Ionian charter - weeks itinerary?

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andyorr

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Off to Lefkas in May/June - half term holiday. Can you suggest a suitable week long cruise taking in all the "best bits" but trying to avoid crowded, noisy spots? Don't mind the odd night passage to cover ground. Don't mind anchoring in good shelter.
Looking forward to your suggestions.
Andy Orr
 
Probably changed since honeymooning 1983 but some things will be much as before.

We were one of only two boats in the fleet with just two crew- we were also the only two boats in the fleet with adequate water for the charter- there is little water on the islands and you must conserve it.

We went in May and it was HOT- we sometimes followed the genoa shadow around the deck to get out of the sun, which made helming tricky at times- however navigation is hardly an issue it is just pilotage as few shallows/outcrops.

We found two places where we could anchor without a crowd, one was half way down the E..side of Kefalonia after leaving Fiskardo and the other (memory may be wrong here) was to the W. of Vathi on Meganisi in a lovely pine fringed bay- we skinny dipped but the only other boat, crewed by Germans-all male- insisted on displaying their tackle by taking up poses on deck.

As my wife said, "that's probably to whisk the flies away from their sandwiches"

Also be prepared for much motor sailing- we found dead calm from 0800 until about 1100 when a little zephyr would creep in for an hour then die away equally slowly then almost on the dot at 1600 a blast of wind up to a F5+ for about 40 minutes, and that would be that for the day.

This afternoon blast results in katabtic winds especially approaching Vathi (Ithaca) from the South and it will pin you down if under full sail leading to some excitement.

Anyway the usual charter routes which you can't entirely avoid will take in Vathy(Meganisi), Vasiliki(S.Levkas) Fiskardo(Kefalonia)- good fish here but expensive, Vathi(Ithaca).

We did go over towards the mainland towards what was once then a Communist enclave and said not to be too welcoming but we moored at the end of the mole and had no problems- can't remember the name but the town began with a 'Z' I think and was on an island- not worth a visit then really it just fell into place on our free sailing days en route back to Nidri

Avoid the little Skorpios island(off Nidri) as this belongs to the Onassis family who are said to employ armed guards and don't welcome people landing!

Oh! I forgot- Vathi was the only place where we saw fresh vegetables for sale and by the time of our return I was aching for green vegetables and rain- how perverse!

As a final note, very little medical care on the islands- we did see a dentist on one but the only hospital was at Levkas( very dirty then) and the only way to get there is by boat, so take care not to break anything
 
Levkas to Meganissi makes an easy first day, the Babis/Panis's taverna at Porto Spiglia [Spartahori] is brilliant. Other less crowded spots include Ay Euphemia, south of Fiskardo [which is ok to visit at lunchtime but v busy after about 2pm], Sivota if free of flotillas is good for cheese pies [another good lunch spot]. If you want to anchor there's loads of quiet spots because almost nobody does it. Nikiana is another quietish spot, but probably a bit close to Levkas. If you fancy going North, head for Preveza but DON'T go into town, turn right and enter the 'Inland Sea' where there's umpteen deserted spots and the occasional taverna. Parga is lovely if you get onto the quay, but not so good moored to the beach. It's a bit of a distance to town, but the water taxis are cheap [and exciting in a swell, with at least an inch of gunwhale above water level!].
Have a great time, we'll be chartering from Corfu in June, so keep the water warm and the large beers cold for us. Also, we've never found a lack of wind to be a problem, in fact several years ago I spent 7 hours hand tillering beating then retreating in a Force 8 from Levkas at Spring Bank, but don't let that put you off, we've never got above a F7 since, although you may have seen the piccie in a recent YM of a 'tornado' at the bottom of the Meganissi channel.
Happy hols...
 
Hi

I put together a .pdf based on our chartering holidays 2002 &'03, for some friends a few years ago. You can download it from our website at http://www.hitrapia.co.uk/Ionian_Islands.pdf. Hope these notes maybe of some use to you - they are just our personal take on the area.

I'm sure you will love this fantastic cruising ground - We are cruising the Ionian this summer in our own boat, and look forward to re-visiting some of our favourite places. If you see our yacht 'Hitrapia' come and say HI.

Hope this helps

Wayne
 
Have a look at my site Jim's Sail Europe, and Greece too which is designed to answer just your sort of question. Go to: Sailing/Greece Detail; then down the page to 'Ionian'.

The 'Z' referred to in the thread is Zaverda.

The business about avoiding Skorpio is urban myth. The first 10m above the shoreline throughout Greece is government owned and accessible to anyone. Yes, if you go ashore there you will be asked what your business is - in an attempt to put you off from landing. That's all.

The two towns on the top of Meganisi (Spatahori - good views; Katomerion - still stuck in 1970's with colour television) are excellent visits to escape flotillas. Astakos, on the mainland, is also rarely visited by yotties.

Quiet acnhorages? Beaches on the mainland due east of Nikiania (north of a line joining Nidri to Zaverda). Take your pick here. Beaches off NE coast of Ithaka, SE corner of Cephallonia . . .

My site compares and rates many of the places . . .
 
kioni on ithaca was nice place
vathi is not a nice place imho
on a charter i would avoid most of the busy places and stay overnight in the spots others use as lunch stops and have the odd barby

there's some nice bays round the top of meganisi and theres kastos and kalamos that have some nice spots

but i probably could not avoid the pull of fiskardo just cos you have to.
You want to find out where the flots are going and avoid them by a day either side if you can just because of sheer numbers make finding a sopace after 4 a pain. esp if you have big beamy boat

having said all that it is a lovely crusing area.
there is a bay near skiathos on an island somewhere near, memories are a bit hazy as it was bit drunken and i did not do any nav that trip. the bay is called called penormous ( or sounds like that) bay or some such
we went in there and spent a lovely night there was loads of phospheresence in the water and each dive in was accompanied by splashes of light everywhere.
happy days /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Oh! I forgot- Vathi was the only place where we saw fresh vegetables for sale and by the time of our return I was aching for green vegetables and rain- how perverse!

As a final note, very little medical care on the islands- we did see a dentist on one but the only hospital was at Levkas( very dirty then) and the only way to get there is by boat, so take care not to break anything

You will find that 24 years later things have improved /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Medical care is better than the uk! fresh fruit and veg plentyfull everywhere.
Water can be a problem on Paxos, not normaly a prob elsewhere. (although it could be this summer as we have had very little rain)
Agia Efimia,Fiskardo. Assos in good weather, Argostoli for a shop, I like Vathi and Kioni. Should not be crowded in May,June, worst month is August, but still room if you plan carefully.
 
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.....but the only hospital was at Levkas( very dirty then) and the only way to get there is by boat, so take care not to break anything. You will find that 24 years later things have improved.....

[/ QUOTE ]
Certainly has. You can drive there now.
 
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