Fern was in the Ionian for a week from Sunday, so we were keen to try to cross paths somewhere, so on Saturday with wind and rain forecast we anchored in Big Vathi harbour for a couple of nights. The holding here is very good, being mud, so despite strong winds and a chop coming in from the north west, we had a good evening, cooking 2 large pork chops in the Cobb oven, dodging the rain showers and a good night.
Sunday was a slightly quieter day although still cloudy which saw Fern sail to Sivota. Monday, Fern’s flotilla was grounded in Sivota for a second night so we took the opportunity to sail the 10 miles across to Sivota, in modest F4 winds to catch up with her and enjoy a meal together.
Sivota is a busy harbour at the best of times (our usual place being fully booked), so finding a parking place was problematic. As we approached the second pontoon near the harbour entrance we asked two ladies sitting on the side of their boat if it was OK to moor up here, then one of the pompous husbands who suddenly noticed us and also a fellow CA member said “this is a private pontoon and you need a reservation” and “your fenders are on our fenders” and “your bow is near our boat” . Well all the pontoons in Sivota are private and certainly not his! But the pontoon owner then came out and did offer us a place, although at a berth virtually impossible to reverse on to. So we ended up on the Yacht Bar pontoon which did welcome us, although at a cost of €35 for the night!
Fern came over on a paddle board to greet us and then we joined her for a drink on board her boat and met her friends. In the evening we joined them for a quiz night in the Pirate Bar then a meal in a fish restaurant by the waterside. So that was probably going to be it with Fern, as on Thursday we were entertaining Joanna for a week, picking her up in Palairos.
Wednesday was a provisioning day in Nidri, then a sail across to Palairos on Thursday morning. Fortunately we were able to get on the harbour wall and with Joanna’s flight landing at 1215, she was with us by 1300, and enjoyed a curry at the Panorama in the evening. Also Joanna brought out a new CA pennant, the old one being almost unrecognisable.
Friday was a very windy day so we played safe with an additional night on the wall but it did gave us the opportunity to indulge in a multi course Greek culinary experience at the New Mill restaurant, a place we’d visited a couple of times before over the past 3 years.
Saturday we headed to Kastos where at about noon we managed to get stern to, with a dropped anchor on the harbour wall. After a walk across the island, it was a drink in the Windmill cocktail bar. As we sat there enjoying the expanse of hilly islands on the horizon we noticed a nun being helped along the path by a nurse. It turned out that they were in fancy dress and playing a trick on their husbands sitting near us. Hilarious. Ann and Joanna stopped at the boutique and bought some things. We then enjoyed a meal in the friendly Windmill Taverna, saying hello to Christos the owner, followed by a visit to Ela’s bar overlooking the harbour. Overall a great evening on our favourite Ionian island.
