I was up again early this morning, about 6.30. Parga is quite a big tourist resort so everything was coming to life early and fishing boats were going out of the area we were moored in.
We had left our dingy on the beach last night as the taxi dropped us off direct to our boat so Colin managed to drop down off the bow of the boat and rowed it back to the stern. He had originally planned to swim round but that obviously wasn’t so appealing when it came to it.
We had plenty of time before our 9.30am briefing so decided to walk round the bay to get a coffee and to see if we could find some more cold bottled water for today’s journey.
We only walked 5 minutes before we came across a mini market and then stopped on the way back at a beach front hotel for a coffee. Another couple from our flotilla arrived for coffee and they joined us and we sat discussing how great the trip was so far.
We arrived back at our boat just in time for the briefing, today we are off to Mongonisi Bay on Paxos. We were advised to be there around 2pm if we wanted to get a bow or stern too spot on the quay. Late arrivals would likely need to anchor in the bay (free swing).
After the briefing everyone seemed to be hanging around, Colin was keen to get going and was the first to radio the lead crew “Kamara, Kamara, this is Filiata, we are ready to leave”. Yorkie, the lead boat skipper loosened our bow anchor from the sand and Colin reeled it in, its electronic so that ones nice and easy. Colin then had to pull the stern anchor (kedge) in by hand as I slowly reversed out of our mooring. As soon as we started pulling out I heard everyone else start radioing to say they were good to go too.
Once out of the harbour and heading towards Paxos we put our sails up. It wasn’t very windy but we managed to do some tacking but the wind was directly in front of us and we didn’t seem to be making much progress. A passing yacht made a gesture as to blow into our sails as they motored passed us. We left our genoa sail up and put the engine on to help us along. The wind did pick up slightly as we got further out in the channel towards Paxos but not enough to turn the engine off.
As we approached Mongonisi I said to Colin we hadn’t seen Kamara, our lead boat, who would be directing us how to dock. I looked round to see them motoring towards us, I knew it was them as their mast is covered in loads of colourful flags.
We slow down to let them get ahead and follow 2 more of our flotilla around the headland into a beautiful little bay. Mongonisi has a bar, taverna, shower block and a few villas dotted into the hillside. There’s no supermarket but you could walk into town in about 50 minutes, we didn’t even attempt that, it was far too hot. There’s Greek dancing tonight in the restaurant so that’s going to be interesting.
The first of our flotilla moored up quickly, the second seemed to be having a few problems as the wind was blowing them off course so they had to go back round the bay and try again. Their anchor has got caught on someone else’s so they had to untie it from the boat and let it go.
We spent about 20 minutes sitting in the bay, carefully trying to manoeuvre our boat back and forth whilst trying to dodge other yachts, day boats, paddle boards and swimmers. It starts getting a bit hairy, it’s not like you can just switch your engine off and stop in one place when you are bobbing about in the water with a wind trying to push you towards land, in a bay that is very shallow. I was keeping an eye on the depth gauge as I controlled the boat, the last thing I want to tell them is that I’ve hit a rock or sand bank.
We finally moor up, bow too, and can relax. This mooring business is probably the most stressful part of sailing, well, apart from then you’re listing so far over your think you’re going to capsize.
We tucked into our lunch, the leftovers from dinner last night, chicken, octopus, sword fish, chorizo, salad and pita bread, washed down with a beer.
Colin had a swim in the bay and I took the paddle board out, I still haven’t progressed to standing though !
We walked round to the bar to get a drink and enquire about dinner and en route bumped into Tilly, our hostie. She’d booked a table for 8pm for a group meal and said that Greek dancing would start at 9pm.
We bought a couple of tokens to use the showers, most places have been free, and after enjoying an iced coffee we headed back to our yacht to grab towels and toiletries.
On arrival at the showers, Jan, off of “Tasia” was rinsing her hair in the sink. You only get 3 minutes of running water for your 4 euros and your supposed to be able to stop and start the flow. Jan had stopped hers whilst shampooing and it hadn’t started again. Luckily the same didn’t happen to me but you try and shower with just 3 minutes of water, it’s not easy and I certainly didn’t have time to run a razor over my legs.
We headed back to get changed for dinner and sat on deck talking to the people moored next to us, who were part of a Neilson flotilla. They had spent the week around Corfu and Paxos and said they actually preferred the North Ionian, rather than the South. Remember, we were supposed to be in the South but our route was changed.
We headed to pre-dinner drinks about 7.15. Not impressed that someone had taken our step that was at the bow of our boat so we could disembark easily, not to worry though, we stole it back on our way home later.
Everyone in the bar was exchanging tales of their days sailing and talking about how much they were enjoying the trip.
We all sat at 2 long tables, the waiters obviously geared up for flotilla groups, taking orders for individual boats and swiftly delivering the food as and when it was prepared. They seem to have the process down to a fine art.
9am and the Greek dancing commences, then all of a sudden they stop and all the lights start going off. We comment that it ended a bit abruptly and then all of a sudden the dance area lights up as a Sambucca is spread over the floor and set light to. The male dancer moving across the dance floor in the flames. The evening continued with more Greek dancing with everyone up, arms around each other in one long snake of people dancing around. Followed by an array of different music where people were dancing until midnight.
Heading back to the boat we picked up the steps someone had taken from our mooring and headed off to bed. But not before sitting on deck with our balloon for lights, a cup of coffee and the apple pie.
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Ionian Sea Sailing Trip 