Treleaven' s Travels

by Andrea Treleaven on 20 Aug 2004 The popular Ionian Islands are obviously a favourite from the super yachts to small sail craft, mega power boats to day cruisers. The Cyprus, olive trees and pine forests cover the islands and with clear water we have perfect night’s anchoring in bays.

It’s August and high season, school holidays, hot and no wind, so we motor from island to island which are not very far apart.

Friskardo on Cephalonia is the St Tropez of Greece (so they say), and it certainly was fabulous. We’ve never seen so many boats all in one bay by this tiny quaint village.

Most of the villages around have lost their character due to the extreme seismic activity, and this is the only village that hasn’t been affected by the numerous earthquakes.

Passing through the Stenon Meganision passage between Levkas and Meganisi, it’s as picture perfect as the ‘Pilot’ states. Meganisi Island is like a hand with five fingers, lots of inlets, deep turquoise water, fringed by pebbled beaches and only visited by yachties. Anchoring stern to, the only problem is that it’s no longer a secret, there are boats everywhere.

Now for the best bit: Scorpios, the privately owned island of Aristotle Onasis and a favourite of Jackie Kennedy (whom he married). For those who aren’t old enough, this was a paparazzi hot spot, a mega rich holiday island. Wow, it sure is something.

Still beautifully maintained, where you can anchor off the private port or beaches but you cannot step foot on the island. I’m coming back as a cicada; they were the only sound on this naturally perfectly planted island. 200 staff work on the island now, to be only visited one week a year by his granddaughter.

In Lefkas, once part of the mainland and now an island, we pass through the Roman built canal to the main port and then pass through the bridge (actually a barge they pull to one side on the hour). Lefkas town is great to re-stock and a cheap place to winter a yacht out of the water, a thought we had until we heard about the frequent earthquakes and yachts falling off cradles.

Approaching the tiny island of Antipaxos, with a bay called Emerald Bay we can see a mass of boats with their hulls glowing blue from reflection. Here we have discovered the ‘Maldives of the Med’. Pure white sand underneath, it’s like sitting in a glass of water. Ian and Colin want front row position - it’s glamour all round, floating on clear plastic brightly coloured lilos with the skimpiest of bikinis.

When the wind changes and boats get a little close, there’s a little tension in the air and the happy Treleaven’s Travels have a moment (of course it’s my fault).

We up anchor and head for the main town Gaios on Paxos, and find a very pretty inlet and once again wall to wall boats both sides, but very sheltered (not that we need it).

Paxos is also famous for its olive oil, with Harrods of London only buying their stocks from here. Colin, a Chef, has been great to have on board and we have together reinvented the Greek cuisine.

Paxos, one of the smallest islands in the Ionians, is becoming a holiday retreat for the rich and famous, having their July holiday house here and their August holiday house at Porto Cervo, Sardinia.

Corfu and its many occupying influences made this a very fascinating town, built on a promontory between two fortresses. French and Italian architecture, an English cricket ground and all within walking distance from our boat in the Marina NOAK.

Last night we went to an open air opera concert in the old Venetian fort. It featured contemporary but traditional Greek music sung by a famous Opera singer with the Corfu orchestra.

The Olympics are in full flight and all the bars have big screens and we watched the Opening Ceremony in style, though not understanding a word.

Saturday night is amazing, with crowds everywhere late into the night, the bar by the marina is still in full flight at 5.00am in the morning.

Colin and Tammy leave us here and we have a day for maintenance on the boat before our son Ian and his friend Karina join us for a week.

As we were so impressed with Paxos and Antipaxos, we have sailed back to spend several days with Ian. Yet another fabulous day at Emerald Bay just swimming, diving and enjoying the very clear water. Paxos and Antipaxos are certainly our favourite place in Greece.

Cheers Andrea and Ian