Navplion and surrounding anchorages

Arwenofbosham
Rob and Jacky Black
Mon 19 Sep 2011 19:23
 
 
37 19.6 N 23 08.6E
Porto Kheli, Koiladhia, Navplion
7th - 14th September
We went on from Ermioni to Porto Kheli and managed to get a stern to berth here despite it being fairly busy. This is a very large safe bay with loads of laid moorings and boats
winter afloat in the bay. We found a boat yard that manages the moorings and have a very good price from them for next summer so we may well leave the boat there for the 6 week trip back to the UK
in July and August. The supermarket was also excellent and there is a fast ferry to Piraeus 3 times a day. Having taken water and fuel we next went to the large bay further north called Koiladhia where
we had heard about a good yard for lifting and storing the boat. The bay was very sheltered and provided an excellent anchorage for a few nights. There were turtles swimming here and in fact shortly after we arrived Rob rowed out to examine
a carcass in the water - we were not sure what it was from the view through the binoculars - it turned out to be a dead turtle floating upside-down! So sad to see - it had been dead for some time but was still bleeding from a severe puncture wound right through it's shell!
We visited the boat yard and it certainly seems to be excellent - very professionally managed, clean with strong well made cradles for the boats and showers toilets and a laundry room - all important things when you are laying up a boat!
next stop was the lovely town of Navplion where we backed onto the town quay. This proved to be a bit dusty and busy in the day but little noise at night. There were plenty of shops and bars and cafes etc - the town is charming with narrow alleyways and picturesque buildings with balconies covered in climbing plants - passed their best now but still very colourful. Jacky took the local bus to visit the ancient Mycenaean settlement some 60 kilometers away. It was very interesting
and the small museum and treasury had some amazing artifacts including bits of armor used during the Trojan wars.
We spent our final night in this area at anchor in one of the outer bays of  Porto Kheli before leaving very early - 0400 to sail to Milos.