Crotone to Levkas
We left Crotone at about 6 .00 on Friday 1st June to a lovely sunny day and little wind with a good weather forecast from all sources (after our last experience I regard all Mediterranean weather forecasters as mendacious wee bastards). The wind gradually picked up to about force 3 on the beam and gave us a day of motor sailing and sailing.


In the early evening, about 70 miles from shore we saw a motor cruiser behaving rather irrationally, steering a very ragged course at some speed. We couldn't figure out what was happening. He crossed our path about half a mile ahead and gradually zig zagged into the distance. Suddenly I saw an object in the water a few yards off the bow. We swerved to avoid it, missed it and saw that it was a black and blue kid's football, wrapped in a net and attached to a rope which appeared to be anchored on the bottom which was about 1000 metres below us. We began to wonder if it was associated with the irrational behaviour of the motor boat . Eventually we came to the conclusion that it was either some research equipment on the sea bed (unlikely as the ball was very difficult to spot) or it was some kind of illegal contraband pick up which our presence had prevented from happening..


In either case we continued on our way thankful that it hadn't become attached to our prop.


The rest of the journey was notable for the lack of marine life (with the exception of 3 turtles); a glorious sunset followed by a blood red moon rising out of the sea and then a wonderful sunrise over the Greek mountains showing us the we were amongst the Greek Ionian Islands in a mirror calm sea.


Levkas
We arrived at the entrance to the Levkas canal with 15 minutes to spare before the bridge opened. Rather than moor up we decided to just stooge around in circles which was OK but then about 6 other boats arrived and did exactly the same, the circle became larger and larger . We all smiled at one another and thought "I'll get through that bloody bridge first". As soon as the horn went for the bridge opening everyone went hell for leather for the open bridge. Le Mans had nothing on 7 boats charging for the same gap yet appearing to be utterly casual about the whole thing.


We decided to book into the Marina (€38.00 per night) for 4 nights. It had every facility expected including wireless internet and was probably the best marina we had been in since Lagos. There are a lot of Brit boats here and loadsa charter boats. As soon as we had settled the boat down I headed for the coastguard/marine police building to get my DEKPA (transit log at €30). On arrival I was told that the office was closed till Monday.


On Monday I trotted along to be told that the DEKPA man wasn't in till Tuesday. So on Tuesday I went back and was ushered into an office with 3 armed, uniformed characters . They told me I had to wait for the revered DEKPA man to appear. He duly arrived; he was a thirtyish, putting on weight, a typical bureaucrat who wouldn't be out of place in a DSS or tax office back home except he was dressed in an immaculate white uniform with huge, sod off, gold sergeant's stripes on the arm and a handgun on his waist.


While he was going through the various questions and making innumerable visits to the photocopier I started to reflect on how effective it might be to arm our own dear, sweet middle ranking bureaucrats in the UK. It would certainly add a certain frissance to a visit to the doctor if the receptionists were carrying a Smith and Wesson .The DSS and Inland Revenue would probably have fewer defaulters if they toted a large Beretta when you visited them.


While in Levkas we met up with friends (Mike and Janet) of Pete and Sylvie in Campello who invited us to lunch and, after a splendid meal and more than a few glasses of wine, proceeded to offer us lots of advice about cruising in Greece .


Levkas is a delightful town, the people are very friendly and it has a great holiday atmosphere. It also has a large town quay where only a nominal mooring fee is collected occasionally.


Spartakhori.
On Wednesday we left Levkas to continue down the remaining 2 miles of the Levkas canal. The scenery was stunning but, on exiting the canal the inland sea opened up before us and the views were incredible. It had everything; mountains; wooded, mountainous islands; azure blue waters and temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s.It reminded us of the West coast of Scotland on those few days when the temperatures reach the dizzy heights.


After sailing 10 miles or so we arrived at Spartakhori on the island of Meganisi, as recommended by Mike and Janet. There were a couple of pontoons by a Taverna . A guy came over and beckoned us to moor up which, with his help we did. It was a beautiful sheltered spot in the corner of a bay, under trees on the side of a hill. The pontoon had water and electricity (and, when the charter boats started arriving, hot and cold running Germans) and it was all FREE. There was no obligation to use the taverna but the staff and owners were so hospitable that we couldn't resist.


In the afternoon we took a walk up the steep path to the village and were rewarded by great views of the inland sea, mountains, islands etc. The village is what one would expect - quiet, narrow streets, whitewashed buildings with wooden, painted shutters and the local youths farting about on scooters and Golf GTIs (true).


In the evening we teamed up with another Brit couple (Richard and June) and had dinner. Before we got a look at the menu we were taken to see the kitchen (spotless) and shown the dishes on the menu that evening . The chefs were delighted to see us and were obviously proud of their kitchen.


We had a 2 course meal, a couple of litres of wine for a total of 15 euros each (the owner sat down with us at the end of the meal and refused to charge us for coffee.


Limin Patala (Patala Bay)
While writing the blog we are anchored in Limin Patala(another of Mike and Janet's suggestions) , about 25 miles from Spartakhori, the sun is setting over the hill in front of us, the birds are making bird type noises, Gina has just cooked a splendid Thai prawn dish and the boat is gently rocking on it's anchor.


Missalonghi
On Friday we sailed the 20 odd miles to Missalonghi in the Gulf of Patras. It has a delightful entrance from the sea down a 2.5 mile canal with fisherman's stilt houses at the start . On the way in a party of school kids waved and shouted hello. Then 3 Greek ladies of a certain age, up to their necks in the water, waved and shouted Yasas (which can mean hello or goodbye).


The harbour is quite large with a town quay, mainly taken up by fishing boats and merchant ships, and a pontoon marina. We headed for the marina and moored up on what looked like wasteland. There is no electricity or fresh water but it is a safe mooring and free (well actually the port dues are about €3 per night if the port police catch you as they did me and most of the other skippers in the marina - bastards).. Showers can be had for €5.00 at the Hotel Theoxinia behind the fish quay.


While we were here an Italian catamaran came in having caught the mother of all tuna. As a result most of us ate delicious tuna steaks on Saturday - mmmmm!


Missalonghi is where Lord Byron died (of natural causes) fighting for the Greeks against the Ottoman Empire . He is revered as a hero and has a museum here dedicated to him. If the many paintings of him are to be believed he spent most of his time here striking heroic, manly poses.


The town, at first viewing, seems rather run down. The dock area has a small military scrap yard in a prominent position, full of dead tanks, jets, rocket launchers etc.


There is a strong youth culture in the town with a couple of streets of luxurious clubs/cafes serving the latest trendy drinks to crowds of glamorous teenagers and twentysomethings.


Once you actually sit down here, pretend to be a glamotous youth, have a coffee, wander about a bit you suddenly find yourself rather liking Missalonghi. But, whatever you do, do not strut around striking manly, heroic poses or everyone will suddenly start insisting that you write poetry and die elegantly for Greece .


Reflections!!
Gina and I reflected that, if we hadn't changed our minds, we could now be in the Caribbean preparing the boat for the hurricane season, enjoying poor quality, expensive meals, indifferent service and, if in Trinidad, investing in big, sod off, sergeant's stripes; a pair of Colt 45s; and striking heroic manly poses to keep the muggers at bay.


Yes, on reflection, coming to Greece was one of our better ideas.