Corfu itinerary?

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Neil

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I'm taking a bareboat out of Corfu at the end of July. I'm looking for suggestions as to places to visit. Are there cognoscenti who can advise? I have a tentative list: Plataria, Sivota, Lakka, Paxos, Anti-Paxos, Petriti?

Or should I head north to the Diapondia Islands?

The other thing, I'm going with my wife's sister's family, so I've booked a 45ft-er. While my own boat is a modest 25ft, I have sailed a 37fter. At least I'll have the brother-in-law and his teenage son to help, but is 45ft too big a jump?
 
Neil said:
Or should I head north to the Diapondia Islands?
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If those are the same as the "Faraway Islands" and you make it there I shall be jealous. A few years ago we went on a flotilla meant to include them. But the forecast was for southerlies when the harbours are apparently untenable so we never made it. For where we went instead see (via Google Earth) http://www.mjcoon.plus.com/trk-2011-06&07-nn.kmz or just the description at http://www.mjcoon.plus.com/page47.htm.

Mike.
 
For first time trip your first itinerary is fine - assume you mean Gaios as your other stop on Paxos. Anti Paxos is a lunch stop anchorage rather than an overnight. As it is a sort of circular route you might want to vary which way you go if you can find out the flotilla schedules for the week. Leave the islands for another time. It can be hard work getting there and there is not much there - although for some that is an attraction compared with the busy places on your first list. worth going to the north east coast - Agni Bay for first night before you go south. Chance to find out about about the boat and a good anchorage with choice of Tavernas.

Size of boat less of a problem than in our waters, but practice reversing up to a quay before you do it for real. Make sure your crew are well briefed for their roles.

BTW which operator are you using?
 
We've a 24 footer on the South Coast and more recently a 42 footer which was based until a couple of weeks ago in Gouvia on Corfu. The 45 footer will be different to your own boat but so will the parking compared to the UK (the only difficult bit about a larger boat). If you mostly anchor and have the odd night on a town quay then just be ready with plenty of fenders.

For me the outstanding place within a couple of days was Paxos, with Lakka the most astonishing turquoise anchorage that makes you wonder why anyone sails in the UK. Crowded so keep those fenders out as the Med way of anchoring is much much much closer than anything you would consider sensible. Gaios busy and fun. I also liked Two Rocks bay if you don't mind anchoring overnight a bit out of the way.
 
All of the above places are good choices. Would also add Kassiopi. Lots of restaurants and bars, a busy place and a nice walk around the head land to the beach. If you want peace and quiet though probably best to avoid it.
As to the 45 foot question, it should be no problem provided you have one or more reasonably fit crew members.
 
If you decide to stick around Corfu for a bit and the weather's right for it, do consider Paliokastritsa. A beautiful natural harbour at the north end of the west coast. An easy sail from Kassiopi, though can be reached direct from Gouvia. Many people stop there for a night then head south to Paxos.
You can either anchor in one of the bays or go into the free, Greek style unfinished harbour and tie up alongside (or raft if busy). I wouldn't go stern to as you might not get your anchor back!
 
jordanbasset said:
As to the 45 foot question, it should be no problem provided you have one or more reasonably fit crew members.
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Having just returned from a trip on a 43 footer I agree, with the proviso that it is not easy to communicate from bow to stern during stern-to mooring. Best to have a pre-agreed system of signals, shouts and terminology, and/or a relay crew member amidships. Anyone not involved should be abjured to keep quiet!

Mike.
 
Tranona said:
Size of boat less of a problem than in our waters, but practice reversing up to a quay before you do it for real. Make sure your crew are well briefed for their roles.

BTW which operator are you using?
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I'll have to get the guys up to speed from almost zero......

Athena through Nautilus Yachting.
 
Thanks for the additional suggestions, all. I'll spend some time doing some passage planning. Any specific advice on the when and wherefore's of mooring - anchoring versus mooring and associated costs of the various ports of call would also be welcome - my other charter was with a Saronic flotilla, so finding parking was taken care of.
 
Neil said:
Thanks for the additional suggestions, all. I'll spend some time doing some passage planning. Any specific advice on the when and wherefore's of mooring - anchoring versus mooring and associated costs of the various ports of call would also be welcome - my other charter was with a Saronic flotilla, so finding parking was taken care of.
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Don't need to do much planning in advance as no tides to worry about. You will find you need to motor for the morning passages anyway so passage times are fairly predictable. Should get wind in the afternoon and sometimes a balancing act to get into harbour while there is still space on the quayside but wind has died down. Unlikely you will have to pay at most quays, but in some the local council is more active in collecting, but will be relatively little compared with UK. You will have to pay for water and electricity if you need it.

On your return north, remember you are going against the prevailing afternoon wind, but you can easily make Petriti to Corfu Town in a morning motoring leaving the afternoon for a brisk sail before returning to Gouvia.
 
pvb said:
Certainly a "must" to see the north east of the island. Agni and Kalami are lovely bays, and Agni has the poshest Greek taverna imaginable!
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Looking at a framed picture of Nikolas Taverna at the moment. Prefer that to the posh end. Had a celebratory lunch there after we picked up our new boat in 2001. Happy days.
 
As Cardo said, Paleokastritsa is worth a visit if you find yourself on the west coast. We had a very good 'posh' meal in a place on the front - I think it was Vrachos from looking at Google maps. If you're heading down that way, it's worth heading on down to Lakka on Paxos too. Also on Paxos, Longos is lovely. Visit Gaios if you want somewhere a bit more boisterous. I don't think there's anywhere to overnight on Antipaxos.Iif you visit Emerald Bay then get there early as it gets busy.

The Diapondia or "Faraways" are well worth a visit if you want to get off the beaten track. It's about 5 years since we went there. Othoni has a little fisherman's harbour. There did put some moorings on the outside, bizarrely, but only go for these if you don't mind your warps being chaffed through within a couple of hours. There are only one or two tavernas in town, and there are very scenic walks into the hills overlooking town.

Erikusa has a nice large bay to anchor in, but be careful of swells that can work their way around the coast into the bay. Mathraki has a little harbour that you can moor in, and the Taverna was very good indeed. All three Faraways are much quieter, are less commercial, and offer less choice that the usual places. Whether that is a good thing or not is up to you.
 
jimbaerselman said:
Description comparing all destinations in the area at http://www.jimbsail.info/mediterranean/greece/north-ionian . Crowded harbours will be your only difficulty - playing dodgems with large numbers of Italian visiting yachts, and squeezing into narrow berths between other yachts - end on.
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Last year in Giaos some noisy Italians parked their boat next to us. The crew consisted of skantily clad girls who insisted on showering on the bathing platform before going ashore for the night..delightful. ?
 
Neil said:
Yes, I will need some revision! and crew training! I'll accomplish the former under the guise of the latter :)
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It's SAFER to prepare:
Sails stowed
Anchor hanging, ready to run, whether bow or stern. If rope rode, flaked, leading past friction brake . . . owned by someone
Fenders hung, 3 a side, ready to push the other boats apart
Engine running, gear operation OK, cooling water flowing (I know, that's usually first on the list, but then it would be "esafr", which isn't so memorable)
Ropes attached, threaded, ready to throw, owned by someone

That brief helped many a novice flotilla skipper avoid a last minute panic. Unless they had the rubber dinghy floating just under the anchor as it dropped . . .
 
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Neil said:
Thanks for the additional suggestions, all. I'll spend some time doing some passage planning. Any specific advice on the when and wherefore's of mooring - anchoring versus mooring and associated costs of the various ports of call would also be welcome - my other charter was with a Saronic flotilla, so finding parking was taken care of.
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I am writing this from our yacht, named after my Irish grandmother which has been based in Gouvia since 2004 and from new in Athens from 2001. My mother was born in Dublin!

You will have a great time. Come and look us up on G72. (Will send you a PM) This area is not quite like the Saronic but you shouldn't find it much of a problem. Get your hook in safely first and THEN go for the quay, is the best advice.

Max.

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