Astakos
Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Tue 28 Apr 2009 17:14
Tuesday 28th April
Another grey start with no wind at all! Got under way around 9.00am and
motored down the Meganissi Channel where we met 20 knots of wind pretty much
bang on the nose!
Raised the sails and started what promised to be a cracking beat all the way
to Asakos which was 25 miles away on the mainland, but as is the way of
these things, the wind dropped away and we ended up motoring. We did meet
more wind just as we pointed up into the big bay with Astakos at the head,
but again this was just a funnelling effect and we arrived off the town quay
in a flat calm.
A little unsure from the pilot book where we might be able to moor as they
warned of various underwater obstructions, but fortunately there was only
one other visiting yacht (Swedish) and they were moored alongside the quay.
So we nosed in forwards to take a look at the underwater section of the quay
wall with our forward looking sonar and picked a spot and dropped anchor and
backed up without incident.
Astakos is principally sustained by fishing and agriculture, with some
tourist trade from Greeks who holiday here but right now there are no Greeks
on holiday! Along the waterfront there is a raised ramp which is the landing
point for a hydrofoil service, but when we arrived this was being used by
small tug-like boats that were bringing containers of fish over from the
extensive fish farms on the nearby Dragonera Islands and loading them onto
lorries. Astakos means 'Lobster' in Greek, but there is precious little sign
that this might be a local speciality!
So the only visitors in town today were the four Swedes, the two of us and
three middle aged Italian couples (in matching black kit) who arrived on
large motorbikes and who spent the day strolling along the front, drinking
coffee and admiring Serafina!