CORFU, GREECE, AUGUST 2022, 39.39.80N, 19.51.40E
Restless of Auckland
Roland and Consie Lennox-King
Mon 15 Aug 2022 18:04
17th July we anchored in Ortiga, Syracusa. Roland took the muffler off again, and he and Keir took it to a boatyard that Roland had seen some years ago, and Mario said he would weld it and call us when it was fixed. We saw South Wind alongside the wall with other Superyachts; she is the sailing yacht Gilbert crewed on some years before. We walked around the wonderful markets and bought fish, octopus and squid, for Consie to cook. We saw again the Apollo temple ruins, and again the beautiful fountain of mermaids.
20 July the engineer returned our welded muffler, and this time, thankfully, it was repaired.
At 0615 the next morning we set off motorsailing for 34 hours to arrive in Sta. Maria di Leuca, on the heel of Italy, a town with pink and yellow castles, and Mussolini's staircase ruins, welcoming people to Italy.
There is a new Cruising Tax in Greece, which has to be paid on or before arrival, so we paid it online, before setting off on 23 July at 0600 for Greece, where we arrived at the lovely Greek island of Erikoussa, 58nmiles later, and moved our clocks forward an hour.
Two days later we motored another 27 miles to arrive at Gouvia marina, in Corfu, complete with showers, laundry, ATM, supermarket, and several cafes and restaurants, plus over 1,000 boats and superyachts. No longer the sleepy marina we had seen, they now are fully booked with 2,500 boats over winter! We spent most of the 25th July going to the Port Police, Customs & Immigration, as officials sent us from one office to another, but eventually the next day were signed into Greece, with a Transit Log.
28 July Olivia joined us after a board meeting in London, on her way back to Hong Kong, and avoiding being in quarantine on her birthday. Keir left the same day for Scotland.
The next day we motored to Garitsas bay, or Fortress Bay, and dinghied into town for a few hours of sightseeing, shopping, and dinner in the narrow marble streets of Corfu town.
30 July we took Olivia to Lakka, on N. Paxos, where her childhood friend Debbie was staying with some friends, and we had a wonderful Greek meal together. The next morning they came to breakfast, bringing bags of cookies, cakes, doughnuts and pastries.
We motored to swim in the beautiful clear water at Antipaxos, but were almost run down by a French charterboat which anchored over our anchor. We left and anchored in Gaios, going ashore to see a local festival. We met a young couple who had just bought a catamaran 'Good Stuff' at the start of their sailing adventure of their lives. Brought back memories!
1 August we set off from Paxos to Preveza, some 30 miles away, for a road trip with Olivia. We had a windy entrance into Preveza marina, where we could safely leave Restless.
1 Aug We rented a car and collected cousin Lizzie from Preveza airport, and set off the next day on a road trip to Poros, about 100 miles each way. We stopped at Missolonghi, where Lord Byron died, and then at Ancient Corinth, with fabulous ruins and museums, crossed over the Corinth canal bridge, and stayed in a hotel overlooking the Aegean.
3 Aug we stopped at cousin Mia and Giorgios tranquil olive and citrus farm in Galateas, where we had fresh lemon juice and ice cream, we were very impressed with all their work over Covid time. We then took the ferry across to Poros, and checked into Odyssey hotel, near Askeli beach. Olivia had booked us to eat all our dinners at Apagios, the restaurant of another Greek cousin.
4 Aug Olivia's birthday, and we had meetings, swam at Askeli beach, and walked in the heat of a Greek summer. We drove around Poros island, and stopped at tavernas for lunch and ice cream, before another wonderful meal at Apagios.
6.8 Livi was flying to HK, so had her PCR Covid test, and we drove her to Athens airport, she would go into quarantine before being able to see husband Shenton, and babies Hector (2) and Agatha (8 months). They sail most weekends on their boat, 'Athena'.
Then we set off back to Preveza, and Restless, along the wonderful new Toll roads. Cousin Lizzie left to return to Cornwall on 7 Aug, we returned the rental car, and paid a deposit for winter storage at Cleopatra marina, before leaving the marina into a strong back wind. The marineras helped us out, and we saw a large turtle and 2 dolphins in the bay.
10 Aug we motorsailed 55 miles back to Gouvia, as son Gilbert, his wife Pip, Emmeline (7) and Frederick (nearly 5) were arriving from England. But first we had to find a refrigerator repairman, who fixed the fridge, but pronounced it too old and needing replacement, only he did not have time to do it.
12 Aug we had one of the thunder and lightning storms that Greece is famous for, in ancient times blamed on Zeus, the hurler of thunderbolts and lightning.
15 Aug is an important holiday, Virgin Mary's day. We motored from Gouvia to Petriti, a very picturesque fishing village at the southern part of Corfu, and Gilbert came and spent a few hours with us, planning where to go over the next few days with the family. We are so looking forward to having them aboard. They now have their own boat in England, 'Neverland'.
