39:11.9N 20:11.8E

 

28 September Lazy morning on board. Ferry Duncan and luggage ashore to reccy hotel and bus station. Some shopping. Set sail in good wind aiming for Mourtos (about 12 nm NW) but headwind so fetch to Gaios on Nisos Paxoi

Depart Parga 1400

Arrive off Gaios 1730 14nm

Sunny day (few fluffy clouds over mainland) PM WNW f3/4

 

All ashore together heavily laden duck to E end of beach as nearest town. Help carry Duncan’s heavy bag up many steps to castle entrance, then down again other side. Duncan finds hotel – open, but no one in reception. Reccy “bus station”, which is small office beside main road. Closed – looks like only open when busses are passing from Athens to Igoumenitsa, or I to A. Note times- may be useful for next years guests. Nice shops. Place has mix of foreign and Greek tourists. Getting end of season quiet. Not really tacky. Seem to be a number of posh yanks. Say farewell to Duncan. Get provisions, but can’t find any mince. Do tour of castle with spectacular views on way back to D`fly. Talk to group of sweaty knackered Brit mountainbikers so can relay info to sis Bridget and Job, for next year. See man on distant hill laying out netting under olive trees. Netting often stays there all year rolled up till needed to catch fallen olives. Not sure if crop descends by nature, or branches hit with sticks, or magic tree shaking mc. Must research it. Better set sail. Try tacking up coast for Mourtos, as haven’t stayed there yet, but realise would take many hours as dead upwind. Nearly laying Gaios on Nisos Paxoi, so decided head off there on stbd. Super sail doing just over  5knts with full whites, but genny casts shadow over cockpit, so need to don T shirt. Jane finds some sun! get freed a bit, so better course, but still no sun in cockpit as sun moves W. Great to just go where the wind takes us at good speed without engine.Towing duck. Sails so balanced D`fly sails herself for several miles without any hand on tiller as get into lee of Paxoi, and waves negligible. Anchor outside S entrance in 23ft (quite deep for us). One other already anchored. Big yacht comes in later, and one more well after sunset. Motor ashore. Find mince in minimarket we know well. Quiet and peaceful ashore now –  summer heat, hustle and bustle has gone. All shops /tavernas still open, but pretty empty. Mince becomes bolognaise sauce. Will be moved on to chilli tomorrow. Rolly night as slight breeze fills in from S.