WORLD This month we hear from Elisa Williams of Alameda on chartering in the Ionian Isles in the company of nine others on two Bavaria 44s.
An Ionian Odyssey In perhaps the oldest and best known of all seafaring tales, Odysseus, king of the Ionian island of Ithaka, takes 10 years to get home from the Trojan Wars. Along the way, he struggles against Cyclopes, high winds, lotus-eaters, sacred cows, and sea monsters. What perils might 10 modern sailors face getting to Odysseus' homeland in the Ionian Isles? To find out, I joined a merry band of eight Aussies and a Brit who were chartering two Bavaria 44s for two weeks in September. These companions ticked all the boxes for what you want in flotilla partners: experienced sailors, veteran charterers, and companionable people who get along well. They've known each other for years, competing in races hosted by the Melbourne Trailable Yacht Club and meeting for various travel and shore adventures. I was invited along after sailing with the folks on my friend Andrew's boat in Sydney in April. The weather in Sydney was often chilly, and crew chatter referenced their upcoming trip. "Oh, it won't be like this in Greece," said Adrian, who skippered our Ionian trip. "Can't wait to swim off the back of the boat!" said his partner Vikki. "No sharks to worry about there!" said Deb. "Ready to put my underwater camera to the test," said Steve. FOMO was just too intense — after initially saying no, I came to my senses and accepted. OK, Where Are We Going? As this was all Greek to me, here are some basics on the Ionian Isles: Located to the west of mainland Greece and north of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, these islands were ruled by the Venetians for centuries. The Ionian Isles stretch from Corfu (Kerkyra in Greek) and Paxos (Paxi) in the north to Zante (Zakynthos) in the south, with Lefkas (Lefkada), Cefalonia (Kefalonia) and Ithaka (Ithaki) in the middle. The winds are gentle, the harbors
STEPHEN ASHTON
The Med is famous for the Med mooring, with your stern pulled right up to a taverna.
historical, and the waters warm. The landscape is a verdant green, unlike the iconic photos of Santorini and Kos. Sunsail, Moorings and smaller local charter companies have bases in Corfu, and Sunsail and smaller local charter companies are in Lefkas. The Ionian Sea is rated easy sailing because of the sheltered waters and less crowded anchorages. I flew down from London a few days early to explore Lefkas, which has a terrific, extremely accessible archaeology museum and a monastery with such lovely views it makes being a monk look appealing. Sunsail has a large base at the central Lefkas marina, where there are also several local companies. We picked up our boats with a charter company based in Nydri, about 30 minutes south. The company provided a local guide/fixer with a van to take the provisioning committee to a local supermarket and others to run a few pesky errands. He even gave us his phone number in case we had any logistical questions about local transport. And then the island-hopping began. One of our first swims was off Jackie Kennedy beach, on Skorpios. (Once owned by Aristotle Onassis, it's now owned by a Russian oligarch who is turning it into a VIP resort said to be "James Bond style." Or perhaps Glass Onion?) That night, we did the Med-mooring backup into the harbor at Meganisi Island's Vathy (Vathy means "deep port," which is why the name pops up on various islands), throwing our lines to a neighboring boat's crew to help tie us up. We looked around. Where was the harbormaster's representative coming to take our euros? No payment needed. This turned out to be a pattern — we spent more on ice than on harbor fees throughout the trip. (Fuel and water were charged separately.) We headed out — walking the plank from boat to stone harbor wall — to a lovely local taverna and strolling through the charming town. From Meganisi, we set off in search of a beach for some swimming. We ended up on the island of Arkoudi, with a population limited to five goats, three cows, and (maybe?) a donkey. We anchored for lunch but liked it so much we spent the night. The water was a deep turquoise blue. Our friends in the other boat were a quick swim or dinghy ride away.
"Arkoudi" means bear in Greek. We didn't see any bears, but the sparring goats with giant horns were enough to keep me off the beach, watching the action safely from the water nearby. And from there, it continued, our hours alternating between charming harbor towns and idyllic anchorages. Shore amenities included tasty tavernas, ice for happy-hour ouzos, and the occasional shop for jewelry or T-shirts to remember the trip. Museums offered fascinating history. Grocery stores were well stocked with fresh produce, meats, cheeses, snacks and drinks. The bakeries were dangerously plentiful, with a mix of European favorites and local specialties. We got picky about ice cream flavors; the group separated to select shops based on favorite specialty scoops. (Andrew liked mastiha, a local liqueur with a pine flavor.) Dinner prices were definitely affordable by California standards — maybe 40% less — and lower even for beers, wine and ouzo, a happy-hour favorite on ice before heading out to dinner. And then there were the beaches. Using ratings from the app Savvy Navvy, I'd suggest options to the skipper: sandy bottoms, sheltered coves and easy snorkeling. Try a 3.5 star? Why risk it when there was a 4.5 nearby? There were multiple options for exploring the famous blue caves — sun reflects the turquoise water — by swimming or dinghy. We didn't have a set passage plan but we had a goal of hitting some spots in Zante/Zakynthos that kept us on the move. And since we were going in a specific direction with light winds rarely in the favorable direction, this meant the motor was on most of the time. The Ionian Sea is known for gentle breezes. (Frankly, if you're looking to brave strong winds, you might as well just stay in San Francisco.) The islands were so close by that there was always a view of majestic cliffs or historical houses. After exploring Zakynthos, it was back up to Kefalonia, this time to Argostolion. I peeled off to stay ashore for a day and then flew from the nearby airport through Athens to a Greek wedding