Gartsas is a busy place with luxury yachts anchoring off the harbour or going stern to the outer harbour wall. Their tenders were frequently coming and going to the small dock that served as a pick up and drop off point for crew and wealthy owners. Unfortunately we appeared to be right on the run in and out of this dock in direct line of these tenders crashing through the anchorage at speed, making a horrendous wash as they past and making swimming a tad dangerous at times. Consequently, it felt like we were in a washing machine at anchor. 

So, it was lovely to get off the boat and visit some of the sites of old Corfu town, the old and new fortress’s, the archeological museum and the birth place of Prince Phillip (Mon Repos Villa). We also tried to visit some of the temples to Artemis and the Roman Baths, but they were locked up and looked rather overgrown and uncared for. We probably got the best view of these sites from the road looking down on them anyway. 

One morning we got the bus to Gouvia to get some things from the chandlery. unfortunately, unless you want to get all the cleaning products you can wish for to make your super yacht shine, there wasn’t much for the likes of us in a 1986 built yacht wanting to do our own maintenance. So we got the bus back and decided to visit the next DIY store we find!

Myths

Corfu has many myths attached to it. It has also been known by some different names over time like Drapane by Apollonius in Argibaytucam the epic chronicle of Jason and the Golden Fleece. Drapane is Greek for a sickle and the theory was that the island is actually the sickle that Cronus used to castrate his father, Ouranos; another rather gruesome storey. It was from Ouranos blood that it is said the Phaneacian people sprang. The Phaeacians were a race who existed somewhere between the realm of gods and mortals and therefore had the best of both worlds so to speak. 

Another mighty legendary figure of Corfu is Odysseus, who has loomed large in previous myths on our trip. It is largely accepted that Corfu, or Skheria in Homer’s The Odyssey, was the place Odysseus washed up after leaving Calypso’s island on a makeshift raft. He arrived, after suffering further severe storms thanks to Poseidon, in a lovely bay where he met Nausicaa, the daughter of Alcinous the king of Corfu. It was he who eventually helped Odysseus to return to his beloved Ithaca by providing him with suitable ships and provisions for the short journey. 

Mon Repos. Birth place of Prince Phillip. 

New Fort Corfu.

Old Fort Corfu

Mosaic in the Old Fort

Wall painting in the Old Fort Corfu

Chapel in the Old Fort Corfu