Sailing with the Treleavens

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.

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 ൽ' 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.
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 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.

Valletta, the fortress city built by the knights of St John, after the Great Siege of 1565 on Malta, would have to hold some of the most fascinating history we have found in the Mediterranean. It was the Knights of St John who halted the advance of Islam to the west. St Paul was shipped wrecked on the island on Malta around AD 60 on his way to Rome. During his 3 months stay he converted the whole population to Christianity making the island one of the 1st Christian communities in the world.

St John's Cathedral is a highlight .From the outside this under stated building surprises with walking over the inlaid marble tombs of past knights and the 2 paintings by Caravaggio painted during his time with the knights. His biggest painting ever is the 'Beheading of St John the Baptist' which depicts the indifference taken by all present on the occasion.

The island is an interesting mix of architecture as we imagine the entire battles waged here for occupation between the Romans, Arabs, Normans, Knights and finally the British with the 2nd Great Siege during the 2nd World War.

In the cool of the evening we visit again the elegant walled Mdina in the centre of Malta with Christine and Ken. With the lamp lit narrow lane ways, we absorb the ambience, taking you back in time to medieval times. On the way to Mdina, we run out of transport, so its hitch a ride with a local. After explaining how we got to Malta. he replied 'I hope I never see you again'. After a deathly silence, he explained he was with search and rescue and flew the helicopter.

Refugees also land here nearly every day which keeps them very busy. He told us how only two days ago after the rescue of refugees from Africa, he had to deliver a baby in the helicopter. Now as part of the EU, Malta is receiving assistance for this problem with patrol boats and helicopters.

The Maritime Museum gets a quick look, the men love war stories, but my mind is on getting food ready for our two day crossing. The weather on forecast.uoa.gr shows it is going to blow for the 2 days, but as it's in the right direction making the men happy.

The Peloponnisos is 360nm away, its blowing NW and I can see the yellow spinnaker getting ready for an airing. Too shy and blowing 30 knots the spinnaker comes down after several hours, we are now surfing down waves and hitting 14 knots of speed. Reefing down for a comfortable night, pre made beef stew with a touch of chilli is served.

Crossing many shipping lanes in the night, we are constantly on the look out with the radar proving its worth. We track one huge container ship on a collision course with us. Despite trying to raise him on the radio we now response and only narrowly avoid him. Its not that we can't change course it's we would like to know they can see us; they look like monsters bearing down on us.

Second day at sea is perfect conditions as we meander along sailing doing nothing but sleep, eat and read. By full moon, our second night at sea, and Venus very bright in the sky we have a very pleasant sail with wind just off our beam. New Zealand lamb is on the menu, bought in Malta, with the smell of mint sauce and sun going down it doesn't get any better.  This is Christine's first long distant sail. Even though it was huge following seas in the beginning, it all settled down and we have a very memorable two day and two nights at sea.

Katakolon is our land fall, a small fishing harbour with an enormous tourist attraction of the first Olympic site of the ancient games, 25 miles inland. What a relief, after all the baron places, to see green trees and hear noisy cicadas on this northern west peninsular of Peloponnisos (Greece). Not many yachts enter Greece in this port so clearance takes longer than normal as the officials are a little confused because they cant believe we have come from Malta.

The site of Olympia is magnificent with columns lying everywhere. We walk past the gymnasium flanked by olive trees, walk the length of the athletes' field and stand on the spot where the Olympic flame is still lit as it was in ancient times. The museum is full of pieces found including statues during excavations in the 1800s. It's far more impressive than we imagined we would see, and came away with the feeling very privileged to have been to this sight of the original Olympic Games and the Statue of Zeus one of the Ancient Seven wonders of the World

This is a quote from the area I would like to share with you.

  'Welcome to the Archaeological site of Olympia, one of the most important religious centres of Antiquity. Its powers and influence was felt throughout the entire Greek world. In this place Zeus, father of the Olympian Gods, was worshipped and splendid athletes contested the Olympic's. Here too, today, the ceremony of lighting the flame for the modern Olympic games takes place'. End quote.

Now on our way up through the lush green Ionian Islands and enjoying local produce of black Kalamata olives, delicious feta and dolmades.