Harry's 30th Birthday Week with Eimile

A few days after Katy left (during which time I somehow fell off someones boat in the pitch dark and ended up at hospital having six stitches in my shin), Harry and Eimile flew into Corfu. They joined us in the bay outside Gouvia marina.

The view from the boat looking across to Gouvia marina in the background.

 The view looking across to Corfu town - two huge cruise ships can be seen on the far left.

The view across the bay with Albania in the far distance.

The shoreline behind us.


We sailed over from Corfu to Igoumenitsa Creek where we found a very quiet anchorage for the night, just two other boats and a couple of fishermen's shacks.

From there we followed the mainland coast south to Sivota and anchored in Monastery Bay again (No storms this time!)

Another amazing sunset over Corfu!

Harry going for an early morning swim in Monastery Bay.

Time to relax!

Eimile setting sails

Next stop Lakka on Paxos. Such a lovely spot we stayed for two nights.

All the shades of blue - water and sky.
This is looking out of the bay over to the southern end of Corfu.

TWO beers Harry??

From Lakka back across to Sayaidha on the mainland. Dave had been told about a very good seafood restaurant here!
Difficult to choose which restaurant to support so we had starters in one then seafood in the one that had been recommended.

Quite a strange place. There was a harbour which all reports said was too shallow for us but other boats were going in? Should we risk it or not? Decided to stay out on anchor and take the dinghy in. A row of restaurants / bars along the harbour but really nothing else. Behind those was a large lake and houses beyond there.

Serenity looking serene in the evening light.

Sayaidha is on the strip of land that is Greece with Albanian mountains in the background - very close to the border. Fishing boat returning with the night's catch.

We had a good sail from Sayaidha back to Corfu.

Eimile at the helm, multitasking!

Harry and Eimile's week was over all too soon and they left us in Garitsas bay in Corfu.

We then went around the headland below the castle........

.......and anchored off the small island of Vido.

It was going to be just a lunchtime stop to see what it was like but it was so nice we stayed there for two nights. Very few other boats there and for a lot of the time we were on our own.



On the island there is a mausoleum for the soldiers of the First World War. Vido is also known as Serbian Jerusalem. It is believed that over 10,000 Serbs were buried on the island  and in 1936, the large mausoleum was built where the bones of the soldiers buried here were placed.

We went ashore for a walk around the island and came across this "project". It must have been a very grand island home at one time but now sadly in need of some TLC.

Nearby were several empty houses that used to be part of the Scout campus there. 

The abandoned buildings and campsite now give the island a rather eerie feel. 

We found these strange fruits that had fallen from a tree and discovered they are "Osage Oranges" although not a lot like oranges as we know them.

Local inhabitants we met on our walk. Also a lot of pheasants who we noticed had realised when people come to the beach where we were anchored, probably had a picnic!

There is a small ferry that brings visitors to the island during the day.
We found a welcome bar on the other side of the island at the landing stage so enjoyed a much needed cold beer.

One of the beaches on the island.

The beach where we anchored.

Katy's 30th Birthday Week

We had hoped that Katy & Irvin and Harry & Eimile would all be able to come out together to celebrate the twins 30th birthday but unfortunately work trips got in the way and it wasn't possible. We did, however, have a wonderful week with Katy before her birthday - sadly Irvin had to work weekends so wasn't able to join us and then another great week with Harry and Eimile a few days later.

Katy flew into Corfu airport when we were anchored in Garitsas bay so a 15 minute walk from the airport and a short ride in the dinghy. The next morning we set off across to Sivota on the mainland.

A trip to the Steak House is a must when visiting Sivota!

We went across to Blue Lagoon on one of the Mourtos Islands for the day where it was glorious and sunny, good swimming and snorkelling and then we had a terrific thunderstorm before we left. 

Once that had passed we motored back across to Monastery Bay just off Sivota beach and..... the storm came back with a vengeance! 30knots of wind but the heaviest rain we have ever had.

 This was the evening view at the end of the storm. We were very glad of our spray hood and cockpit enclosures - very cosy!

From Sivota we had a good sail across to Lakka on the island of Paxos and enjoyed cocktails on the waterfront. A popular spot but still beautiful.

We left Lakka and sailed anticlockwise round the whole island passing some stunning scenery en route.

Very steep, very high cliffs clearly showing the layers of rock

We stopped off at the caves on the west coast and Katy and I took the dinghy to go and explore while Dave looked after the boat - not a lot of space and anchor sitting on a rock so luckily very calm weather. 

The tripper boats without masts are able to go into the cave. In the dinghy we discovered that the two caves are linked by a huge arch inside.

All along the west coast the scenery and rock formations were amazing. Difficult perspective in this picture but you can make out the archway at the front.

Arriving in Gaios we anchored and tied back to the island opposite the town on the left of this picture.

 Katy then had the job of retrieving the lines. Hard to believe but a four legged inhabitant of the island had scurried along this rope, chewed our BBQ tongs and left - thank goodness! How did he tightrope walk along here?

Now back to the mainland and a stop in Parga - a lovely town in a bay with lots of rocky islands offshore.

Rather dull light but this picture shows the painted houses stacked up the hillside - and a lovely picture of Katy!

I love the mishmash of houses - difficult to tell where one ends and another one starts - and the colours.

Having climbed up to the top of town by the castle we came to a restaurant with one of the best views ever (and a very good meal too)

The view from the restaurant looking down onto Parga town.

The higgledy-piggledy houses of Parga town.

From the restaurant looking up to the castle and.........

..........from the castle looking down on the restaurant.

While we were in Parga we hired a car and took Katy to Acheron Springs - such a stunning place.

Katy in one of the deeper, wading sections. A few swims needed as well

This time we went further still and reached the bridge at the end of the gorge. This is the view further on but we turned around at this point and walked back down.

A good spot for a photo opportunity!

Very steep sides in this section - no chance of walking along the edge. Nice to be in the cool water though.

Quite difficult walking against the current in some sections and then keeping your balance on the way back as you walk with the current. 

Back to Lakka and then across to Sivota

The beach bar overlooking Monastery Bay, Sivota. You can just see the remains of the monastery that gave it its name on the headland in the distance.

The cave outside Sivota that Skipper Dave........

.......got quite close to!

The mouth of a "rock monster"!

Back to Garatsis bay and these unusual fish came to visit. After much online research we still don't know what they are. They are about 40cms long, gold tails, fins and underneath and grey stripes on their backs - any ideas?

An amazingly clear photo that Katy took from the plane as she flew over. Serenity is anchored over to the right.