Galaxidhi to Corinth Canal to Aegina

 Having seen the tempting sign that said "Nice Walk" we decided it had to be done!

Sunrise in Galaxidhi

As the daytime temperatures have been in the high 30s, we decided to get up early to do the walk - glad we did!

Up at the windmill by 8.00am

Not sure what the solar panel is for? Intriguing but unfortunately the door was locked.

Looking down from the windmill to the town of Galaxidhi. I have to say at this point that the sign on the previous post down in the town was the only footpath sign so we did have to find our own way through this sort of terrain of rocks and wild thyme. However, once up there we could make out a track going back down so a different route back.

After a much needed drinks stop we saw another sign directing us along a path to a cave - not so far or high this time!

Inside the cave - it was obviously a burial site at one time.

Local residents out for a morning stroll..........

.........and this is their residence in the harbour.

HOT!!

Lovely local fresh figs with yoghurt and honey for breakfast!

Leaving Galaxidhi we headed south easterly across the Gulf of Corinth and into Corinth Harbour

Looking across the fishing harbour into the modern town. How tall are those palm trees?!

Next morning we went through the Corinth Canal.

This is the entrance and the black and yellow blocks on either side are where the road has dropped down under water to allow boats to pass.

Very steep, high sides - an amazing feat of engineering. Those dots are actually people on the bridge.

The canal was dug through the isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) in length and only 21.4 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for many modern ships.

The canal was initially proposed in classical times and a failed effort was made to build it in the 1st century AD.^[2]Construction recommenced in 1881 but was hampered by geological and financial problems that bankrupted the original builders. It was completed in 1893, but, due to the canal's narrowness, navigational problems, and periodic closures to repair landslides from its steep walls, it failed to attract the level of traffic expected by its operators.

It feels very narrow as you go through!!

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Out of the Corinth Canal and we are now in the Saronic Gulf. The Gulfs and the canal basically separate the Peloponnese from the rest of Greece.

We intended sailing across to the island of Aegina but the winds weren't favourable so we stopped off in Korfos as we hadn't been there before.

Dave chose to have the fish soup - more of a DIY soup - a bowl of broth and a plate of fish and vegetables!

Is this what Wordsworth meant by "I wandered lonely as a cloud......."?

One tiny cloud in the sky as we motor sailed over to Aegina.

Fishing boats on the town quay in Aegina town. 

Time to get the laundry done, stock up with supplies and fill up with water while we wait for Chris and Desi to arrive.

Fruit and vegetable "caiques" on the harbour - selling produce off the boats.

Serenity 2020

 A very late start to the sailing season this year. What a strange time with lockdown due to Coronavirus and sadly both weddings postponed but we look forward to great times next year!

We eventually flew out on 29th July, spent a VERY hot couple of days in the boatyard (42 degrees) cleaning and applying antifoul to the undersides. 

We met Peter on October Song- the boat next to us and had a couple of very good, traditional meals with him at Panos, just outside the boatyard.

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We then motored across to Preveza quay where we put the sails on, inflated dinghy and scrubbed the decks - they had collected a layer of sludge from the dust in the boatyard. We also cleaned the topsides and applied Aglaze so she is looking good!

As we are leaving the Ionian this year and heading round to the Sporades area, we visited a few favourite spots on our way. This, of course, had to include Spartahori on Meganisi.

Dinner at Stephan and Gerry's - expected as they help you moor on their quay - and very nice too!

An amazing lightning show that night! No rain or thunder - just the light - flashes every 30 seconds or so.

The steep walk up to the village of Spartahori above the bay for breakfast the next morning.

We have a passenger!

Next stop was Kioni - the Jewel of the Ionian. A popular place but lovely.

A quiet spot around the bay from the main quay - very serene compared to the town with so many boats, crossed anchors, cross winds making it difficult to moor and cross voices giving often unneeded advice!

Goodbye Ionian - for a while but I am sure we will be back!

Heading to Oxia Island at the mouth of the Gulf of Patras. Flat seas and little wind meant a motor sail over.

The sun setting over the Ionian.

We left Kioni at about 11.00am with the intention of sailing all day and night to arrive in Galaxidhi.

Sailing under the huge Rion bridge at 1.00am (sorry about poor quality photo but difficult at night when the boat is moving!)

This is where it changes from the Gulf of Patras to the Gulf of Corinth.

This is a daylight photo of the bridge, taken when we were last here in July 2015.

At 1.8 miles long it is the longest fully suspended, multi span cable-stayed bridge in the world.

An incredible feat of engineering as the water here reaches a depth of 65m, winds can be 70mph and it is an area of fairly regular earthquakes. The piers are built in such a way that they can move laterally on the seabed to absorb the shocks.

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Our intention of sailing all night was thwarted by the thunderstorm getting closer and closer. Watching horizontal forks of lightning and vertical flashes just ahead, at 1.30am we decided to head in to Trizonia to take shelter. Not easy navigating into the anchorage in pitch dark but we dropped the hook and managed to get a few hours sleep. 

All was calm in the morning!

Trizonia marina had improved a fair bit since our last visit many years ago - they have removed the sunken boats which were taking up a lot of space and it now seems to be quite a busy spot. We stayed on anchor outside of the marina in the beautiful, quiet bay there.

Early morning light in an empty bay

Fish farms as we rounded the corner towards Galaxidhi.

After a day at anchor in Trizonia to sew new cushion covers and test out the outboard motor on the dinghy, we set off again and had a good sail for 24 miles to Galaxidhi.

Anchored off the town of Galaxidhi. I love the "piled up" houses with the cathedral at the top.

The main town quay in Galaxidhi.

After stripping down the outboard - again - the slow running jet was cleaned out and we could take the dinghy across to the town and enjoy iced coffee and fresh orange juice.

Love their footpath signs!

Time for repairs and Jess & Ben come to visit

After Chris and Desi left we went back to One Tree Bay but we had an issue with the anchor windlass resulting in Dave having to haul the anchor and chain back in by hand. We tried attaching a rope and winching it but that took an age to bring in 50 metres of chain.

Taking the strain off the anchor windlass

Back down to Vliho and we dismantle the windlass yet again!

Serenity is "home" -  back at Sail Ionian in Vliho where Chris very kindly gave us the spare parts to repair the windlass.

Beautiful Vliho Bay

I am always interested in boat names and how people chose them. There have been some good ones but this must be the saddest boat we have seen - she is called Fear and Loathing! Why?

A visit into little Vathi on Meganisi

A local enjoying a quiet corner

From there we headed round to Vassiliki on the south coast of Lefkada - a well renowned spot for windsurfing but unfortunately arrived a few days late and all water sport centres were closed.

With no windsurfing we decided to go for a hike instead, after a refreshing swim at this secluded beach

We came across this tiny shrine, complete with tiled roof!

A hot and dusty walk but worth it for

 the amazing views across to Cephalonia

Heading back to Preveza to meet Jess and Ben, we stopped off in Tranquil Bay, which this time was very tranquil!

Jess and Ben join us on board and Ben soon takes the helm. You can just see the white "seagull" on the One Tree Bay hillside behind Ben.

A refreshing swim at the top of the Meganisi channel

Off exploring with the beach to themselves

Now it is Jess' turn to helm. Skipper is looking very relaxed!

Jess and Ben said they were keen to try local cuisine so we had to stop for iced coffee in Nidri!

Back up to Lefkada for a lovely meal on the square......

........beef stifado and lamb kleftiko

Early morning light across the salt flats.

We dropped Jess and Ben off at the bus station in Lefkada for them to catch the 6.00am bus to Athens and we set off back to Preveza to prepare Serenity for a winter in the boatyard.

Beautiful coloured skies looking from Preveza quay towards Ionian boatyard.