Corfu

Arriving at Corfu Island (Greece) on May 29th at 19:00, we anchored in Garitsa Bay (N39°36.926' E019°55.405') overlooked by an impressive old fort. We waved hello to 2 Canadian boats as we came in. They were both registered in Montreal. Always nice to see your countrymen.

Venetian Old Fortress

Corfu

The next morning, we dinghied ashore to check into port and at the same time, check out of Greece as this would be out last day and anchorage in that country. The check in was a snap but the country check out was different.

It took time for the office to process our official Transit Log for it to be retired then they sent us to an obscure office to hand it in to Customs and then get our passports stamped with an exit stamp. When we finally found the offices, the 2 women at Customs very lackadaisically replied We are on strike, come back tomorrow.

What! We declared that all we needed to do was turn in our Transit Log and couldn't come back tomorrow as we had to leave very early due to weather. There was predicted  only a slight breeze on the nose. But we didn't tell them that much.

They looked at each other and said Okay, just leave it then. Phew. The woman in the next office stamped our passports and we were done. Our Schengen clock then stopped ticking. By then, we had used up about 40 days of our 90 allowed in the Schengen Group of countries which is most of the EU countries,

Unfortunately, Customs wasn't the only place on strike. Garbage collectors had been on strike for about a week and it would probably continue all summer. Garbage piled in huge stacks. We would hate to be here in a couple of months with the smell and the rats that are sure to appear. The larger problem was Corfu had run out of landfill facilities. Apparently the EU had funded Greece to provide improved facilities but the monies evaporated before anything got done.

Rotting refuse

We walked through narrow alleys and streets of the charming Old Town, situated between what they termed the Old Fort and the New Fort. The Old Town is still alive with shops serving tourists as well as locals and everyday needs.

Bustling about

Very close buildings

On the 31st we went ashore one last time, crossed the bridge over the sea channel, and hiked up to the lighthouse above the Old Fort.

Sea channel

Judy and the lighthouse

Lefkas Canal

Since leaving the Gulf of Corinth, we were heading north in the Ionian Sea keeping mainland Greece to starboard and a cluster of Greek islands to port.

This is a popular place for cruising with lots of bays and villages to poke around in. We have limited time to cruise in most of the EU countries, Greece being one, so we kept moving past this area, making our way to the last port in Greece, Corfu.

Before we got there though, we took the shortcut on May 28th through the Lefkas Canal. This is a well-marked (with buoys) and dredged canal. Halfway through at the modern Lefkas Marina, we re-fuelled and spent the night (N38°49.857' E020°42.686'). This is a protected facility that services a large fleet of charter boats as well as private yachts where they can safely stay year round.

Lefkas Marina

Many masts

The east side of the Canal is mainland Greece and the other side is consequently an island with the Canal as the separator. For transitting road vehicles, there is a bridge ferry that parks itself across the Canal and lowers its ramps on each end to form a bridge. Then at specified times, it stops traffic, raises its ramps, motors to the side of the Canal, and lets waiting marine traffic pass.

Not aware of schedules of the bridge openings, we headed out of the Marina early the morning of May 29th heading north up the Canal. We soon came to a stop at the blocking ferry bridge and had to wait. But not too long. Then it was open waters for day sailing up to Corfu.

Swinging floating bridge

Nafpaktos

We left Loutraki Greece at 08:15 on May 26th under sun and cloud. It took the day to motor-sail across the Gulf of Corinth past a greener part of Greece. On the west end of the Gulf, we anchored at 19:15 (N38°23.489' E021°49.858') along the castellated wall of the town of Nafpaktos with 2 other sailboats as we took in the lush vegetation, coloured homes, and the castle high up.

Port of Nafpaktos

There was very little information about the town of Nafpaktos in mainland Greece in our guidebooks but we found it to be very charming and pristine.

We dinghied into the tight fortified harbour lined with historic buildings that now serve as cafes and restaurants to the many tourists. We picked a quiet one where our table was in the open window of the ancient wall and right outside was Sea Turtle.

Sea Turtle at anchor

The next morning, we hiked through the town and through remnants of the 5 levels of the Castle of Nafpaktos.

Ancient Castle door

At the 3rd level, we paid a couple of Euros to continue up to the top. The man gave us a bamboo stick to ward off any viper snakes hiding in the rocks, but we thankfully saw none! The views were magnificent as was the structure of the castle/fortress.

Castle levels

Port below

Apparently few tourists, compared to other Greek towns, come here as it hasn't yet received the publicity of other places. These are the little places that we like to find.

Leaving Nafpaktos at 13:00 we exited the Gulf under the modern bridge and into the Ionian Sea on a clear calm day.

The old and the new

Late that afternoon, we tried to anchor at Oxia Island but the entire bay was taken up by a fish farm, so we crossed a kilometre across and anchored next to mainland Greece at 20:00 on May 27th (N38°20.112' E021°06.957'). Naughty Chanty climbing the headsail kept us entertained.

Get down!!

Corinth Canal

At this point, we were in about the middle of the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea (the sea that is between mainland Greece and Turkey). We were making our way west for the Adriatic Sea (the sea between Croatia and Italy). We would take a shortcut to the Adriatic through the Corinth Canal.

On the way to the Canal, it was motor-sailing during the days and stopping each night at safe island anchorages...

Sifnos (N35°55.770' E024°41.508')

Poros (N37°30.449' E023°26.873')

We made it out of the Aegean without experiencing any of the unpleasant Meltemi winds, the name given to the sometimes fierce wind that comes out of the north and can blow for many days straight.

We were looking forward to this shortcut. It is a manmade canal cut between 2 seas by chiselling an impressive swath through to the Gulf of Corinth.

A couple of facts: The Corinth Canal is cut from limestone rock and rises 76 m (250 ft), it is only 25 m wide (81 ft), and 3.2 miles long. It is the most expensive PER MI canal in the world! It cost us almost $60 per mi.

Arriving at the Canal zone offices at 16:30, we were quickly checked and approved for passage through. It is alternating one-way traffic so we had to wait for oncoming before we were given the go-ahead at 17:30.

Canal cruising

We were through in exactly half an hour and anchored in front of the nearby town of Loutraki at 18:45 (N37°58.655' E022°58.547').

Sunset at anchor with tall ship

Ios and Santorini

We wanted to see the famous Santorini Island but after talking to other sailors who explained the poor anchorages there, we heeded their advice to instead go up to Ios Island where there was a safe harbour and then take the ferry ride over from there.

So early on the morning of May 21st, we left Astypalea for mountainous Ios where again we Med-moored 10.5 hours later at 18:30 (N36°43.329' E025°16.421'). It was a great sail with little motoring.

Panorama view of Ios

Village above

The next day, we caught the fast-ferry to Santorini, an island shaped by a prehistoric cataclysmic eruption leaving only a circular archipelago with near vertical barren interior cliffs rising up from the deep bay. After entering the pass, the ferry docked against the vertical wall and the only way to the top rim was up the switchback road where the whitewashed buildings were perched along the rim like snow that capped a mountain.

No, it is not snow capped!

We rented a car and toured around the Island, up and down and along the edge of the rim, taking in the dramatic sights. We drove down to the "red beach". It was a disappointment as there was no sand, only reddish coloured rocks and boulders.

Red beach

But most impressive was the Old Town called Fira where the white buildings hung on the edge of the cliffs and where we hiked up and down the hundreds of numbered stairs through the maze of blue and white houses, churches, and tourist shops of Cycladic and Venetian architecture. We stayed for the sunset and a fabulous dinner overlooking the view.

Old Town of Santorini

Fabulous calamari...

...and sunset

We spent the night at an impressive AirBNB with a swimming pool and a large delicious breakfast in the morning. This is where we said goodbye to Aaron and Dee. Jordan and I caught the morning ferry back to Ios on May 23rd and Aaron and Dee flew out from Santorini to continue exploring mainland Greece for the rest of their vacation.

Astypalea

Most of the Greek islands are spaced just about right for an easy day-sail between them. And that is what we did when we left the volcanic Island of Nisyros to our next stop, Astypalea Island. It was May 19th at 17:00 when we Med-moored in the small harbour right below the slopes of the sleepy village (N36°32.858' E26°21.265').

Sea Turtle at Astypalea

Eateries, cafes, taverns, and stores lined the U-shaped harbour and small whitewashed homes tightly packed together blanketed the slopes with narrow alleys and stair paths that meandered through them. Perched on the pinnacle above was the remnants of a castle from times long past.

Zoomed in view of Castle of Chora from below

Early the next morning, before the heat set in, we set off to hike up to explore the ruins and take in the view.

View from above

Aaron amidst the ruins

Church and remnants

Next we sailed to a nearby island (Koutsomytis) about 1.5 hours away (N36°32.813' E26°26.746') to check out the snorkelling. We anchored in the lea of the island beneath tall imposing cliffs and Jordan, Aaron, and Dee jumped in - I chickened out as the water was too cold! After about half an hour, the shivering trio returned, reporting that the visibility was fantastic but saw very little marine life and certainly no coral.

We then motored back to Astypalea for the night.

Nisyros

Our sailing route was generally to make our way westward. So the next easy day-sail on that trajectory put us in the almost square Island of Nisyros Greece. So we pulled anchor from Pedi at 09:00 on May 18th and motored till we Med-moored at 16:00 (N36°37.181' E27°10.268').

On approach, we could see that Nisyros was more mountainous and slightly greener than previous islands we had visited and it had terraced slopes. Apparently the terraces were built over centuries to retain the meager rainfall so that olive and citrus trees could be sustained.

Terraces

Nisyros is known for its volcanic origins of 600 BC with a major active crater still hot and bubbling, even though it hasn't erupted since 1873.

The 4 of us (Aaron, Dee, Jordan, and I) rented a car and drove the 9 kms (5.5 mi) up the winding road then down towards the caldera. We then walked down to the bottom of the 4 km (2.5 mi) wide crater where we were met with the unavoidable smell of sulfur from the various vents.

Jordan, Aaron, and Dee at bottom

The slopes and ground were a bright sulfur yellow where hot steaming sections were roped off. What a strange feeling to be at the bottom of a hot, currently active but not erupting, volcano caldera!

Fresh sulfur crystals at bottom

We also drove around the rim...

View from above

...and visited 2 of the villages where we completed the day at a little ocean-side tavern feasting over grilled calamari and Greek salad.

Upper village restaurant for snack

Pedi

Wanting to escape being Med-moored next to others, and the surge from the ferry wakes in Yialos on Symi Island (Greece), we made an exit on May 12th at 14:30 to Pedi in the cove just around the corner. A very small village, or more like an over the hill extension of Yialos, but very quaint. We anchored in good holding (N36°36.859' E027°51.476').

Vespa scooter in Pedi

Soon after anchoring, the wind really picked up so we moved to tie up along the dock. Several sailors grabbed our lines in the strong winds and one of them was from Nanaimo BC Canada, another couple from Denmark, and a man from France. Happy hour ensued with our new friends.

Two days later, we re-anchored in glassy waters and Jordan installed a new watermaker membrane while we waited for our company to arrive.

Watermaker fix

On May 16th, we tried to catch the yellow bus to take us over the hill back to Yialos where Jordan's son and our daughter-in-law (Aaron and Dee) were arriving on the ferry from Rhodes Greece. They had flown in from Canada on vacation. As the only bus had broken down, we caught a cab.

We showed Aaron and Dee around Yialos a bit and then were able to catch the repaired bus back to Pedi.

Village high above Yialos

Cute boats of Pedi

On the 18th, we checked out of Symi/Pedi to do further Greek island exploring.

Symi Island

Rhodes was our first Greek island and on May 10th we headed off to see our second, Symi, at 13:15 for a 4-hour voyage. We had heard many favourable comments about Symi and they were all true (N36°36.992' E027°50.205').

This somewhat barren Island has the cutest preserved main harbour town of Yialos, tucked in a tight bay, and even on approach, reeks of a rich maritime history. Most of the Island's 2,500 inhabitants live in the tight confines of Yialos where shops and homes quilt the slopes with Neo-classical architecture-style buildings painted in mostly pale yellow with touches of blue or ochre.

Close-up view

Exploring the town involved wandering through a labyrinth of winding and weaving streets, alleys, and staircases. We also hiked way up to the upper village and museum.

View from above

The harbour is the center of activities shared by local fishermen, yachties, tour boats, and ferries that bring flocks of tourists from all over. And it's at the harbour front that all the action and scenery can be absorbed from many of the sidewalk cafes and eateries and where souvenier shops offer sea sponges, clothes, jewellery, and more.

Yialos was a strategic trading center and main shipbuilding port in centuries past, and up until recent times, it was a known marketer of the locally harvested sea sponges - that is, until synthetics euthanized that industry. Now it is mainly a desirable retreat for vacationers.

The Island has a warm, friendly, and laid-back feel, which we found quite typical of the Greek Island attitude and there seems to be no concern about things like a lack of water which as to be shipped in, and conversely, the plague of cats.

Return to Greece

After our delightful visit to Bruges Belgium and a tour of Versailles Paris, we made our final stop on our return flight to the Island of Rhodes Greece on April 25th and where Sea Turtle had been waiting for us on the hard at Nereus Marina for the last 11 months (N36°26.476' E028°14.174').

Sea Turtle required some work before splashing: new bilge pumps, freeing up a number of fixtures and fittings that had seized up while sitting for too long, and creating a stern boarding plank for the anticipated "Med-mooring".

From boat to shore (photo taken at later date)

Lastly we painted the bottom with anti-fouling paint and then slowly dropped her into the water on May 8th.

Lowering into water

Jordan turned the key - but no start! The old starting battery, which was isolated from the system, had lost its life. So with jumpers, we got enough juice to it to start the motor and get going. Half way out of the bay, the motor died. So quickly, up went the headsail and we sailed out so Jordan could bleed the air out of the diesel line and get her going again. It was Sea Turtle's way of letting us know that she doesn't like to be left alone for so long.

We motored over to Mandraki, the next bay and main harbour of Rhodes and tried our hand at Med-mooring (N36°26.950' E028°13.646'). Now Med-mooring is backing into and tying up to the seawall while your anchor holds the bow out. For newer fin keel type boats, the knack comes easy especially if one has a bow thruster, however with a full keel boat, they just don't back up straight so attempt was made with a little juggling and twisting while the anxious yachties on each side were fending us off. But we did it with only our nerves taking the chaffing.

We spent a couple of days in that splendid setting, enjoying Rhodes again and doing a few more minor repairs including a new starting battery and provisioning, now that the keel cooled fridge was operating.

Windmills at dusk

Another boater, Jubilee, introduced us to the best-tasting calamari in Greece at a small tavern, so if you are ever here, ask a local to direct you to this place near the Old Town - we went back numerous times!

Can't be beat!

A word about visiting Europe: We are only allowed to stay 90 days in a 180-day period in European countries that belong to the Schengen Group. We will be in Europe until around November, longer than 90 days.

So we will have to spend time in countries that do NOT belong to the Schengen Group (such as Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, etc.) When we enter one of these countries, the "clock will stop" on our time in the Schengen Group and restart when we next enter a country that does belong to the Schengen Group (such as Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, etc.)