39 12.1 N  20 11.1 E

Gaios Town Paxos

21^st – 24^th May

We again motored sailed all the way to Paxos. We had a strong and favourable current coming out of the Preveza entrance and for several miles up the coast added to which was quite a lumpy sea and wind on the nose! Once we were into deeper water and the current eased the seas flattened a bit and we made better time. It was misty most of the day and we saw a number of yachts motoring like us in various directions! We entered the small harbour of Gaios from the north and found that the quay was already busy but managed to find a spot between two very small fishing boats. We dropped the anchor almost ¾ s of the way across the channel and motored back to the quay where there were good rings to tie back to. This part of the harbour is designated for visiting yachts but the local fishing boats and small pleasure craft seem to have commandeered much of it for themselves!

The town quay where the flotilla yachts and large trip boats tie up was also very busy and of course noisy too at night. So we were pleased that we found our spot albeit a 10 minute walk from town.

It was a rather ‘de javue’ moment for Jacky visiting this town as the last time she was here was in 1978 on a flotilla holiday with work colleagues and dear Andy Reynolds an very old sailing friend who is now dead. It turned out to be a stop where we met other very old friends too. Later We went for a stroll and found a café where we could use wifi as our own dongle doesn’t work where we are moored up. The town has masses of old colonial Italian style buildings some restored and others very run down. Many have balconies which are a mass of bright colour just now as the bougainvillea is in full flower.  The following day we decided not to travel up to Corfu as the forecast was for strong winds later and for the following two days and we felt where we are would provide a safer berth.  We did some shopping and had a drink in one of the numerous bars around the square; it was fun to ‘people’ watch as the two trip boats from Corfu arrived and disgorged their couple of hundred passengers! Later while we were getting ready to leave the boat a couple stopped to comment on the fact we were from Shoreham as they were from Lewes (also in Sussex). It then dawned on the lady – Margaret that they knew us and then we all realised from when – the early 1990s when we sailed in Brittany every summer we used to meet them with their 3 daughters!

We had a brief catch up but as we had to go we promised to see them again on Thursday. Before leaving we decided to move the breast line and as Jacky bent down to un do the warp she fell into the water between the back of the boat and the quay! No harm done but some injured pride,  only a bruised leg (thankfully) and the need for a quick shower and change before going out for supper.

We had a delicious meal at a tavern recommended by Anne, John, Margaret and Tony called Taka-Taka where they have spit roasted meats and a good selection of fish. The house wine was also very good. Most of us had the spit lamb but Rob had the fish soup which was effectively a bouillabaisse; he reported it to be the best one he has had outside of France!

During Wednesday night we had some severe gusts of wind and it rained; Rob was up a few times taking in the anchor chain a bit and adjusting lines. Despite all of this we are still occasionally touching the quay with our fenders so we are not able to leave the boat much today.