Away to the Ionion

C. Matapan

First Mate sailing flat out

Porto Kayio

Porto kayio

We are now enroute around the Peloponnese, having departed Porto Heli for an anchorage just west of Cape Malea at Elafonisos Is, then on across to Porto Kayio near C. Tairanon also known as C. Matapan. This was the site of a major WW11 naval battle in which five Italian ships were sunk by an allied force including HMA Ships Perth, Stuart and Vendetta. Sobering to think of that day as we sailed in bright sunshine on a calm sea. Then we made our way up to kalamata, a small city with not much to recommend it. However we were able to travel by road across some spectacular high mountain scenery to ancient Mystras where the remains of a fortified village cling precariously to a precipitous mountainside. From Kalamata on to the beautiful village of Pilos on the west coast.