Onwards and Upwards (Lefkas to Vonitsa)

 

Rowing back and forth to the tap at the Vliho yacht club to fill our water tanks is a great way to burn off the excellent fish and chips we’d had there the previous night. Once both tanks were full, we raised our anchor and weaved a path out through the multitude of yachts that dot the way past Nidri and Tranquility bay.

We’re heading up the canal to Lefkas for a quick shopping stop. The harbour wall at Lefkas has sprouted charter pontoons since our last visit. After a quick there and back recce we opt for a spot on one of these. We manage to attract the attention of someone who confirms we can stay there, and helps us with our lines.

Chez heads over to Gemma’s boat in the marina (Gemma and Nick - a lovely couple we met last summer at Dimitri’s on Zakynthos).

While she’s away, I opt for a nap - ferrying all that water around has taken it out of me!

Refreshed, and Chez returned and happy to have met new cats, we had some dinner. This was a tasty veggie curry that Chez has recently invented. Post-curry we headed into town at sunset for a stroll round.

Lefkas is on a much larger scale than Ag Nik. There’s so much for the eyes to take in: fancy shop window displays, wide varieties of restaurants, and a vibrancy from all the people there. The whole town has an almost New Orleans style shabby chic - with overhanging flower laden wrought iron balconies and wide pedestrian streets.

Both really enjoyed the stroll - and my knee only gave way once (it’s started playing up a bit, which results in me yelping like a kicked dog at random intervals as my leg gives way.. amusing to watch I suspect, but not much fun)

Next morning the lovely and generous Gemma has offered to take us to the Lidl supermarket out of town.

The marina where Gemma is based, as was the town, is on a completely different scale to Ag Nik, with bars, restaurants, hotels and shops all within the complex. We stopped at a well stocked chandlers (we’d also passed a couple in town the night before) and picked up some supplies. Then off to Lidl and Jumbo with Gemma and back to the boat to unload.

Our route away from Lefkas has us going through the boat/roadbridge that opens hourly. We timed it well, and join the spaced out queue of boats waiting to go through. The bridge opens on time, and after following a chicane around some shallows, the water opens into a wide inviting bay. The swell is low the wind is right, and we up sail and enjoy the short hop over to Preveza, turning there we head further into the inland sea beyond. Enjoying probably the best sail we’ve had this season, we made it to Vonitsa by mid afternoon. Dropped anchor behind a little pine tree island (that smells lovely) and settled down. I dozed in the cockpit to the sound of birds singing, waves lapping and on the far side of our anchorage the tinkling of goat bells. After a lovely dinner of salmon and veggies, I took the tender out to the island for a little explore - it’s a great spot, with a shoreline littered with small round urchin shells. I walked round the island on a well worn path, then row back here to write this as the sun sets.