Our week on the Ionian Sea

We boarded our home on the water for the next week on Sunday.  We met our other sailing partners which were a family from the states living in Germany and a couple from Argentina living in England.  The ship's captain, Thanos and his wife Alicia popped open some bubbly for us and had some tasty appetizers ready for us.  After we all had a few and were ripe from the Greek heat we set sail to our first port at around 8pm (stays light until about 9:30p here).  Amy and I commented that motoring in to our first port town and seeing the town speckled in light and hearing the local music from a distance reminded us of the pirates of the caribbean ride.

Group shot our first day

...our yacht, 'Velos'

...our cabin

 We didn't end up getting off the boat and eating until about 11pm that night.  This set the stage for a schedule that was all too foreign for Amy and me.

Alicia prepared breakfast for us every morning from 8-9:30am.  After breakfast we would set out to a bay to spend the day.  At  1pm Alicia would prepare a wonderful lunch for us all on the yacht consisting of spicy cheese dip (our favorite which in Greek was called tirokafteri), grilled vegetables, Greek ratatouille. homemade tzatziki, zucchini soup, stuffed peppers and tomatoes, carrot dip and so much more.  After lunch we would set sail for about two hours until our next port.  Because of the heat we would typically get off the yacht and do some more swimming before heading back and relaxing and cleaning up for dinner.

We learned that as a result of the heat and the siesta the Greeks take, shops and restaurants close down during mid day until around 6pm.  Since the sun stays out until 9 pm or so dinner was best served and enjoyed during the milder evening/night hours.

Amy testing the waters out by jumping off the front of the yacht

The ports that we visited were:  Vathi, Meganisi; Kalamos, Kalamos; Vathi, Ithaka; Agia Efimia, Kefalonia; Fiskardo, Kefalonia; Sivota, Lefkada and Lefkas Town, Lefkada

yikes...jelly fish swimming hole for the day!

Amy pulling up the front sail (the Genoa)

Self shot in one of the beautiful port towns.  We were amazed at how calm and simple life in these small towns we visited.  Groceries were delivered by a scooter, old ladies sat on their chairs outside watching the yachts come in and out and people left there keys in their cars.  Had to remind Amy that we were on a schedule for the year as I know she would have called any of these tiny port villages her new home.

Our Greek meal staples...tzaziki, tirokafteri (spicy cheese dip) and of course the Greek salad

Our captain, Thanos and his wife Alicia.  Thank you for our wonderful adventure.