Sailing in Corfu

When I got up this morning and felt cold, I decided to write about the end of summer and the onset of fall. It wasn’t until the afternoon that I had time to start typing—but by then it was back to a summery 31 degrees Celsius. I’ll write it anyway.

We have been feeling the approaching end of summer for a few weeks now. We need blankets at night and the Rivercafe is soaking wet from the night dew in the morning. The days are getting 3-4 minutes shorter every day and when we return to the Rivercafe in the dinghy after a visit ashore in the evening, it is dark and we chug through black water with lamps pointing towards the vessel. Thunderstorms are becoming more frequent, especially at night, and the volatile weather demands even more attention than usual. Autumn is taking over and winter weather is not far off.

Chronicler’s duty: from the Ambracian Gulf, we headed for a wonderful bay on the mainland. Crystal clear water, great anchorage, chirping crickets, and plenty of fish – in other words, Greece at its most kitschy. We had arranged to meet our buddy boat, our dear Swedish friends Margaret and Dan, with their Najad “Fram” there. We are sailing together for the last few weeks of the season and we are enjoying the company of nice and intelligent people.

Margaret and Ka, Margaret, Veia (the tiny white dog) & Dan on Fram

Thunderstorm in Petritis

Our next anchorage was at Petritis, in the southwest of the island of Corfu. Fortunately, there were only a few ships anchored there, because we were caught in a thunderstorm that tossed us around unpleasantly. From evening until nightfall, we experienced countless lightning strikes and uncomfortable seas. All we could do was start the engines, constantly monitor the anchor alarm, and hope that no lightning would strike.

Red and yellow dots are lightning strikes in our anchorage

It’s not exactly pleasant. These storm warnings are becoming more frequent.

Bad weather is brewing, and if it gets wet while sailing, Ka is prepared

These are the days when we really appreciate the comforts of life on land. Just closing the door behind you and uncorking a good bottle of wine when the weather outside turns nasty. Reading a book when it’s stormy, instead of constantly checking the anchor and the distance to land or other vessels. There is no paradise and no free lunch.

Autumn and winter mode

In October, everything start closing for the season and the Ionian Islands switch to winter mode. Nobody cares that autumn is still a wonderful time to visit Greece for normal Europeans and would be well worth a visit. The autumn weather is still more appealing than anywhere else. But from October onwards, winter begins in the Ionian Sea. This means fewer flights and closed shops, restaurants, and hotels. It’s Groundhog Day every year. You certainly can’t accuse the Greeks of being greedy and taking every business opportunity. Most of them then start harvesting olives – which is also very important, because no Greek can survive everyday life without olive oil.

That was the summer

It was a moderate summer and, in my opinion, a short one in Greece. The number of days above 35 degrees was significantly lower than last year, and the sea took weeks longer to reach operating temperature. I read about sea temperatures of 30 degrees in France and a Mediterranean that was much too warm. The Ionian Sea contributes little to this; at 25-26 degrees, the water is cooler than last season. Less warm water fuels hopes for fewer storms or even Medicanes.

The Corfu Channel between the Greek/Albanian mainland and the island provides relatively sheltered conditions. Sailing conditions change quickly and the weather forecast is unreliable as usual. As we passed east along the island of Corfu, we experienced changing conditions between 5 and 25 knots in a matter of minutes, with an unannounced lightnings. There are days with Cape values of 700, when it thunders for hours. Then there are days with Cape values of 3000, with sunny and calm weather.

Grand prize in the Ionian Sea: Corfu Town

After Petritis, we saved one of the gems for the end of the season: Corfu Town.

We are currently anchored in the bay of the capital, a bay with poor anchorage but an extraordinary view of the venerable fortress and Albania within sight.

In July and August, it is unbearably crowded, and only at the end of the season can you find an undisturbed anchorage here, which is why we are showing up now. We are accompanied by an armada of superyachts; today alone, there are 16 of these motorized small towns here. Even the legendary Maltese Falcon (which we last saw in Antigua) and other sailing dream ships are doing us the honor of their presence.

Luxury vessels for hire

Almost all of these ships can be chartered, provided you have a sufficiently well-stocked bank account. For example, the “Aily,” a 52-meter motor yacht, costs between €280,000 and €330,000 per week and season—just for the charter. Operating costs and catering are additional. Usually, there is room for 12 people – and suddenly the price becomes a bargain 🙂

“Aily,” (52m, 280.000-330.000 € week) “This is it”(43,5 m, 390.000-440.000 € week) docking for the fortress, “Maltese Falcon” (88 m, 490.000 € week)

The “Aily” is neither the largest nor the most luxurious fish in the pond; there is still room for improvement. As confirmed by the Maltese Falcon at €490,000 per week.

Friday seems to be the day for provisioning. Then the tenders of the yachts anchored outside race to the dock to pick up new supplies from prestigious suppliers. Many of these tenders are larger and certainly more expensive than our vessel, and they often cause us to sway violently as we bring our comparatively modest purchases on board. Few of these tender boat drivers show any consideration for anchored ships. Imagine standing in your kitchen cooking and suddenly everything swaying by almost a meter. You get used to everything.

Again Corfu Town

Corfu Town is undoubtedly the most beautiful town in the Ionian Sea and the highlight of the island of Corfu. 40,000 of the nearly 100,000 Corfiots (not my word creation) live in this town, and visiting during the off-season is simply wonderful. During the season, it is as unbearably crowded as Palma de Mallorca or Dubrovnik. May and September are the perfect months for Corfu, with the sea also being pleasantly warm in September.

Corfu Town with dock and anchorage

Corfu Town is only the second real town we visit this season after Kalamata (Peloponnes). The old town is a pedestrian zone with old cobblestones and pretty houses, very lively and pleasant. Thanks to our fitness guru, the “walking machine” Dan, we also discover the finest hiking trails. There are many sights worth seeing around the bay. From a small windmill to “Mon Repos” parc and the old town, you walk through green streets and park strips with many villas that tell of the good old days. It’s a beautiful atmosphere.

Our anchor ball as a mooring

We planned a few days, always keeping an eye on the weather forecast. As mentioned, the anchorage off the city is not good, especially in rough weather not to be recommended. And on top of that, some anchoring visitors cause unexpected events. One evening, we were in town with Margaret and Dan and received a message from a British boat in the anchorage. A Norwegian sailor wanted to moor to our little red anchor ball, which indicates the location of our anchor on the water surface. The tiny thing is 15 cm in diameter and is connected to the anchor on the seabed with a 6 mm rubber rope. This anchor marker is clearly labeled “don’t touch” and is about 35 m away from our ship. The two experts already had our ball on board when the nice Brits next door managed to chase them away. You can sail endlessly and still be surprised again and again.

We used the days with stable weather for shore excursions and errands. The island of Corfu has many beautiful bays and views of the sea. There are a few sights such as Sissi’s Achillion Palace or one of the many monasteries (honestly getting a bit tired to see them all). The landscapes are very beautiful, but architects were obviously rarely requested to do their work. A sailing buddy once said that Corfu (the island) was “really built up.” I cannot object. The highlight is definitely Corfu Town.

We’re going to enjoy a few more amenities, with a little more variety than usual and the most delicious cinnamon rolls ever. We still have 3-4 destinations on our list until the end of September. Keep your fingers crossed that the weather cooperates. /Holger Binz