Welcome to the Aegean Sea.

First stop the island of Aegina. It is an island right off the coast of Athens. At night you can see the sprawling lights across the water twinkle up the hillside like a Christmas tree in October. Really a perfectly charming island with a bustling mix of restaurants and shops along the port. Boats are docked there with fresh vegetable stands spilling out onto the sidewalks as they set up their impromptu fruit stands. We shop for fresh ripe tomatoes plucked right from the vine and oversized watermelons that have to be eaten right away because they barely squeeze into our scaled down refrigerator.

The highlight of our stay was a visit from my sister Connie and her husband Bill. They have been enjoying a whirlwind trip through Europe and were finishing up in Athens. In the morning they took a ferry over to join us on a sightseeing excursion of the island. We had a little lunch on the boat and then rented a car to check out the historic ruins on Aegina. The best preserved is the temple of Aphaia. You have to marvel at the tall fluted columns and substantial pediments supporting this once grand temple. It is a feat of early engineering and craftsmanship. While time and weather has long since take away its polished surface, and knocked down a substantial part of its façade, the grandeur is not lost on us. In the late afternoon, Connie and Bill caught the last ferry back to Athens. While the Acropolis and national museum should not be missed if you are in this area, the dirty and polluted city of Athens does not really seem that inviting to us. Since we have seen its historic treasures before, we decide to not stop there this trip through. Instead we head to the sun washed and whitewashed islands of the Cyclades.

From there we sail through the Corinth Canal.

South America has the Panama Canal. Greece has the Corinth Canal. Cut from limestone up to 250 feet deep, this waterway shortcut was first started by Nero using 6,000 Jewish slaves but he didn’t even get to the rock before insurrection in Gaul diverted his attention. Before that, the Romans would sometimes drag their ships across the dry land by putting logs under them and rolling the ships the 3.2 miles. It wasn’t to be completed until 1893. At each end of the canal, the roadways sink to the bottom rather than raising like a bridge. Really a cleaver way to deal with the heights required by cruise ships and big freighters, though I wonder how they can squeeze some of those monster liners through. It is only about 81 feet across.

The Gulf of Corinth

After almost a month and a half of the Ionian Islands, it is time to sail to Athens and the Aegean Sea. Connecting the two is the Gulf of Corinth. It is a two-day sail to Athens from Keffalonia. At the beginning of the strait is the city of Patros, the third largest city in Greece. Not a particular pretty city, but a port that has ferries coming in and out of it as often as the ringing of a church bell calling people to mass on Easter morning. There is a veneer of dirt and grime but underneath are wonderful plazas and thriving shopping districts. It is a bit of a shock from just leaving the solitude of the white sand beaches off the Ionians. There is not much between Patros and Athens except the jewel of ancient Greece, Delphi. Virtually a Mecca for worshipers of ancient Greek gods and drug-induced oracles guiding the superstitions of one of mans most ancient civilizations. In fact, many claim that western civilization started in Delphi. As worshipers came from all over the known world, they began the first exchanging of ideas. philosophy and finally trade. It is through this contact of multiple cultures that the ideas of self-rule and the dignity of man began to take shape. Delphi is built high on the cliffs overlooking a fertile valley of olive orchards that seem to go on as far as the eye can see. After the Acropolis, I would say that this site ranks as the second most important ancient site of antiquity. Don’t miss it if you are in this part of the world.

Keffalonia. Say that three times fast.

Ok this island is my favorite one to say. It sounds so exotic. Keffalonia. If it is possible, Keffalonia has even more beautiful beaches than Lefkada. The sand more fine, a little more pink and the bays a little more seductive. We continue to sail down the west side of the island to one of the top 5 beaches in all of Europe. It easily lives up to its sterling reputation. But instead we opt for one just a little further north for a much smaller and more intimate paradise. And for us, that day, it becomes our own private beach. There is no other way to get to it except by boat. The sheer cliffs that tumble down to the very edge of the beach make it our own fortress to lie around and soak in the Greek sun. In the afternoon, we do a little snorkeling exploring some caves and lagoons that have been carved out of the sandstone cliffs. If you like your beaches so peaceful that the only signs of human presence are your own footprints, head to the west side of Keffalonia.

The Rest Of the Ionians

This group of Greek islands is some of the most beautiful in the world. They sweep down the west coast of the mainland one right after the other like a rock skipping across the water. Corfu is the largest and most northern. Paxi, Lefkada, Ithaki, Keffalonia Kythira and Zakynthos follow as you make your way south. Unlike previous trips, this time we sailed down the west side of Lefkada. For some reason this side of the island has the most beautiful beaches. White sand with a slight tint of pink in it and long beaches awashed with the warm turquoise ocean surf. The land has sharp cliffs that have prevented much development on this side of the island. We are able to sail right into a deserted beach, anchor the boat and dive into the refreshing water. You can see the bottom of the ocean even when it is as deep as 50 feet. Yeah it is that clear. And the ocean temperature is around 86°, a far cry from the freezing waters of Northern California, makes it just that much more inviting. There are also no protective bays on this side of the island so we end up staying on the mainland of Greece that night near the southern end of the island.

Greece Lightning

Corfu is a beautiful verdant green island with inviting bays and crystal clear azure water lapping at all sides. We sailed around the east end of the island to the main port area of Corfu. Down at the end of the bay is the large port of Gouvia, one of the largest marinas in Europe. It is very popular for people planning to live on their boats while staying in Greece. It didn’t take long to figure out why this island was so green. While most of the islands rarely have rain in the summer, Corfu is like a sponge, grabbing every cloud that sails by and wrings it out to rob it of all the moisture. Sometimes the clouds put up quite a fight. The first week I was there I was caught in a horrific electrical storm. I have never seen anything like it in my life. The sky was ablaze with lightning. Strikes all around and within seconds of each other. Thunder beats out a drama that anywhere else would be considers a little over the top. But this accompaniment to the light show seems like the expected piece of crackling noise that the show deserves. Not only was the lightning bolts coming down from the heavens but they were also traveling horizontal, circling the sky above. I have never seen lightning do that before. And the winds were just incredible. The storm came up instantly and the winds were gale force. Even in the safety of the marina things were rocking and rolling. I can just imagine what it would have been like out in the open sea. The brunt of the wind was at the first part of the storm and the sea was so unsettled. It was just an amazing site to see. The rain came down in sheets. My tender on the back of the boat filled up with gallons of water in just a short period of time. I have been told that it is not uncommon for storms like this to occur during the winter. This island gets as much rain as Seattle area where the exception is seeing the sun at all. It was very exciting but also a bit unnerving. I just hope one of these storms don't come up when we are out to sea. The interesting thing is that right across from Corfu, less than a mile away lays Albania. Its hills are dry barren rolling grasslands that look like they have not had a drop of water since last April. How could this island have so much water and be so close to such a dry landmass.

I ended up staying on Corfu for about 3 weeks while Steve flew home to take care of some personal business. Took care of some boat maintenance items that we have been putting off. Robert, Steve’s friend from Munich joined us when Steve came back and we were off again.

Charming Southern Italy

Every since my first visit to Southern Italy, I have been charmed to it like a snake dancer in a trance. It is so beautiful with quaint fishing villages and deep blue oceans that turn emerald green when the sand underneath rises close to the surface. It is by far the most under rated part of both Italy and maybe even Europe. Americans just don’t go to Southern Italy much past the Amalfi coast. Yet nestles on the high sheer cliffs are towns that have been surviving the elements of weather and raids of pirate ships for centuries. The pirates are no longer there, and the reason for the protective sheer cliffs have long since past, but the beauty still remains. If you have read my past blogs you know that I am in love with Tropea where the ancient town sees to morph from the cliffs below into a charming town where midnight only means the night has just begun.

We sailed through the Straits of Messina where Sicily and the mainland come so close together they almost kiss. The seas are shoved together causing confused seas that have given us ancient legends of monsters and sirens to explain how many ships of yore sunk to the bottom with their unlucky crew going down with them. You still have to respect the seas but the ruthless danger is overcome by power engines and efficient sails. We anchored out right off the coast of Sicily and woke up the next morning to favorable winds that winged us across and to the strange port of Roccella.

Roccella is a new port build a couple years ago with EU money, but never managed. It feels like the wild west. People just come in and find a spot for themselves and stay as long as they want. No fees are collected and no electricity or fuel is available. The town that we never made it to is a ways away. We just spent the night and continued on to our next port along the sole of the Italian boot.

Almost as strange is the port of Crotone. I remember it from our very first visit there as a port that loves amateur singing. I thought then that they were having a special festival or something. As it turns out, it seems to be a nightly event that lasts all summer long. The music blares across the water as out of key lyrics are spewed forth. You would think it was over indulgent parents that are so taken with their children’s voices that they are willing to overlook the fact that they can’t sing. Except it is both the parents and the children that are indulged. As the music drones on until past 2 in the morning, you wonder if anyone in that town can sing at all. We listened to a rock band playing cover songs. The musicians actually were quite good. They had a great guitar and keyboard player. Then their singer steps up to the mike and started blaring out the lyrics. Sorry, he couldn’t sing on key either. It must be that the musical gene pool never arrived at this place.

Our last port in Italy is Santa Maria de Leuca. It is a port right at the heel of the boot of Italy. The sail from there to the island of Corfu takes most of the day. We however lucked out and had strong winds all day long that allowed us to sail faster than if we would have had to motor. We got there in record time. There is nothing quite like sailing under the power of the wind. You feel like nature has grasped you in her arms and giving you just what you need to transport you to the next port. The sheets are stiff. The boat seemingly pulsing with the waves to do what it was born to do. It is not quite beam me up Scotty spectacular, but a good substitute until we can obtain molecular travel.

The Italian Style

In the evenings we sometimes sit at a café right along the main street of town that we were at. Sometimes looking on as unobserved commentators, we would philosophize on the difference between Italians and others in the Mediterranean. While it is not unusual for most European cultures to be up late in the night and enjoy walks through the shops and restaurants, it is the Italians that bring this custom to an art. I am not sure how this evolved. Perhaps it is the very warm evenings. Maybe it is that little two-hour break during the day where most of the shops and businesses close. Or is it something that has just been for generations. In the evenings most people will start the evening meal at around 10 pm. You can go to a restaurant at 9 when they open for the evening and it will be completely empty. You think this must be a horrible place to eat. But come back an hour later and there won’t be a table to be had. If you arrive at 8pm, the place won’t even be open for business.

After the evening meal, people spill out of the restaurants and strolling up and down the main road in town. Shops are open and the participants are dressed to the nines. I am not talking about Sunday best. I am talking about dresses that would be appropriate for the social ball of the season. The perfect black dress or the glittery sequined red dress with various body parts oozing out in all the right places to attract attention. This outfit comes complete with very fashionable stiletto heels. Not a 4 or ever a 5-inch heel. I am talking about the devil wears Prada 6 or 7-inch stiletto heel. These are shoes I have not seen in the states for decades. And the women are not walking on smooth marble surfaces. The streets are rock blocks mortared together generations ago. Every crack and uneven block fitting together of these stones becomes a potential humiliating somersault. But the women hold their heads high and gracefully walk down the street as if they are wearing their most comfortable tennis shoes. Even the very little 7-year-old girls are walking in their two in training heels down the promenade.

And the men are not to be out done. They walk arm in arm or arms draped on each other’s shoulders in ways that would raise an eyebrow in most cities in America except maybe San Francisco. Their pants are tight and their shirts even tighter. They want every bulge and muscle to ripple through the fabric. Collars are turned up and accessories such as belts and shoes are all carefully placed and coordinated. You don’t see as many designer brands like you do in France, but the clothes on both men and women are all very stylish. There is a passion that flows through their personas and speech alike. This style is followed from even very young boys, certainly teenage, as well as the old guys. It is the Italian way.

The Tyrrhenian Sea

Just off the coast of Italy there are a string of volcanic islands that strung together like a pearl necklace. The most famous of this group is Capri, the pearl of the Gulf of Naples with its famous Blue Grotto and captivating coastal cliffs. Originally it was settled by the Greeks and later used by the Romans where it was a popular resort area for Roman nobility. Augustus Caesar built roads and aqueducts but it was Tiberius that made it famous by building his royal house and for a time ruling Rome from there. Today the island is under siege from tourists enjoying the legendary beauty of the island and exploring the famous Blue Grotto.

The other famous island in this group is Elba, where Napoleon was exiled to and later escaped from to briefly lead France into more battles seeking to capture his former glory. You can still visit Napoleon’s villa, which is beautifully hanging atop the plunging rugged cliffs of this historic island.

What is not talked about so much are the other volcanic islands that follow the Italian coast in the Tyrrhenian Sea, such as Giglio, Ponza etc. Probably my favorite island in this group is Ischia. It is every bit as beautiful as Capri without nearly the number of tourists mobbing around the streets. It is the island that Italians go to for vacation. As you approach the island from the north you can see the distinctive crater of the volcano that created this now lush green island. Grottos can also be found along its shoreline and sheer cliff walls rise a couple hundred feet from the ocean. It is not uncommon for the ocean depth to be over 100 feet deep just few feet from the dramatic coastline.

We anchored out in the bay under the shadow of an old fort that once defended its population. The next day we sailed over to the other side of the island to visit the still active hot springs. There are several hot springs on the island but the most popular is the ones that run directly into the ocean. They have stacked stones to form hot pools from the shore and the closer to shore you get the hotter the pool until the one that is next to the source is scalding hot and very dangerous if you should fall in.