Letter from the Med- Zakynthos,Cephalonia & Ithaca

by Ian and Andrea Treleaven on 20 Aug 2006 Hi everyone,

August, the hottest month for the northern Mediterranean, everyone is on holiday and it’s like drawing teeth to get me to write this.

These lush green islands are surrounded in deep translucent salty sea water, on the eastern side are bays with craggy rock foreshore and on the west side white cliffs and beaches open to the ocean. We passed through here two years ago, and this time we are looking forward to taking it easy, exploring more.

Roma Bay at the end of Zakynthos, the most southern of all the islands, is to be only a swim and then onto the port. As we are about to leave, for the very first time, we couldn’t get the anchor up in 15 metres of water. No matter which way we tried to drag it out, it wouldn’t budge. Thankfully we have a dive deck compressor on board, but with only a limit of 15 metres, Ian dives to see it wedged between two rocks. Determined not to leave his anchor behind, he goes back down with a rope to attach to the front. With smart manoeuvring back up on the boat, and Ian’s determination, we managed to free it and keep the anchor.

These islands were hit by an earthquake in 1953 when most of the Venetian villages where destroyed. Now rebuilt, they still have a holiday Greek charm about them, but not like the other islands in the Aegean of white washed villages, but a mix of pastel colours and orange roofs. There are no marina’s in the islands, so we have to rely on trucks bringing water to us and as at Zakynthos harbour we pay for it, E14 for 400 litres. Plenty of space available on the dock, but at this time it’s very full of charter boats.

Post cards of bays with white beaches and shipwrecks are to be found every where in Greece. Many times I have asked where this bay is only to get ‘I don’t know’. Well finally I have been to Wreck Bay. On the west side of Zakynthos, in rough conditions we anchor beneath high white cliffs in turquoise water, wouldn’t you know it, looking at a shipwreck? The high lime white cliffs are powerful and reflect the blue from the bright sea, but we can’t stay long, photos taken we head north for Cephalonia.

Argostoli, the capital of the island, is the town around which the novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is based. A very new looking town destroyed in the '53’ earthquake, with great fashion shopping, a welcome cappuccino and then head up the east coast to find yet more white cliffs and beautiful white beaches. Charter boats are not allowed to sail on the west side, so there are few boats around and it is absolutely beautiful so long as the weather looks settled. Assos is a gem tucked in behind a hill surrounded by a stone walled Venetian fort and pine trees, we must return someday.

Fiskardho wasn’t destroyed by the earthquake and is a favourite with yachties. We are all lined up in this small bay stern to with lines ashore, sometimes two or three deep, attaching ropes to pine trees. I have never seen so many ropes crisscrossing each other. This is better than any TV viewing, get in early in case you stuff it up, anchor and then watch everyone else stuff it up. In this small cute busy village, fashion shops and restaurants line the waters edge.

Andrea Bay at the southern end of Ithaca is a short distance to Sámi, Cephalonia, a ferry port where friends Christine and Ken Allen leave us and Nick and Michelle Smail return. Must be OK, what we do as we are never without friends. Nick is an old school friend of Ian’s and when he is on board, this is their third visit, it’s like they are still back at school.
As we wait for the laundry, a must see is the inland Melissani Cave with an underground lake. The colours change according to the time of day as you are taken by row boat into the cave. They have found statues of Pan here where he supposedly played with his Nymphs in the 3rd and 4th centuries BC. The statue of Pan showed why the nymphs were attracted to him with the size of his equipment.

Andrea Bay once again surrounded by high green trees, deep blue and tranquil, until the girls in the next boat from Italy arrive and get their clothes off. Enjoying very much the east coast of Ithaca where the legend of Ulysses stills lingers. Kioni another cute port and an evening spent in a bar run by Greek expats from Australia.

30 degrees during the day with a nice breeze blowing and cooler in the evening as we bay hop, find blue grottos to snorkel into and just enjoy this clean clear water.

We have sailed to many places during our 4 years in the Med but have to honestly say that the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca rate very highly as the best place to cruise. Greece is the only country in the EU that insists on a cruising permit which they issue for 6 months for E30.After this it is actually hard to find a port captain who wants to sign it. Oh for bureaucracy! There are excellent bays to shelter in no matter the direction of the wind .We have now been without shore power for over 14 days and have only had port charges for one night.

We highly recommend this part of Greece to charter a yacht or cruise in your own boat.

The boys have just watched The All Blacks play the Wallabies in a bar in Fiskardho having breakfast with Italian commentary. It is always difficult for us being New Zealanders domiciled in Australia knowing which team to support, but as Ian says it is getting closer and the All Blacks always seem to peak early.

Cheers Andrea and Ian