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Mediterranean Odyssey

September - October 2023
A 53-day adventure by SailingSealaVie Read more
  • 30footprints
  • 3countries
  • 53days
  • 235photos
  • 7videos
  • 1.9kkilometers
  • 875sea miles
  • 306kilometers
  • 11kilometers
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  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    Day 18

    Still here...

    September 25, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    We've been in Porto di Ciro for 4 days now trying to jump across to St Maria di Leuca. The Ionian Sea and winds are not cooperating! On the first attempt, the winds and waves were from the South and after the gale warning, we headed back. We spent the next day exploring on our bikes. Unfortunately, the supposedly excellent antiquities museum was closed so we rode towards the Pt. Alice lighthouse but the sandy path prevented us from proceeding. (thwarted- a familiar theme!) Back at the boat, we did a few odd jobs while the wind blew 34 knots! Thank goodness we were here! Even in the harbour we felt the boat buffeting and jerking on its lines. The wind brought some clouds and a sprinkling of rain. Our 2nd voyage out began yesterday at 0610 after coffee. Fortunately, the cooking gas ran out after the coffee was made. After an hour with a North wind, the wind alarm beeping, waves increasing, and another gale warning, we turned around. Back on the dock, a fellow Canadian came by. He's been living here for 5 years and has family back in Winnipeg, but as a chef, worked in Kelowna and in other provinces. He gave us a restaurant recommendation. Bob wanted to get more diesel and once again, had to be the bicycle fuel delivery guy! Being Sunday, the gas station was closed and the streets were dead quiet but we were able to get cooking gas and the young fellow gave Bob a free lighter after chatting. The bigger grocery store was open so we picked up a few things...medicinal wine! We've adopted a number of things as "approved medical devices" - a narrow, short board as a back scratcher and lotion spreader, a cold beer bottle as a compress for swollen bites, a metal file for callus removal, and wine as a nerve relaxant! When we came back from the store, an Italian catamaran came in from a short distance up the coast. They asked to borrow our bikes to go to the grocery store and afterwards invited us for a glass of wine. It was a charter and they were only traveling a few stops on the coast. We went out for pasta at the recommended restaurant on the water. Everyone in the town was out! It seems Sunday is for church and staying home in the afternoon and then everyone comes out at night until late! Even when there is school and work the next day!
    A thunderstorm came through so the boat got a minor wash.
    After checking the forecast ad nauseum, we decided leaving around 11 today would be good as winds were supposed to drop. Bob picked up fuel early on his bike. As we came out from the harbour, we could see the swells and whitecaps beyond the Point. We got out far enough to realize the swells were too big so we turned around again and here we sit pondering...    Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    Day 19

    Thunder and lightning, oh my!

    September 26, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌩️ 22 °C

    Not going anywhere today! Wind whistled, boat bounced, lightning flashed and streaked, thunder rumbled and cracked, and rain poured! The sun came out, and around it went again, all day. Thank goodness we were in the harbour tied up!Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    Day 21

    on the move!

    September 28, 2023, Ionian Sea ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    After a week in Ciro amongst the fisherman and the mosquitoes, we finally left and crossed the Ionian Sea on a 12 hour voyage. The weather forecast turned out to be right with some wind and waves in the morning and lessening during the day. We picked up some groceries and pastries and set off at 1045. The wind and waves were varied all day with the occasional swell to slide off but overall, a pleasant but very long day. The reward was an unobstructed view of the sunset and the full moon rising. A clear night with the moon was so bright it was hard to see the stars! We finally arrived at St Maria di Leuca, the heel of Italy, and rafted up to an abandoned and broken boat with the help of a Swiss sailor. He said the rumour was that 3 sailboats were confiscated by police for carrying refugees. 😬🤯 It was 2300 and time for bed!Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    Day 22

    Greece! 🇬🇷

    September 29, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    It was a quick night after our arrival in St Maria di Leucca and we were off again! Captain Bob saw a weather window today or Tuesday and decided we should take advantage. I was not pleased as I wanted to stop, breathe and take in some sights before leaving Italy but the siren song of the Greek isles convinced me to go. It was another long day (almost 9 hours) with some wind and swells but here we are, anchored at Amnos, Othonoi. We are anchored with a French, a Swiss, and an English boat in a lovely bay and we can see Corfu. Next up, Albania then Corfu.Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    2
    Day 23

    Awesome Albania

    September 30, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We arrived at Saranda, Albania harbour mid afternoon on Sat. 30th having left Othonoi, our lovely Greek refuge between Italy and Albania.
    Saranda has been a delightful surprise. We knew very little about Albania except that it's non-EU and therefore a stopping point for boats that need to get out of the EU after 18 months, like us. It is mountainous with scrubby, rocky tops. We anchored in the harbour along with Brazilian, Australian, British, South African, and French sailboats and rowed ashore to meet the agent helping us with customs. The harbourfront is beautiful with a lovely promenade, beaches, trees filled with birds chattering and chirping, restaurants and hotels, and clean! Not a speck of garbage anywhere (unlike Italy, dump your garbage anywhere, everywhere) and there are cleaners and sweepers regularly but obviously people respect their environment. We found the grocery stores, patisseries 🥐and a restaurant 😋🦑🫑🥒for dinner. The Australians popped by to say hello and we agreed to get together the next day. Music played from the pirate tour boats as people partied aboard and we went to sleep!
    Sunday felt like a holiday because we didn't have to go anywhere or rush to get somewhere - we had arrived! We swam and read and watched the beach goers and promenade walkers, heard the Muslim calls to prayer and the Catholic church bells. Capt. Bob had the audacity at one point to suggest we go for a sail around the bay 🤯🤪 - NO! We ended the lovely day on the Australian's catamaran for drinks and supper.    Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    21
    Day 25

    Albanian Adventures 😬

    October 2, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Monday we rented a car to visit 3 must see sights but only got to one after getting lost in the mountains of Albania! I think we saw areas that most Albanians have never seen! We were on what we later discovered was an "old" road with broken pavement, gravel, no guardrails, and no one except a man and his donkey and later, one pickup and some cows on the mountainsides. Bob could only go about 10 kms./hour due to the potholes and the hairpin turns 😬. I took very few pictures because my white knuckles could not let go of the door and seat! After 90 minutes we finally connected with the main 2 lane hwy which was newly paved but still with hairpin turns and switchbacks, dogs lying in the middle and loping across, and cows and horses wandering along! The ancient Town of Gjirokaster has a castle with a history of misery. It now honours the anti- Communists tortured and killed and has become a place for festivals. The ancient Town has narrow cobblestones lanes with shops and restaurants offering traditional treasures and meals. We drove up to the castle but with no parking available, had to turn around on a narrow cobblestoned lane overlooking the new town below. He couldn't get the gear in reverse and we kept lurching to the precipice! Somehow, he finally got it and we backed up and drove down and back up to the main parking area where Bob tried to figure out how to reverse. A parking attendant took pity and shooed Bob out of the car, reversed, and showed him how to do it! 🤪We parked and wandered up to the castle and later through the ancient Town and had a late lunch of traditional foods. The restaurant had forgotten about us and when Bob asked, many apologies and they gave us each a raki, similar to Grappa. I poured it into my water bottle for later as we had to drive home through the mountains and S-bends! The correct road back was at least paved but it has to be the windiest road in the world! We missed 2 other sights as we were tired from driving and I couldn't take any more near misses! We invited the Australians over and had a lovely evening. Music, call to prayers, birds and bells were the sounds putting us to sleep.Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    1
    Day 29

    A Greek Odyssey 🤯😢

    October 6, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Nightmare is more like it! When we arrived in Corfu, it was mid afternoon and the post office was closed where we were supposed to pay for our cruising permit. We'd have to wait until the next day. Fortunately we found a phone shop to get a SIM card and I was happy to be connected again! We anchored in the bay with the old fortress lit up nearby.
    The next morning we spent +3 hours going between customs, Port police, passport control, and around again, all in different places, only to be denied entry! 🤯 The passport fellow counted our days in EU and said we were at 90 and therefore we could not enter, we'd have to go back to Albania, see if we could get a visa and we were to return to our boat and not come ashore again or we could be arrested! On our way back to the boat another Cdn. boat was anchored nearby so we stopped to chat. Mark & Lisa are from Victoria and they had some suggestions and helpful information. They offered to come by later and their company and our libations were a welcome respite from our dilemma of where to go (Albania? Montenegro? and how do we catch our flt home from Paris?!) They suggested we stay anchored and go back in 2 days with our calculations of days in EU within the last 6 months. So, we spent the next day cleaning swimming and breaking the rules by going ashore to get groceries and much needed medicinal booze! This a.m. we loaded up the bikes because we'd ended up walking 10 kms between offices the last time and decided it would be easier on bikes. We went to Passport, they sent us to Customs who wanted our Insurance document to not only state we could sail in Greece but it had to have a special number referencing Greek law. This was not asked for last time but we had Bob's computer so we went to a café and he pulled up the appropriate document and back we went. She sent us back to Passport where a different agent from the other day checked our passports and said we'd been denied and could not enter. Bob said (politely) that the other agent had miscalculated and went over dates and offered receipts and his spreadsheet as proof. The agent called the previous agent, had a long conversation and finally stamped our passports and customs document! He then advised there is an agreement between Canada and Greece that Cdns can spend 90 days in any other EU countries and when we come and stay in Greece we can have another 90 days. So why have we gone through denied entry????🤯🤔😖
    After he stamped our documents, we had to go to Port Police then back to Customs to pay more and get new customs documents stamped. Another +3 hours and another 10 kms going in circles! Talk about bureaucratic inefficiencies and hassle! It makes Albania's entry and exit a dream. I'm hoping the Greek Gods will now look favourably upon us for the last 3 weeks.    Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    Day 32

    Corfu highlights

    October 9, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Now that we are legal and are "free range", we have been exploring and wandering in Corfu town and Gouvia. Corfu town is beautiful with a lovely mixture of Venetian, French, British and Greek architecture. It's busy with cruise ships coming and going daily but, surprisingly, it doesn't feel crowded. Shops, cafés, bakeries, markets line the narrow streets, and sometimes laundry overhead, as you wind your way through the maze. The Archeological Museum houses the Gorgon Pediment from the Temple of Artemis dated 580BC and a frieze of Dionysus, God of wine, for whom I've been searching! Greek wine is double the price of Italian wine and €4 seems excessive! 🤣
    Our anchorage at Corfu was calm and we enjoyed watching boats come and go, including kids in sailing dinghies, and meeting other sailors (Canadian, U.K. Danish).
    We came to Gouvia and anchored off the Durrell house where they filmed the TV show. It's beautiful and is available to rent! Perfect for a (badminton??!!) group with our boat anchored outside!
    The largest marina on Corfu is around the corner but we are presently anchored in a beautiful bay across from it. It's calm, the sea is 29C and the surrounding shore has beautiful gardens, a variety of trees, rocks, and gorgeous homes and hotels. What's missing are family and friends on this Thanksgiving Day🦃🍁🌽🇨🇦 but I feel fortunate to be where I am and to have all of you in my life. 😘    Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    Day 35

    Of Gods and Men

    October 12, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The Gods were listening to Capt. Bob muttering about no wind and wanting to sell the mast and sails! On Tuesday, we motored from Gouvia, past Corfu town, along the Eastern Corfu coastline to a small fishing village, Petriti, where we spent the night bouncing and swinging as the wind and waves picked up. We had a lovely evening though with a young couple; she is Canadian and he is French, and it seems we've been playing sail tag with them since Sicily!
    Wednesday morning we decided to do a hike before setting off but it was more of a walk along the coast so we didn't go far. There is a trail developed by an English woman that goes from one end of Corfu to the other and takes about 10 days with places to stop for the night. Our walk was not part of that!
    The wind got up to 13 knots so we had a lovely sail to the mainland town, Mourtos. The trip was under 4 hours and is my idea of a perfect day! Until we came to anchoring...
    Our dinghy line got caught in the propeller of the sailboat so we stopped the engine but we were drifting toward a catamaran! Bob lowered our anchor but not fast enough to prevent us from bumping the catamaran. Fortunately, the men on board were prepared with bumpers and were not concerned about the little scrape on their hull. It turns out they own 4 charter boats and said they'd seen and done worse and would just add it to their jobs list! They were so kind and understanding and suggested we could buy them a drink so when we saw them on the waterfront, we delivered a case of beer instead and had a chat.
    The anchorage was beautiful with turquoise water and different little fish swimming around. We swam and watched boats come and go, some that we've seen in other anchorages. We enjoyed a meal on the waterfront then back to the quiet and calm anchorage for the night.
    We spent this morning doing little jobs and had a swim before departing for Lakka, Paxos Is. Bob was hopeful that we'd be sailing the whole way but it was not to be. Perhaps some more mutterings to the Gods are needed! We arrived in another beautiful anchorage but a busier one with +25 boats: German, Austrian, Polish, U.K. Met a young fellow from Scotland and he and his wife live and work online aboard their boat. Same as the couple in Petriti.
    Greece, in spite of our worrisome start, has been wonderful. A few challenges: biting bugs which love me 😬😟and getting water. Not every harbour has fresh, drinkable water so we are on rations until we can fill up again. Otherwise, beautiful sea, sky, birds, landscape and people. 😍    Read more

  • TravelerMediterranean Odyssey
    1
    Day 38

    Zig, Circle and Zag

    October 15, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We spent Friday morning puttering and since we weren't traveling far to Gaios further down the island, I went to the village to the lovely young woman who could do our laundry and to shop for a few things. I was alone, motoring in the dinghy, in a beautiful harbour...😍😃
    Later, Bob felt the need for exercise besides swimming to the shore so he rowed us around the point at the harbour entrance and back. Off to the village again to pick up the laundry and off we went down the coast about 5 n.m. to Gaios. The town was busy and looked quite lovely with shops, people, restaurants but there was no room to tie up or to anchor so we came out again and headed back towards Lakka. The wind and waves had picked up and we were unsure of other anchorages so we went back to Lakka, a secure harbour. Our entertainment was watching a German boat anchoring: he set out 2 bow anchors and had his wife swim to shore with a line to tie to a rock! He had started so close to an Austrian boat that they decided to move over ☹. The process took over an hour of adjustments!
    The roosters woke us up Sat. morning and we set off down the west side of Paxos. A very different landscape from the forested east side with rocky cliffs, caves and striped layers. I was hoping to stop and swim and explore at the Blue Caves but there was a bit of swell, limited sandy bottom, and rocks! so we circled around, took in the view and carried on. We passed a stone arch and went into Mongonissi Bay where we could/should have come to the previous night as it was next door to Gaios! We turned and set off for Preveza on the mainland. It's where we'll be leaving the boat for the winter and where we can explore before the expected stormy weather arrives. We are in good company with other boats we've seen in other harbours and where everyone we've met is leaving their boat for winter. We're anchored off the town and will stock up and fill up then sail to areas near by before coming back in a week. The coastline coming in has dropped and ends in a salt marsh before rising up again. Varied and beautiful Greece.    Read more

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