Yesterday we traveled from Praiano in the Amalfi Coast to Naples, where we met up with Bill and Riley at the airport and flew to Preveza, Greece for a week of sailing in the Ionion Islands. We made our way from the mainland to the marina in Lefkada. It was immediately evident, even just from the bustling marina, that we had arrived in a really beautiful, special place.
Our boat wasn't available yet so we dropped our bags and walked to town for a celebratory birthday lunch at “Μαργαρίτα” (Margarita) for Bill. While in town we went to a supermarket and collected food and drinks for the boat. When we came back, we were very happy to get unpacked and settled into our new home, a Lagoon 42 catamaran. What made the day even more special was the girls surprised the birthday boy with balloons and party hats on the boat.
We spent the night docked at the marina and took off this morning. To leave the Lefkada marina you must first motor through a narrow channel. Once we arrived at the open water there was no wind so we motored our way to our first stop, Varko Bay on the western shore of mainland Greece. Once anchored in the bay, we took a much anticipated dip in the sea. It was gorgeous, clear with a dark teal colour that the sun sparkles off of.
We were content swimming and hanging out on the boat in the bay, but we could see beach chairs and umbrellas on the beach, and could hear the music from the lively beach bar. Murphys can't resist a good party so after some watermelon feta salad and crostinis for lunch, we piled into our dinghy and headed to shore to see what it was all about.
We came to shore to find a very lively Euro beach scene. It was a beautiful sunny day on a Sunday, therefore apparently it was a popular day for the locals to go to the beach. Tourists such as ourselves were the minority. We enjoyed a round of beers (7UP for the girls) and enjoyed the sunshine and the great vibe for a little while.
Once back at our boat, Matt and the girls cruised around the bay in our dinghy for a little while, then we started preparing to take off for a sail. The wind had picked up so we raised the sails, turned off the motor, and sailed at a decent speed towards Meganisi island. We sailed by Skorpios, the Onasis private island where "Jackie O" used to spend time while married to Aristotle Onasis.
Eventually we arrived at the Odyseas Marina Yacht Club in Meganisi. Here we performed what is known as "Mediterranean mooring" for the very first time. I've been nervous about it for months, but with Matt's expert guidance from the helm and the assistance of Bill and Riley, we had the catamaran anchored from the bow of the boat and tied up from both sides of the stern to the dock.
We are sailing with a floatilla with five other boats. This means our destination for the end of each day is predetermined by an itinerary, that our mooring reservations are prebooked and paid, and that we have the guidance of a sailing expert for whatever we need. But we have as much flexibility as we want which is a superb balance, especially considering we are sailing in very unfamiliar waters. An added bonus is almost all of the boats have children. Tonight was our welcome dinner, and April and Fiona became well acquainted with the other children at the kids table. After dinner they all took off for ice cream and hung out on boats together while the adults became acquainted.
This trip has been adventurous and diverse, fun and relaxing. We've gone from big city, to coastal town, to now life on a boat. We seem to feel right at home wherever we are, as long as we're together. Tonight I learned my first Greek word, "Yamas!", which of course means "Cheers!".
Yamas,
Laura, Matt, April & Fiona ⛵
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