Monday, 15th August, 2011.
We spent Sunday evening at the English Yacht Club in Nidri
having dinner with new friends talking about our experiences over the last
three years. We had a wonderful roast
beef dinner and lovely desserts which we duly enjoyed. Next morning we had a leisurely start and
said goodbye to our neighbours and off eagerly to discover new islands. A
number of jelly fish started to appear so we thought it was time to head off.
Only 2 miles off of Nidri is the private island of Skorpios
where Jackie Kennedy after her marriage to Aristotle Onassis spent her
summers. His motor yacht Christina was
often seen moored to two large buoys between Skorpios and the other island the
family own of Skorpidhi. As we motored
around the island we could see how the island of Skorpios has been planted as a
park and we saw a farm and farm machinery which supplies fresh milk and
meat. There is a generating plant and
employee’s houses spread over the island.
We did not stop but many boats were anchored but it is strictly a
private family island and no landing on the harbour wall or beach is
allowed. With the wonderful views over
to Levkas, main land Greece and the mountains and down to Meganisi it is not
surprising how Jackie Onassis loved the peace and quiet the island gave
her. She favoured a small beach house in
a cove on the south west which we passed.
The day trips from Nidri run trips around the island for visitors. The island is currently owned by Athina
Onassis, the granddaughter of Aristotle.
The strait between Meganisi and Levkas is the Stenon
Megansisiou and it is lovely with the high slopes of Levkas and the lower more
gentle slopes of Meganisi. The depths of water in the bays can sometimes be 40
or 50 metres nearly up to the beach so we have to be carefully where we
anchor. We visited Spartakhori and saw
what a wonderful place it was to stop with the taverna’s just a few feet from
the boats. We had lunch and swam and
enjoyed the afternoon sun before we motored around to Port Atheni and dropped
our anchor just opposite the village quay and spent a very quiet night. Ongoing ashore the next morning we meet
several English couples who told us the quay was free, internet at the bar,
1.50 large beers up in the village and water and electricity at 1.50 per
night. Great so we decided to move and we
were able to charge the batteries, Jim was able to get his water carriers filled
and we were able to visit the super little village on the hill. While we sat in
the “social club” where the youngest young member of the club must be at least
85 years old having a beer we were sheltered from the sun by the grapes growing
on the vine. On our way back to Ariel we
spotted the small round castle in some one’s garden. A red dragon fly landed on
the rail and took a few seconds rest and then flew off. It is very beautiful
and very small but just a super little place to stop. The ice-cream at the bar came covered in
Greek honey and nuts, delicious.
We are approximately 8 miles from Nidri and the locals who
know this area pop over for shopping or go to Lefkus town for bigger
supermarket shopping.
