Port Vathi, Meganisi - Spartachori (Port Spiglia), Meganisi

Pyxis
Karen & Richard
Mon 3 Aug 2009 22:58

Monday 3rd August – Port Vathi, Meganisi – Spartachori (Port Spiglia), Meganisi

38:39.658N 20:45.612E

 

This morning it was time for everyone who arrived last night to peel away, hoping that if we all left in reverse order, the anchors would be alright.  Unfortunately the Italian boat next to us needed to leave before one of the boats who had moored across him and sure enough as they pulled up their anchor they found their anchor chains were crossed.  We had been chatting over breakfast with the friendly Norwegian skipper of the boat whose anchor chain was in the way and so went to help them both.  Unfortunately he was not aboard; he had popped into town for some shopping and so Richard went to fetch him.  In the meantime the boat next to him decided to leave as it suspected its anchor was also in the way, and the Italian boat just waited calmly on station.  When the Norwegian skipper returned he quickly cast off, recovered his anchor and the Italian boat was able to leave.  We helped him back alongside when the disentanglement was over – all went calmly.

 

By the time we left there was no-one across our anchor chain though we did have to stop a yacht that arrived just as we were leaving and ask it to hold off a few minutes as it was about to try anchoring across us.

 

Safely out, we headed a couple of miles across to the twin islands of Nisís Skorpios and Skorpidhi, the home of the Onassis family, where we anchored off Skorpios and went swimming (you are able to anchor but not go ashore).  We left around lunchtime as the taverna owner at Spartachori had indicated that that was a good time to arrive if we wanted a berth.

 

So, we finally made it to Spartachori and the taverna where we wanted to eat.  Unbelievably there was no-one there; we had the taverna’s pontoon entirely to ourselves for the whole afternoon – with free electricity and free water, we juiced up the batteries, did a bit of washing and filled the tanks.  By late afternoon, we were still alone.  Richard joked about there being an ‘All Ships’ announcement on the VHF radio about me chewing out the charter boat last night and no-one daring to berth near me!  However, another couple of yachts did arrive, then a couple of motor boats, but there were still spaces by the time it was dark.

 

Late afternoon, a Sunsail flotilla turned up and berthed on the adjacent pontoon but the taverna owner said that they were going into town for dinner.  The flotilla were very well behaved (we like Sunsail).

 

Early evening we went for a walk into town, about 15 minutes up steep steps and Cypress lined winding roads.  Once there, and when we got our breath back, we were able to enjoy fabulous views out across the bay and across the water to Skorpios, Lefkas and the mainland.  A lovely place, quiet and not too touristy, we wandered around the tiny winding streets.

 

Back at Pyxis I enjoyed a long shower and dressed for dinner.  This was more like it, sitting at a table by the water’s edge watching the sun go down.  A great Greek menu, we started with stuffed vine leaves, then I had the stuffed squid which was delicious and Richard had the mousaka, also reported to be good.  We had wine with dinner and finished off with Ouzo, which seemed a good idea at the time.

 

Maybe things aren’t so bad after all.