July - August

After two weeks in the boat yard we set off again. Serenity now has new rudder bearings (ten day wait for delivery but it has reduced the vibration), injectors serviced, tappets checked, antifouling and polishing done etc etc.

We now headed south to pick up Chris and Desi who were flying into Kephalonia.

First stop was in Sivota on the south coast of Lefkada

Beautiful rainbow after a rather wet afternoon.

That night we were lucky enough to get an incredible view of the eclipse and "Blood moon"

Here you can just see the start of the Earth's shadow moving across the moon. I wish now that I had taken more photos as it covered the moon but I didn't think they would come out.

Another sunset but so spectacular I had to include it!

Next stop was the beautiful port of Kioni - known as the "Jewel of the Ionian" and we can see why.

We met a couple on the boat next to us - she was English and he was Greek. He said he was going to dive for some shellfish and came back with these. We were not sure how he recognised them on the seabed amongst all the stones and weed but he knew what he was looking for.

The "shells" were not hard but more like cartilage. He cut off the end and then opened them up to reveal the bright red and yellow insides. He assured us they were very tasty so brought some over for us to try. "Interesting" I think would be the term I would use!

Dave, being very polite, agreed to have a second at which point Jorgan went and fetched a whole bag from the back of his boat!

An early morning walk around the bay looking across to where Serenity is moored on the quay in the distance. 

When we got to Kephalonia we stopped in the port of Sami and hired a car to drive across

 the island to Argostoli to pick up Chris and Desi from the airport. We went early with the intention of buying more mobile data, only to find the shop closed at 3.00pm and didn't open, as they normally do, later in the evening. Having some time to kill we explored the town and enjoyed a concert of Greek music in the square.

An interesting idea for sinks!

We left Sami and went across to a bay we hadn't visited before - Pera Pigadhi on the island of Ithaka. Clear turquoise water and probably the best spot for snorkelling we have found yet - so many varieties of fish and also starfish and crabs.

I then flew back to the UK to spend a couple of weeks with my Dad in the Lake District. 

While I was away, Dave, Chris and Desi went to Acheron Springs and walked further up the river than we had previously.

Desi in her "natural jacuzzi"

Amazing view of the sky above the deep gorge.

Chris on "look-out" duty

They sailed north from Kephalonia, Ithaca, Meganissey, Lefkada, through the Lefkada canal and out into the northern part of the Ionian. Chris and Desi flew out of Corfu and I flew back in there.

We anchored in Garitsas bay just off the main town of Corfu where "Yacht A" was also anchored. She is the biggest sailing vessel in the world and is absolutely enormous! Apparently the masts are so wide there are lifts going up inside them! 

A very unusual design. This picture gives you some idea of the size - the yacht in front of her is bigger than ours. I am glad I don't have the job of polishing the hull!

The view from bows on - a very radical design.