39:24.63N 20:14.09E

The marina at Korfu provided an excellent place to leave the boat for a few days back to Switzerland.  Needed to close out some accounts, etc.  So when we arrived in Gouvia marina and saw how secure it was we began to think about Switzerland.  The convincing part came from the weather forecast which was windy.  So we booked the flights, made hotel reservations and left for 5 days.  Fun to be back in Switzerland for a change.  We hit some great weather and had dinner and lunch with some people.  It is now so easy to get things done having lived there for four years, haircuts, banking, Starbucks coffee, it seems like home.

But all things end and we are back on the plane.  Trouble with Corfu is unless you want to go to the UK all other flights go through Athens.  Going to Switzerland we had a four hour layover.  Coming back it was six hours.  Good thing we still have our Senator status with Swiss International Airlines to use the lounges.  Once back in Corfu a quick taxi ride to the marina and dinner.

We spent a couple extra days in the marina doing some work on the boat like cleaning the teak decks.  The marina pool was also a pleasant treat.

Off to Sybota on the mainland.  Only a short sail, actually again by motor.  It is a nice scenic view of the old town of Korfu on the way, then 20 miles to Sybota.  Not having any real experience about this area we made a quess as to the best place to anchor.  Turns out we picked a place that was partially protected from the N-NW winds but the bottom was sand and some weed, good holding.  I swam the anchor to make sure it was bedded well, very well it turns out.  So in 6 meters of water and 35 meters of rode out we were set for a nice quiet night.  Just for your information the water temp is 22.5 C and pretty clear (25 feet visibility).  No marine life though, just urchins.  Fish were around, especially under the boat.

The winds picked up a bit, nothing bad.  Around 10:00 PM we heard some noise.  Turns out a charter catamaran was not anchored well and dragged its anchor and contacted a power boat.  Both boats were not occupied, having dinner ashore.  I shines the spotlight on them to verify the collision but also noted that they were drifting towards us.  A quick “Pat we outta here”, raise the anchor just before the boats hit us.  A fast sidestep and we watched them pass us locked in self destruction.  We reset our anchor in the pitch dark and dropped 55 meters of chain in 13 meters water.  Since I did not know the bottom now or how well we grabbed I wanted to be sure we did not move.

A few minute later the neighbor British boat asked if I would help secure the drifting boats.  I agreed and we went off to find the owners of the power boat just got onboard and freed themselves from the Cat.  We boarded the Cat and laid out another 20 meters of rode (chain) to stop the drift.

Around 12:00 I guess the Cat owners finally found their boat, about 200 meters from where they left it.  They knew they hit someone since their swim ladder and davits were damaged.  In the morning all was worked out between the two damaged boats.

Later in the night the winds picked up to 25 knots and another boat dragged its anchor but reset before shore, not know by the occupants till morning.  The damaged powerboat also had to move and reset its anchor.  In the small town marina a couple of boats came out and anchored since the waves against the seawall were too large and destructive if they stayed.  We sat nice all night without any further issue. 

In the morning we pulled up the anchor and picked a better spot further behind the protecting promenade.  Again set the anchor in sand with a great bite.  Now in 5 meters water with 35 meters chain out, ready for any winds which never came.

In the morning we went into the small town really just to step on land and see Greece.  This town is not Greece, instead an holiday town for the British.  Plenty of restaurants, supermarket and tourist stuff including arcades.  Still good to at least step on land for an hour.

Weather began to cool off and rain was now in the forecast and in reality during the morning.

Overall all it’s a good anchorage as long as you do not anchor in the line of fire!  The northern part of the cove looks like sand from up top but when I snorkeled in that area it is actually a limestone slab.  So a couple of boats Delta anchor were just holding by the point of the anchor, ready to break loose in the next wind or wave.  Need to be in the eastern end to get any holding.

Boats at anchor.  During the night these positions changed as the black one dragged its anchor behind us.