Corfu

With the solstice upon us, we had an easy two-overnight trip down the coast. Unfortunately there wasn’t much wind, but the wind we did get made for some great sailing. The full moon made it easy to see for miles, even well past midnight. We dropped anchor in Sarande, Albania early in the morning. We didn’t clear in or go ashore, but friends Johan and Jenny of s/v Panic Major were back in our original anchorage and they came over (after we took long naps) for a good, long catchup. Jenny had outdone herself with the BBQ she had packed and we feasted for hours on board. It was so fun we stayed an extra day and spent the next day with them as well. Such good friends.

It was finally time to move on to Greece. The passage to Corfu is only 16 miles, an easy mid day run. Once again, we didn’t have good wind till the end of the trip (when the winds were picking up), but we take what we can get. We dropped anchor north of the city in a spot closer to the authorities that we needed to visit to clear in to the country.

The first day was a trip to the port police, followed by a long hot walk to immigration and customs (where they told us we had to go to the other customs office which is now closed). When arriving in your own boat, the formalities of clearing into a new country are mind boggling sometimes. These are the things we take for granted when we fly somewhere (customs and immigration all right there at the airport, no port police to visit).

The next day we split up – Trip went off to finalize clearing in and I went off to do laundry. Hannah had told me not only about the laundry but a great little shop up the street. I managed to snag a two dresses and two tops for 32 euro (when we went back later, Trip, of course, found yet another styling blazer for only 15 euro – pic to come when he finally wears it). We met for gyros for lunch, where Trip started his quest to pronounce thank you in Greek (epharisto). The taverna restaurant told him to stick to English, but he persists!

The next couple of days were a mix of errands and wandering around the old town, as well as moving the boat down to the picturesque, if busy, anchorage in front of the old fort. Stopping frequently for breaks (it is HOT these days), we walked up to the top of the fort and admired the entire bay.

The fort provides a great view of the city, and the bay is huge. It also allows for plenty of mega yacht watching. The cost to charter the three boats above (collectively) is well over 1 million euros a week! Unfortunately the tender drivers to these mega yachts tend to speed through the anchorage to the dinghy docks, making things a bit rolly. On the flip side, we had a stunning view of the fortress lit up at night, and were even rewarded with a concert and fireworks one evening.