Buesnel's Web Diary - A great week in Greece with the Lucas Family

A great week in Greece with the Lucas Family

Buesnel

Sun 2 Aug 2009 08:40

We had a really good week exploring Corfu - first the west coast, then the east coast and then near Corfu town. I was always a bit put off Corfu due to the package holiday reputation but we really saw a beautiful side - amasing clear waters, stunning blue seas, lovely bays and Tavernas and the best marina we have found outside the UK.

We arrived in Palaiakastrita on the north west coast of Corfu from Italy. The sea was the clearest we have ever had it (even better than Ponsa in Italy) but was cold - the Ionian is colder anyway but here there are cold springs surfacing so it was even colder - but very refreshing compared to the 35+ degrees of midday. We swum lots here and since the water was so blue and clear all around it felt like we were floating in our own huge swimming pool. We had a day of water activity - swimming, Kayaking, waterskiing, diving. The next day the strom blew through - 36 knots at anchor, the anchor held but our tolerance did not, at about 7pm we moved into the Marina and moored against an empty island pontoon and had s few stiff G&Ts before having a fantastic meal of roasted lamb.

The next day we had a wonderful sail around the north of the island (15-20 knots of wind and turquoise seas). Pip and George sang and Vicks went halyard swinging. We then arrived in a bay but could not get the anchor to hold so we went to a next door bay(Kouloura) which was enchanting. We spoke to a German (Clive was in good form!) who said we could moor up to the mooring buoy - great a worryless night - good job as we had about 4 Amaretos after the meal in the Taverna in the bay zzzzzzzz.

The next day we motored (no wind) round to a marina just north of Corfu Town. We went off for a swim in Wacky, had some Chamagne in the really good roof top marina bar and then got a relarively early night. The next day we said a sad goodbye to the Lucas family - eXhilarance had really enjioyed them being on board and so had the Skipper and Cook! We then had to motor 70 miles south through the Levkada canal to the Sunsail club at Vounaki (next to Paleros). Just as I was negotiating the mooring in 17knots of wind the gearbox failed (again!) and I nearly broadsided 6 Sunsail yachts - oh dear! But at the last minute after 4 attempts the gear engaged and I powered off the bows. After a shakey mooring and a large G&T I reflected on yet another mechanical problem. So the next day we motored back to Levkas Marina (10 miles north west) where I left the boat with a very efficient operation to have another new gearbox. Then Vicks and I embarked in a taxi, ferry, taxi, plane, taxi journey back to the UK - Vicks to have a well deserved week off, me to collect the family to bring them out to Sunsail.