37.39.336N 21.19.381E

After checking the weather carefully we decided, after only one day in Porto Keri, we needed to move on. We would have liked to stay longer, but hey ho, our cruising is rather weather dependent.

The evening before we had been getting ash deposited everywhere. In the morning we could see smoke rising from the mountain behind us, then we saw the firefighting planes coming over to pick up water from Langana bay. We immediately thought of the poor turtles. We hope that none were relocated. It really is a tough life being a turtle in this National Marine park!

As we motored out across the bay we had the firefighting planes flying round us as they filled up with water

One of the two firefighting planes – it really felt much closer that the picture shows.

Hopefully he is only scooping up water – swim deep turtles !

After that excitement we had a fairly calm motor sail across to the mainland and Katokolon. As we approached we saw a large cruise ship in the port. It only just fit on the quay.

We anchored just north of the harbor wall. We heard the distant rumbles of thunder from further inland. Luckily they didn’t come our way. We did get some wind pick up from the North East which caused the seas to get very lumpy. Luckily it was only for an hour or so and soon things were calm again.

We didn’t manage to get ashore so we are not sure what the town is like, but we have heard it really only opens when the cruise ships are in. Katakolon is a good place for getting to Ancient Olympia . There is a small train that goes there.  Unfortunately the weather was pushing us on again, so we didn’t get the chance to go.

Looking towards the town of Katakolon

Panoramic view of Katakolon