Ionian holiday October 2018

[MartynG]

Just returned from a week in Greece - South Ionian . Bavaria 41.
The weather was good - always pleasantly  warm , occasionally hot, a bit English one day . Made 7 knots under sail on a couple of occasions which was fun.


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[ChrisH]

Looks amazing.. could do we some of that now.

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[MartynG]

The weather was pretty good - generally pleasantly warm and only occasionally hot. Wind speed and direction very unpredictable.
Lots of sailing boats in use but even more in the marinas .

I am not sure I would want to be their a the height of summer . It would be very hot sleeping n the boat and the fight for moorings would spoil the day .

[Michael]

I will be sailing there in July, any recommendations for moorings?

[MartynG]

We visited
Spartochori (Meganisi)- don't go there .
Little Vathy (Meganisi) - 2 or three nights there - we had one day bad visibility and didn't go anywhere . Good choice of tavernas as the quayside is public - and no charge. Probably our favorite spot of the week. Well sheltered.
Big Vathy (Ithaca) - one night - next time would moor well away from the main quay where all the flotilla boats gather - we moored up alone and were later sandwiched in like sardines. Extremely well sheltered from all sides.
Sivota (Lefkada) - two nights , as your charter company for a contact so you can be expected . Free mooring but you are expected to eat at whichever taverna owns the mooring. A very nice sheltered spot .


Next time we would go as far as possible on the first day and try to make Kefalonia - we didn't get to stop at Kefalonia as Fiskardo had no moorings and we had to turn back towards Lefkada as risked the next harbour being full too.
We tried to anchor in a couple of bays but couldn't get secured , perhaps due to lack of experience on our part .

Nydri was good for choice of tavernas (we stayed in a hotel the first night) - but not good for visitor moorings.

It was busy enough in October - probaby heaving in July.

One of the best moments was becalmed - so just had lunch of tomatoes, cheese and wine and waited for the wind - absolutely wonderful.

[bosun]

Hi Michael,
Many places to go in the Ionian. Where are you going to? It's a fantastic place to go for water sports both for sailing & motor boats.
My Daughter works for the charter company that MartynG sailed with. Are you going with the same company?
Most companies will have suggested routes to take, weather dependent of course.
Favorite places for me are Sivota, Lefkada, Fiskardo, Kefalonia (long line outside & dingy in), Kastos, Kalimos, Spartohori, Porto Spilia. All depends on whether you want to be in a harbour or long line or free swing. There are so many options.
I am very fortunate to spend about 6 months a year based in Perigali, near Nydri.
Best regards
Bosun