First Impressions

It's so hard to start here, at the beginning of February, and reminisce about our first impressions of the town we were to make our winter home. So here, while I think for a bit, is a picture of our first sight of the 4km long, narrow channel that leads to the town.

Messolonghi is in the middle of the Klisova lagoon, a huge area of wetlands that is paradise for fish and birds. In late autumn it provides a haven for birds making their winter migration and we were amazed at the numbers that passed through. They would come, stay for a few days to rest, to eat and to wait for late arrivals. Evenings saw the sky turn black as birds rose en masse and headed for their overnight roosting spots. Electricity wires provided the major resting places and it appeared that not a single stretch of wire was without a temporary visitor. On several evenings it took over 15 minutes for the birds to pass over. Not just the size and density of the overhead flock but also the noise, the noise of their wings beating in unison and of them calling to each other. Different birds arrived at different times but most notable were the starlings and then the cormorants. I assume we will experience the return migration in a few weeks, when Spring arrives and the weather improves.

Anyway, back to autumn and our first impressions.

Here, at the entrance to the channel the banks are lined with houses and restaurants, all very colourful, many built on stilts, the scene more reminiscent of some parts of south east Asia than of Europe. It was beautiful and so very different to anything I could possibly have imagined.

It was a Saturday afternoon and there were plenty of people around, enjoying a long lunch at one of the many tavernas, messing around in boats or just enjoying the beach and the balmy, late autumn weather.

I loved this blue house. It seemed to stand out from all the others, sitting far out into the water, clean and bright, would living there be similar to living on a boat I wonder? Of course, I have put these two pictures in the wrong order! If you look at the previous one you will see that the whole of the mountain is visible whereas in the second the mountain is only just coming into view. I suppose I could change them round...

The mountain, whose name I do not know, is so much a part of the scenery here in the marina. Surrounded by mountains, it alone stands out, isolated from the others, an entire mountain rather than a series of peaks. In that, it is so like Mte Ste Victoire, the mountain that dominated our visual life when we lived in Provence, and I love that, it provides a link between two very different times in our lives.

The lagoons, the fishing huts and if you look very closely, the distant mountains.

Finally, we were through the channel and into the bay that fronts the town. There are no photos of this part of the journey. We had reached the frantic time of contacting the marina, trying to understand where they wanted us to go, telling them there was no way Ganymede could fit the spot they had allocated, were found another berth and in no time we were tied up, ready to investigate our new surroundings. Our friends, Bernie and Dudley were only a few boats away and had already invited us for drinks later. Bill and Jean arrived soon after to welcome us. And so began our winter in Messologhi.

Heading for Mesolonghi

Catchup time again!

When last I wrote we were in Port Atheni on Meganisi, a lovely spot. From there we went back to Nidri where a spent a couple of days at anchor in Tranquil Bay, met up with Pat and Jenny on Muscavado, again, weathered a couple of storms and finally decided, let's go back to Port Atheni and then be on our way to Mesolonghi. (By the way, if I keep changing my spelling of Mesolonghi it is because I have seen so many different spellings I can't decide which one to adopt!)

We needed to fill up with water so we immediately secured Ganymede stern-to the quay and there we stayed for three days. The weather was unsettled but we were able to wander up to the village of Katamiri, through the narrow streets, sit and drink coffee and watch the world go by, all the while greeting everyone as we passed, "kali mera, kali merasas, yassas...". The tourist season was definitely at an end. Some of the cafés and restaurants had already closed, others opened at random times so that you could never be sure what you would find, others were planning to remain open one more week.

The wind turned northerly and our peaceful mooring became less pleasant with waves hitting us broadside, pushing us, straining the anchor. We decided to move, drop anchor in the bay. And then we thought, the wind is perfect for Mesolonghi, why don't we just get on our way? So that is what we did. In three hours we were at anchor in Petala bay, another three hour sail ahead of us the following day - although that turned out to be three hours motoring, very little useful wind, and we were in Mesolonghi. Ready for the winter.

Port Atheni

One morning we sat in the taverna enjoying our coffee and I suddenly thought how silent it was. The sun, the sea, the mountains. There seemed to be total silence. And then I listened. There was the noise of the cooks working in the kitchen, a fan whirring in the background. Somewhere there was the sound of a motorbike making its way along the coast road, a fishing boat was chug-chugging into the harbour, and although I initially thought there was no birdsong, when I really listened, it was there. Of course, there were seagulls squawking in the background, people talking. But it was all so peaceful and gentle.

From Port Atheni there are a number of walks to take. On our first morning we enjoyed coffee in the taverna and then headed to the nearby village, about 1km away. It is a lovely walk, uphill of course, through olive groves, the olives heavy on the branches, fast ripening, ready to be gathered. And then, every now and then, a view of the surrounding bays would open up, flat calm sea, boats slowly moving through the water, mountains in the background, a bright, deep, blue sky. And just to break any possible monotony, sheep dozing under olive trees, hiding from the incessant heat of the sun.

We have never visited Port Atheni before. We didn't want to go on the quay, which we understand is new this season, but it took a couple of tried to find the right spot to drop the anchor. And then we stayed, enjoying the quiet, the beautiful scenery, the intimacy of the bay. It was good.

From early afternoon the quay fills up with flotilla boats, the flotilla leaders very competent, guiding the novice sailors safely into their berths. Then, in the evening, they all go off to the local tevarna, a good dinner, a very little Greek dancing and then the disco.

6th October

Finally, Tony was ready to leave Tranquil Bay. He had decided that it was time we stayed in one place for a while but for me two or three days in Nidri are enough and I was anxious to be moving on. I read five books that week!!!

Our destination was Meganisi Island less than an hour away. First task was washing the mud off the chain and anchor: wow but the mud there sticks. It took ages to wash it off, occasionally dunking it back in the water for a few seconds in the hope that would help, but mostly using the hose, aiming water at the thick clump of mud that was glued to the anchor. Eventually, with most of the mud off I decided to take the wheel and have Tony finish the job. And so to Meganisi.

The wind was kind to us, blowing from a perfect angle to allow us to sail on the genoa only. Lovely. Peaceful. We floated along, enjoying the scenery, and all too soon we were approaching our planning anchorage, Port Atheni. There are a number of possible anchorages here but I fully intended going right to the bottom of the bay before we dropped anchor. I knew something Tony didn't: there is wifi there.

Catch Up

5th October

Now that the cruising season is coming to an end I finally feel motivated to restart this blog. Of course, I missed all the places we have visited this summer: Siracusa, Otranto and then across to Corfu and other Ionian Islands before leaving Ganymede on the hard at Cleopatra yard and heading back to UK for the summer. We have been back on board since the beginning of September, meandering through the islands, visiting favourite towns and anchorages but now we are beginning to think of the winter season, of exploring Mesolonghi and the surrounding area.

So, where to start? I think a picture of where we are today. Nidri on Lefkada island. we have been at anchor in Tranquil Bay for a week now. It is a lovely spot, surrounded by mountains and tree-clad hills. The small town of Nidri nestles on the shore, opposite the anchorage. Its a bustling place, full of bars and restaurants, tourist shops with their wares spilling onto the pavements so that passers-by spill on to the road, avoiding cars and motor bikes. We had torrential rain a few nights ago leaving the air clear and fresh and Ganymede free of the accumulation of salt and dust.

The photo is too small isn't it. I thought it is impossible to portray the magnificence of this bay so tried to capture just one, small slice: the town, some boats and a road leading up the mountain.