Back to the Cruising Life

At the beginning of April the rates increase at the Lefkas Marina so there is a mass exodus of the live-aboard yachties.  April also brought clear weather so we were able to catch up on some of the outstanding boat maintenance jobs and some sightseeing we hadn’t done during the rainy winter months.

Vliho Bay

We started our sailing season slowly.  It was a good way to start as our goodbyes to everyone we spent the winter with at the marina was gradual.  One of the down sides of the cruising life is saying goodbye to so many of the great people we meet.  We sailed to Vliho, a sheltered bay about 11nm south of Lefkas town.  Lots of others from the marina were also making their first stop here so it was like old home week.

The anchorage at Vliho

 

We hired a car for a few days and toured all around Lefkada Island and the nearby mainland.  We took long walks around the bay and to the beautiful Nidri waterfalls.   

Nidri waterfall

 

We explored some of the castles and towns on the mainland and had lunch at Panorama, the famous Indian Restaurant in Palarios – almost as good as Ramas in Canberra. 

The best Indian in Greece

Early 19th Century fort guarding the Lefkas channel

Climbing around the walls

The marina was holding a BBQ on Greek Orthodox Easter so we sailed up there for the day to partake in the festivities.

Easter BBQ at Lefkas Marina

We remained in Vliho for another week to attend Jackie’s 70^th birthday party at the Vliho Yacht club.  It was a great celebration for a lovely lady.

Jackie's birthday party

After more than two weeks at Vliho we felt it was high time we started doing some proper sailing, but still taking it easy.  Our first stop was on the southern side of Lefkas in the beautiful anchorage of Sivota.  We had checked out this delightful village when we rented a car and vowed to return on Songster. 

Back to the cruising life in Sivota

Songster at anchor in Sivota

 

April is still very early in the sailing season.  All these little seaside hamlets are just getting ready for the onslaught of tourists and many of the cafes and restaurants do not open until May or are opened with only a limited menu.  The villages just shut down totally over winter and we were fascinated to watch the spring ritual of cleaning up the winter debris and giving everything a fresh coat of paint.  We wonder about the economic viability of these places.  How can they make a living when their businesses open only four or five months of the year?  As everyone does we can only shrug our shoulders and say ‘This is Greece’.