Riva Cup 14/15th June 2014

Well that was a really mixed bag for the racing cruisers.

A race to Scarborough, with very little wind, and a following swell, really was not what we were looking for. We really struggled on Double D, but had a lovely night out in Scarborough, with the real racers. Finishing at the S.Y.C. with an unannounced hog roast. Quite a lovely surprise, and a great way to finish our night.

Also a real thank you to Ed and Annie on 'Kathryn' for the pics, a really nice touch guys.

Sunday morning brought a light North westerly wind for the start of the return leg, after the full english, of course, on the harbour top, but quickly built into a wonderfully stiff breeze to beat home in double quick time.

Our next outing will be Wednesday 25th June 2014, an early bridge 0730, an 0800 start to race/cruise north in preparation for the "Overnight" race Sunderland to Whitby, starting at 2100 on Friday 27th.

Pelagia sails the Northern Ionian

We have had three weeks in Corfu and the Northern Ionian for some of which we have had Corine and Edward on board. The day Edward was due to arrive we had decided to see Corfu town, but our tour was shortened when the torrential rain decided not to stop whilst we walked the walls of the old fortress. The next day it had all cleared and the four of us had a pleasant gentle sail down to the south of Corfu island to a small fishing village anchorage at Petriti. The swimming was good and the shelter from the wind, but the swell from fishing boats and ferries was a constant problem in many anchorages.

Paxos Island

The next day we had a brisk sail between Corfu and Paxos island and berthed on the town quay at Gaios town. Being quite crowded I squeezed between two yachts in the only space and had to move the adjacent yachts mooring rope slightly to tie up. The owner was quite irate upon his return that I had ventured on his boat and made it quite unpleasant. He should try Whitby marina!! Gaios is a charming town in the centre of Paxos island and the island itself very picturesque. I think many exclusive holiday homes are built here with magnificent views of the sea which we saw on our walk around the island. Bad forecasts made us sail next to the mainland to Parga where we hoped to get shelter from the impending easterly winds. Luckily the small bay we chose was empty and perfect shelter.

Parga

Parga is a holiday town but with a pleasant atmosphere and we enjoyed walking the old fort with views of the town and bay. The rain and wind came and kept us pinned down for another night.






Sailing back north up the mainland coast we anchored in Mourtos near a Neilson hotel and watersports centre. It was a magnificent anchorage and not too busy with holidaymakers in sailing dinghies. A gentle sail the next day to Platarias onto a town quay where the town was not as nice as it looked from afar, very poor and run down. From there to a bay off the large town of Ignoumenitsa. The bay was empty, deep blue water and a sandy beach at the end, the perfect anchorage until a trip boat arrived and announced that the trippers had half an hour to swim in the Blue Lagoon. At least they left us in peace and it would have been the perfect spot except for the ferry wash all night rolling us about. 

Platarias

Also it seemed that the nearby town beach had some kind of rally for motorbikers and we were treated to revving bikes and heavy metal music until the early hours. The next anchorage was to be perfect shelter in Pagania a bay on the mainland coast much used for fish farming but with an ideal basin at the end where no swell could enter and swimming was good. Only a small farm house and the grazing animals, cows, horses and goats for company.

Finally we sailed to a bay back on Corfu island called Kalami where we went to a taverna called the White House which had been the home of Lawrence Durrell the author famed for his books on Corfu. Sadly the views were better than the meal they served!. Then our return to Gouvia where our crew would leave us. It seemed that at last the weather was getting more Greek with very hot days and light winds, but at least the marina has an excellent swimming pool for free use by any yacht crew.

Crew  sailing back to Gouvia

We have now sailed 550 miles this season and our next phase should take us south to Lefkas and Cephalonia islands.