FISKARDO
WEDNESDAY, 30 JULY 2008
Coming into Fiskado is a lovely sight with yachts and cruises coming and going into this busy little harbour. This is the only village on Kefalonia not ruined by the 1953 earthquake, so it still has its Venetian buildings standing as they were. The hills behind are green wooded areas with pockets of Cyprus trees.
Helping an English family tie up stern to
Ross helps an English family into a stern to tie up next to us. It is their first time so the husband is very appreciative.
Fiskardo
There is a relaxed feel about the place even though there are super yachts and cruisers and some trendy people here. We have a light, simple dinner ashore to sample the atmosphere. Later we walk along the coast to look at some ancient ruins.
THURSDAY, 31 JULY 2008
We sail n.east averaging 6kts. for 6 1/2 hours to Anti-Paxos. Fighter jets are flying very low above us. It seems they are just above our mast and the noise is incredible. A naval ship is traveling near us for some time too. Perhaps it is a naval exercise happening?
We have anchoring problems at a charming small Agrapidia bay where there is a tiny boat harbour. We are unable to get a good holding so move on.
Just dropping into a very small island like Anti-Paxos with all its grapevines and beautiful beaches in the late afternoon is what you dream about. The lovely waters with the deeper dark tones through to the turquoise and then the palest blue enhanced by the sun shining through to the crumbled white limestone below. We go ashore to the pretty pebbled beach, Voutoumi, where children are making "pebble " castles. We walk up to the top of the hill to the taverna to appreciate the views. We really like the fresh orange juices in Greece but think at E5-7 each we should squeeze our own. Later we swim off the boat in these translucent waters. This anchorage is not recommended for overnight holding so we move a short distance to Paxos and anchor off Gaios harbour. It is so popular here all the stern-to mooring space is filled early in the day. There is still some space on the other side of the town but if there is enough protection and a good holding we are happier just to drop the anchor. It is quieter and has a lovely sense of space. Also the water is clean for swimming off the yacht.
This picturesque village is built around the port which is protected by 2 small islands. It is the smallest of the Ionian Islands and is a cluster of small islands and rocky islets.
We enjoy the Venetian architecture along the busy waterfront, and find a delicious low-key dinner in a Greek family taverna in behind the main tourist area. The town comes to life as night falls, especially around the main square.
Paxos was named the cultural village of Europe in 2004. This is to make all possible efforts to continue and improve the cultural life in the villages.
FRIDAY, 1 AUGUST 2008
We explore the island on a motorbike. We are told prices go up on August 1 because it is the height of the season. We have been paying E10 per day elsewhere and they are asking E8 per hour here. Fortunately, it is a very small island. We travel n.east along the smoother coastline. The western coastline has the abrupt limestone cliffs as we saw in Kefalonia. Inland there are endless olive groves which produce the famous olive oil which they export from here.
Lakka and Longos are the other two small harbours here and are a treat to visit. We spend time soaking in the atmosphere at each one, having a long orange juice at one and a warm fresh apple pastry from the bakery at the next.
We have a "close shave" on the bike this morning, and it is Ross' skillful driving that saves us a spill. Another bike pulls out of a road in front of us and just props when he sees a car coming. We have a few unstable wiggles and just miss clipping his bike as we get around behind him.
Back in Gaios we replenish the provisions and set off for the east coast of Corfu, a 5 1/2 hour trip with some sailing. We both enjoy these longer passages, especially with this glorious weather, and the sailing is an added bonus.
We are excited to be returning to Corfu where we came two years ago for a two week art tour with the artist Warren Curry. He has been coming here for ten years now and holds one of these sessions each year. He has just had a very successful exhibition here and is holding his next one in Victoria next November. He was offered another exhibition in Paxos this year but felt exhibitioned out (he had one at home earlier in the year) but plans to do this next year.
Warren has dinner on Impulsive which is such fun. We are very appreciative of his constructive critique he gives us for our art works. It's not quite the gold stars but very encouraging.
SATURDAY, 2 AUGUST 2008
Unfortunately, we have knocked and bent a stanchion coming in here to Gouvia marina in Garitsa Bay yesterday evening. Ross has hired a bike and is trying to find somewhere to get it repaired. It is lucky we plan to be here for several days, because being Saturday it is difficult to get work like this done during the weekend. He finds a helpful contact who can do it by mid-morning Monday when we hope to leave.
Dinner with Warren and Stephanie
Dinner with Warren and Stephanie
We set off to Pelekas on the west coast to meet Warren at his house. We leave early so we can retrace our steps from our previous trip here. We have a call from Warren saying he has booked us in to the Levant Hotel for the night, where we stayed 2 years ago. After his mostly unlit bike ride back last night (we had suggested he stay on the boat), with its steep and winding roads he doesn't think its safe for us to try. It's about a 40 minute trip across the island, so we are delighted with this proposal. We go there first to park the bike and leave our small knap-sack of luggage. We have a tiny attic room which is the last room available. (This is our first night off the boat since we left Cyprus. She really is like our home now).
The neo-classic style hotel has a charming atmosphere even though it is in need of some renovations. It is close to the western shore of the island on the summit of Pelekas Hill with panoramic views of the surrounding area and the famous sunset. Close by is Kaiser's Observatory where Empress Elizabeth of Austria and Kaiser 11 of Germany enjoyed their favourite stroll.
Levant Hotel
It's a lovely walk down to the village to Warren's house. What a wonderful night we have with Warren and his business friend Stephanie, at his small Greek house just oozing with atmosphere, and with its views over miles of Corfu with its pockets of olive groves and pencil Cyprus trees and the sea. We also see some of his art which we always admire and enjoy. They serve up a delicious warm Thai green curry chicken dish served on a bed of salad.
SUNDAY, 3 AUGUST 2008
The plan was to take Warren sailing with us today or tomorrow, but he has been extremely generous with his time and has other commitments to work around, especially his painting. So we say good-bye until we all get back to Australia.
We spend a lovely morning at Stephanie's house in the nearby countryside. She is a very interesting person, including being an artist herself, and has held some of Warren's exhibitions. She is also a professional health therapist, so I am spoiled with a massage - a combined Swiss/Thai one she likes to use.
We decide to miss the famous near-by beaches of Pelekas and Paleokastritsa this time. We had a lovely time there 2 years ago and today they will be very hot and busy, being holiday season and Sunday.
The trip back to Impulsive, as Stephanie suggests, is off the main road and through the forest with scattered farms and vegetable gardens.
As she also suggested, we venture off in the cool of the evening instead to Kommeno Bay to the Imperial hotel. We have a quick change in the car park out of the bike riding gear and in we go. As warned, the hotel is an architectural disaster, but the site is wonderful. The swim is refreshing but we don't put our heads under as the water isn't as clean and clear as we are used to. We have been spoiled out on the smaller islands. We enjoy a relaxed drink here with a view over the sea. Everything is ultra expensive. A cup of green tea is E7.5 and a whole packet of this tea is only E3.5 in the supermarket.
It is a great surprise to hear from Steve and Meg's friends Scotty and Sophie Vickers-Willis. We hope to have a rendezvous with them somewhere in the islands but, unfortunately, the timing isn't right. We are disappointed as this would have been great fun and a good opportunity to catch up with news from home.
MONDAY, 4 AUGUST 2008
After we have a busy morning provisioning, refitting the stanchion which looks as good as new, a long session on the computer with Scott by phone in the Internet cafe, and finishing off several other jobs, we head off in a s.east direction retracing our steps to Paxos. There is not much wind so we motor sail with the headsail up averaging 6.5kts.
This time we anchor at Lakki, the small harbour we so enjoyed visiting on the bike a few days ago.
Lakki
This is one of the most picturesque harbours we have come into. It is small but it is amazing how many boats are anchored here. Luckily it is a shallow anchorage so we don't have to put out too much chain which will minimize our chances of tangling anchors, a hazard in the busy high season. An evening swim and a drink on board is very pleasant. Going ashore to walk along the waterfront and have dinner by the water is a lovely way to spend our last night after 8 weeks in the Greek Islands. The dinner was delicious - grilled stuffed squid, seafood risotto and Greek salad accompanied by the local organic red wine.
FAVOURITE RECIPES
1. Salad with crumbled walnuts
Lettuce and rocket mixed and put onto individual plates
cover with sliced avocado, 4-5 large prawns each, crumbled walnuts
pour over light blue cheese dressing
2.for each serve
half an avocado each
filled with mixture of: tinned tuna
small dices of cucumber
small dices of red pepper
small dices of hard-boiled egg
finely chopped anchovy fillets
soft feta spooned gently through the above ingredients
light vinaigrette dressing (with mayonnaise-optional)
TUESDAY, 5 AUGUST 2008
We are up bright and early to leave for Sicily. Mid-morning we receive a call from Stefhanie to see if she can join us in Paxos today. Sadly, the timing isn't right again. She wasn't able to come the previous 2 days so we are hoping she will visit Australia soon.
We were really looking forward to our time in the Greek Islands and we have loved it - hundreds of islands, often within a close sail of each other. There is great variety and diversity within the groups. There are hundreds of beautiful beaches and stunning waters everywhere. We also enjoyed the many different styles of architecture and tavernas. The history here is long and interesting, as is the local mythology. The Greeks have been very welcoming and helpful and it is certainly a place to take one's time and relax.
We have no wind today and a beam swell. We need some wind so we can put up a sail to flatten off the roll.
As we set off on an overnight sail across the Ionian Sea we have a light wind just north of west. We have 3 hours with the headsail being filled, which helped our speed to average 7kts, but later dropped back to 20 degrees off the bow instead of 5. It is glorious out here with the sun sparkling on the water, and the swell has settled now the wind has flattened out. We both read in the evening light out in the cockpit.
During the night the wind comes up to 24kts so we average 7kts S.O.G.
