Northern Ionian

Transitting the Lefkus canal bridge (out of sequence)

Lakka, Paxos (out of sequence)

Corfu town

Corfu Sailing Club

Corfu town

Mourtos

Anchorage at Lakka on Paxos Is

Lefkus town waterfront

Earthquake-proof bell tower, Lefkus town

Porto Spilia on Meganisi Is

Sivota on Lefkus Is

Myrtos beach, Cephalonia

Assos

Assos village on Cephalonia

Our travels have brought us north through Cephalonia, Meganisi, Lefkus, Paxos and now to Corfu. We collected our new crew members in Zakinthos and revisited Cephalonia where we toured by car and found it to be a very beautiful geeen rugged island with lovely fertile valleys and a spectacular coastline. We called at Sami, Eufimia, and Fiscardo again, then Sivota on Lefkus and Porto Spilia on Meganisi before checking out nearby Skorpios, the island owned by the Onassis family heiress, and on through the Lefkus canal to Lefkus town. Then through the remainder of the canal and up Gaios and Lakka, which is a beautiful village akin to Fiscardo but writ small, on Paxos. A quick visit to Mourtos on the mainland coast before arrival at Corfu town and berthing at the Ionian Sailing Club below the old fortress. Here Jim and Sue have departed bound for Morocco and we are completing preparations for our next stage, a visit to Albania.

Travels in the Ionian

Fiscardo

Fiscardo

Fiscardo

Overlooking the bay at Sami

Working fishing boat at Sami

Ionian sunset

Lunch at Methoni near Pilos

Pilos

Mystra

Kalamata marina

Since Pilos we have sailed north via katapolon, near Olympus, still on the peloponnese, then to Zakinthos town and on to the island of kefallonia, Captain Corelli country. Here we have visited Sami,a lovely port where we climbed a small mountain overlooking the town; Fiscardo, the picture perfect Greek island town and Poros. In Fiscardo we rendezvoused with Ron & Marjorie who flew in from London and had a magnificent villa overlooking the harbour. We are now enroute back to Zakinthos to pick up Jim & Sue flying in from Bris.

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.

Return Aboard

At Porto Heli


Porto Heli town

Kilada

Underway at last

At the lifting dock

We`re off

Life on the hard

On the hard

Jack Tar`s crew has returned aboard. After a tedious 36 hour journey Pop`s Hire Car was waiting at Athens airport and three hours later we were aboard, albeit on the hard, at Kilada. Next day we drove to Navplion and were able to recover our extended transit log from customs, surprisingly at no charge. Three days later after routine preparations we were in the water and motoring the 15 miles around the peninsula to beautiful Porto Heli where we berthed on the town quay to finish rigging and embark stores. The weather has been variable, though generally cool, so we look forward to the advent of the real summer. From where we observe, you wouldn`t know that Greece is the centre of a financial mess; GFC squared! We plan to get underway asap and to sail west around the outside of the Peloponnese and north to the Ionian.

Season`s End

In the lifting dock

Arrival at Koilada

Hydra port & town

Hotel Nefeli

Hydra

Hydra in the rain

Ermioni

At porto Heli

Jack Tar is now on the hard at the Basimakopouloi shipyardat Koilada and being prepared for the winter. Our troublesome loose rudder has been removed and we have discovered that the epoxy "glue" sticking the stock bearing to the rudder stock had worn away and disintegrated leaving a large gap between bearing and stock. Prior to arrival here we stayed longer at Porto Heli than planned as the weather did not cooperate. Quite a bit of rain and some very strong winds. We managed visits to nearby Ermioni and on very rainy day, to beautiful Hydra. There we visited new Australian friends Brett and Alex who have a hotel overlooking the town. Now we are organising arrangements for departure to Oz early Nov and plan to return mid April `10.

Time Out - UK

Jack Tar`s crew has returned aboard after two weeks in Britain; London, the southwest, the Cotswalds and north Wales. We were extremely lucky to have good weather for all but one day! Next, a few days sailing before returning to Porto Heli to prepare the boat for lifting from the water 21 Oct, and then departure for Oz 02 Nov.