Wednesday 2^nd September – Fiskárdho, Kefalonia – Palaiokaravo, Kefalonia

38:26.598N 20:34.964E

This morning we were awoken by the dulcet tones of one skipper bellowing to another skipper ‘You are over my anchor and I’ve just tripped it so you’ll have to come and reset it.  No!  You can’t just ignore it, you need to come out and reset it’ and other words to that effect.

We decided that despite having lovely neighbours, it was time to leave.  We said goodbye but I was so busy chatting to each set of neighbours that Richard eventually had to interrupt me and ask whether we were actually going today; one guy was a Greek guy who has three yachts he charters out from Levkas and gave us his card in case we need any work done whilst we are here as he has ‘people he knows’ who can do stuff.  The other side was the leader of the ‘Sailing Holidays’ flotilla who was charm itself and said Pyxis was the least ‘live-aboard’ looking boat he had seen (apart from the bikes he wouldn’t have known – what a sweety).

Anyway, we set off mid morning for pastures new and went about a mile down the coast J

The first bay we tried had a largish cave but lots of boats, and over looked from a road.  So we motored the short distance to the next bay, which was much smaller and where there were only a couple of the small motor day boats by the beach.  We anchored close to shore, stern to the prevailing wind, and spent quite some time laying a kedge anchor and fixing a rope ashore to keep us off the sides of the bay and towards the beach.  When we laid the anchor it was so clear that I saw the anchor set as we went astern – it was great to see.  I swam the anchor later anyway and established that it was totally buried.

We were quite close to one of the day boats, which was the only one to stay all day – a very friendly young couple; the others went at lunchtime to be replaced by others for the afternoon and then they went too.  In the afternoon we had a small fleet of yachts arrive and anchor but they too disappeared after a swim. 

Around 6ish, the last of the small boats left, from which point we have had the bay totally to ourselves, apart from some goats; originally four made their way down the hill and across the beach and around the other side of the bay, and then they came back again to join their herd on the hill to the side of us.  At one point they looked like were nibbling the rope we have attached to a tree ashore; Richard didn’t even bother with the camera but clapped loudly to move them on; I think the Billy goat has his eye on Richard as I saw him later standing on a rock staring at us.

After the last boat left we replaced our kedge anchor with a rope ashore and so are settled for the night.

We have had one of the quietest evenings so far.  The moon is nearly full and is rising and we are going for a late swim, the water is clear enough to see the bottom even in moonlight – heavenly!