Greece 2008 - Part 1
Derek and I met up at Athens airport around 10pm on the 2nd July.
We quickly made our way to the city centre and booked into the
Hotel Elite. Unfortunately, most restaurants had stopped serving
meals, so we had to grab a take away. The next morning we made
our way to the coach station by taxi and got the coach to Lefkada.
After a bus transfer to Nidri we arrived just after noon and
found that the Guardinage company had found a small problem with the
engine and so to Derek's dismay we had to wait at a bar and have a
couple of beers,
before they fixed it. The next couple of days were spent getting
the boat ready, eating, drinking, sunbathing and swimming. It was
a hard slog, but someone has to do it! We were staying on a
Pontoon, managed by a nearby hotel and had access to their swimming
pool, bar and showers.
On Monday we left and motored into nearby Vlikho Bay and
anchored off our winter boatyard. We bought a spare battery and
other odds and ends. At night we visited our favourite fish
restaurant, overlooking the water's edge. The next day we sailed
and motored to Nidri Beach, where we spent the afternoon swimming,
reading and shopping. At night we ate at the beach restaurant.
Most toilets in Greece, seem to lack a lock - for some reason, but a
well placed foot usually solved the problem. However, not with
this restaurant as even an outstretched foot would still leave you
several feet short, so you either didn't bother to go, or you trusted
in fate! The next day, after lunch, we set off for the Island of
Meganisi and arrived, around two hours later, in Abelike Bay.
We enjoyed a well earned swim. Afterwards we set off for a
taverna over the hill and enjoyed a bar-b-que and a few drinks.
Somehow we managed to get back to the boat, in pitch blackness
(no moon and no torches), stumbling over the rough terrain. Derek
assures me that these were the reasons for our problems and that drink
had no part in the proceedings.
The next day we set off in calm conditions and proceeded to
go around the eastern side of the Island. We eventually made our
way through the gap between Meganisi and Kithros, and encountered a bit
of wind. Which eventually increased to a Force 6 in a matter of
15 minutes. We decided to turn back and enjoy the gentle winds of
the eastern side of Meganisi. We more or less retraced our
earlier path and entered the Bay of Port Atheni (which was the next bay
to Abelike). We arrived around 4pm, enjoyed a swim and then set
off with a jerry can to find some diesel. This particular evening
was very memorable for me! We set off in temperatures of around
40c. The map seem to indicate that it would take around 40
minutes, but we took a wrong turn and eventually arrived at another
small town about an hour and a half later. We obtained the diesel
and then had a cold drink at a cliff side bar overlooking Spartakhori
Bay. The wind was still gusting on this side of the Island and we
watched many boats scuttling into the harbour.
