Letter from the Med- Ionian Islands - Cephalonia

by Ian and Andrea Treleaven on 29 Aug 2006 Hi Everyone,

Averaging only a few miles a day, we are in no hurry to leave these beautiful islands. Swimming, snorkelling and bird watching are all the guys want to do. Nick comments, 'The girls all look very different but their hair style is all the same, Brazilian !'

Skorpios, the privately owned island of Aristotle Onassis, would have to be a favourite, and when the ‘Christina O’ (super yacht that was once owned by
Onassis) arrived, we couldn’t believe it. It’s quite an amazing feeling as I sit here off the island reading the book ‘Nemesis’ about the life of Onassis and Jackie Kennedy. The island was very much part of their lives.

The island is beautifully planted with a variety of trees even some eucalyptus. You can’t go ashore, but just admire and swim in the bays.

Passing through the Corinthian built Levkas canal, provisioning at Levkas and then on our way to Preveza to check out the ruins of Nikopolis. Sailing into the huge inland waterway of the Gulf of Amvrakikos, the water turns green as loggerhead turtles, dolphins and fish farming greet us. Anchoring near the ruins we still have a long walk through agricultural farms, its like coming in the back door, as we see fields growing zucchini, blackberries growing wild, hot houses full of tomatoes and figs ripening on the trees.

This area is the site of the sea battle in 31BC between Octavian, who later took the name of Augustus, and Anthony and Cleopatra, known as the battle of Actium. It was the turning point in the Roman Empire and Augustus went on to be one of the greatest emperors.

To celebrate his victory, he built Victory City, Nikopolis, on the sight he directed the battle from. The city has only just been rediscovered and excavation is still taking place. As we stand and watch, a piece of pottery is bought out of an underground aqueduct. Its mind blowing to think, that this has been buried for over 1500 years, and we are the first to see it.
The striped stone and brick walls are now visible, mosaic floors and museum; it’s been worth the trip.

Fish farming and netting is everywhere and as we pass a set net, controlled from the shore by a man in a high tower, we call out 'any chance of a fish'.
Only too happy to oblige Nick and Ian learn that they are trapping fish for their roe. At E120 a kilo it is a great money earner for them but we only buy the fish.

Emerald Bay on Anti-Paxos was a favourite two years ago with its pristine turquoise water and white cliffs. We stay two nights, why hurry anywhere, this is as perfect as it gets. Grape vines drape the hillsides as we go in search of a plot of land. Its Nick’s birthday & we celebrate with an early morning ouzo in the hilltop taverna. Meanwhile a thunder storm goes over and along with it hail. We hope the near ready grapes aren’t affected, it’s short lived and by the time we reach nearby Gaios on the island Paxos it’s a beautiful day again.

Gaios is a picture post card village, set behind an island, creating the perfect harbour. Only problem is the island has rats and they crawl up your lines securing you to the shore. We have to go to a lot of trouble ensuring this doesn’t happen of course. Plastic drink bottles along the line is good as is paper plates, but we see our neighbours sink their lines with an anchor, I can only assume the rats don’t swim.

The island is covered in olive trees and just for a change we hire motor scooters to see if we can find an abandoned stone house with an old olive press to retire too. A petrol head day ashore is fun, but when asking for helmets they looked at us blankly. No bureaucracy here with licences or helmets.

Paxos is a wonderful place and has 4 great harbours to anchor in with small villages ashore. It is becoming very popular with Europeans for holiday houses, and when we were here 2 years ago could have bought for E350000. Now the cheapest is E1 million. Oh for foresight!

This morning in the small harbour of Lakka, we have woken to rat poo on the bench, and it’s quite a dilemma. Is he still on board or did he just simply sample the food and get off. Ian has inquired ashore for a rat trap, only to find rat poison and rat glue. What’s the glue for? Apparently you put the glue on a tray and they simply stick to it and then what do you with the rat? (To be continued).

Corfu for a few days and here we will enquire about going into Albania.
Because of the past unsettled political situation, yachts have been advised not to go as there have been reports of piracy on the coast. We believe at present it is settled, but we have a little home work to do before we go in.

We are very sorry to leave these islands. The locals say it is special because you have both the colours of green and blue with the heavily wooded islands and blue, blue sea.

Cheers Andrea and Ian