Avelomona, Kíthera - Yíthion, Peloponnese

Pyxis
Karen & Richard
Fri 2 Jul 2010 22:58

Friday 2nd July – Avelomona, Kíthera – Yíthion, Peloponnese

36:45.551N 22:34.184E

 

This morning we were up and out at 7am for our journey back to the Peloponnese

 

Over night a large fishing boat had arrived at about 2am, waking us up briefly as they squeezed in and chatted, and then again, early, as they manoeuvred to let out the small fishing boat they had rafted to; fortunately there was just room between Pyxis and the stub mole for them to lie alongside the quay.

 

We motored in quiet waters up past Dhiakofti and across to Nίsos Elafόnisos, a small island off the south coast of the Peloponnese, with a couple of very pretty anchorages with sandy beaches and clear waters.  They are probably a little more developed now in terms of beach umbrellas ashore than when the pilot book was written.  We decided not to stay as the westerly winds forecast would make the anchorages uncomfortable, given our experience the other night, but would certainly stay another time.

 

We continued right on up to Yíthion in the NW corner of the Lakonikós Kόlpos.  The pilot book made it sound very attractive, although it doesn’t get many visiting yachts (a plus in terms of berthing we thought): it is claimed to have been founded by Heracles and Apollo and the small island, Nίsos Kranai, linked to the mainland via a causeway, is mentioned by Homer in the Iliad as the place where Paris and Helen spent their first night after eloping together. 

 

Around lunchtime we pulled out all the sails and switched the motor off for a quiet lunch, sailing along in 5-7 knots on the beam, making way at about 2 knots.  As we ate, the wind built slowly and so we continued sailing, with the wind peaking around 12-13 knots, and delivering us at a fairly modest pace to Yίthion a few hours later; a very pleasant sail.

 

We went into the harbour and discovered that we could go alongside at the end of the wall, so we did.  Initial reaction to the place was one of horror.  Yes, the pilot book was right about the lack of visiting yachts – let me tell you why.  As I walked down the harbour wall, the overflowing rubbish bins were an eyesore and from the smell hadn’t been cleared for days.  By the time I reached the corner at the start of the town, the smell had deteriorated into one of toilets badly in need of a clean and I was pleased we had moored right at the end.  The harbour was a dump, quite literally!

 

We went to visit the island of Kranai which looks very attractive from the water as you come in.  As I said, it is where Paris and Helen are supposed to have spent their first night together – I think she’d leave him if he took her there now!  As you cross the causeway there is more debris with wrecked fishing boats and rubbish around a small shack.  There is one main building on the island, a renovated castle that is now a museum, which looks lovely, but let down by its surroundings.

 

We walked into town and warmed to the place itself, all the locals were very friendly and the place itself is quite pretty.  I asked about the rubbish, as we wondered if there was a strike on as there have been quite a few strike days here in Greece over the economic problems, but we were told that there is a real problem there.  The issue is that the rubbish truck can only collect 35 tons a day (which it then has to take to Athens for disposal) and they are producing 42 tons so it is a known problem that has not been resolved.  Apparently they empty the bins from one end of town one day and start at the other end the next day; the solution of two trucks hasn’t occurred to them yet. 

 

This evening we were taken by surprise; we were sitting in the cockpit enjoying a drink when a car drew up nearby and a husband, wife and child got out and were looking at the boats - next thing the guy just stepped on board by the shrouds!  I opened the cockpit enclosure to ask him what he was up to, and he totally unapologetically indicated that he was having his photo taken with him standing on Pyxis.  We were so shocked we couldn’t think what to say!

 

Pyxis at Avelomona; turquoise waters

Yíthion

© Pyxis 2010