an extra day in Rougas Bay while he iced and rested his leg in the hope of regaining some mobility. 

View from Island Drifter of Rougas Bay’s taverna and small campsite

However, we all wanted to move on to Koronisia, a major prawning centre in the Gulf. Roz therefore joined us on ID to help Helen with deckwork while Mike, still very much incapacitated, steered. Rolf meanwhile went ahead with a lead line to suss out mooring options in the village’s small shallow port, which is renowned for silting up. Fortunately we were able to moor alongside on the inside of the outer mole.

ID moored on the inside of the outer mole at Koronisia – 

with zero millimetres under the keel!

We then made our way to the restaurant and, since we were able to get the dinghy within a hundred metres of it, even Mike was able to hobble that distance! Suffice to say, we enjoyed the local prawns, which were deep fried in batter.

The waiter at Gar Oida restaurant, whom we asked to take our photo, clearly was no David Bailey – but he did get a good shot of the prawns!

We learnt that the prawn season runs from mid-May to mid-October, with fishing prohibited during July when the prawns spawn. The fishermen work hard, going out at dusk for several hours and again at first light.  

A traditional shallow prawn boat, used for fishing in the marshes, 

returning at dawn to Koronisia harbour

Iannis, who was sorting out his nets after a night’s fishing, 

spoke fluent English and gave us useful and interesting information on prawn fishing and the area

From Koronisia we travelled to the NE corner of the Gulf and moored alongside the inside of the outer breakwater of the small fishing port of Kopreni. There we enjoyed a fish lunch (whitebait, sardines, bread, and Greek beer) prepared by the 94-year-old mother of the ‘landlord’.

ID on the quay at Kopreni. In the background is the tiny 

fishing hamlet’s taverna and museum

Next day we remained in port to take advantage of the spacious concrete quay and its facilities to commence the decommissioning process of ID, since, because of the increasing heat, we had decided to restrict the time we needed to spend in the boatyard, where it would be even hotter.

Mike availing himself of the free water 

to have a shower on the quay at Kopreni

From Kropeni, we returned to and anchored off Aktio Marina where we were lifted out first thing the following morning.

ID being lifted out by Aktio's travel lift

We were then transferred to a hydraulic sledge, pressure washed and then shoe-horned into a narrow space between two other yachts.

ID being pressure-washed after transfer on to a hydraulic sledge which enables the marineros 

to park yachts in narrow spaces, often only 10cms apart!

As we currently intend to return in September for a further eight weeks’ sailing, we simplified our procedures for closing down ID and thereby reduced the time we spent in the boatyard where it was particularly hot. We also did our best to avoid the heat by getting up at 0530 hours, working until noon, having lunch and a siesta, before working for a further three hours in the relative cool of the evening.

Part of Aktio boatyard seen from roof terrace 

of the yard’s office and storage block

View from ID of the lifting bay and office block

We flew back to Heathrow on Saturday 8 July in time to attend one of Will’s monthly Sunday roasts at his pub, The Barley Mow in Marylebone, before moving on south to our beach chalet in Calshot where we'll stay for the rest of the month.