Gradually we realize that the end of the season has come. When we moored at the floating jetty of Taverna Delfini in Sivota, in the very south-east of Lefkas, there was a lot of space around us. Several charter companies and flotillas have their bases here. The boats are moored at the jetties, the sails are taken down and packed away, and many people are busy preparing the boats for winter storage. Many boats are then transferred to Aktio near Preveza and put ashore there.
We still have a few days until our boat comes ashore. In the bay of Sivota we are hiking again and see how the landscape here is being destroyed by brisk construction activity on the beautiful mountain slopes. But there are also beautiful paths. With the scent of the many sage plants in our noses, we walk through olive groves and look south towards Ithaca, Kefallonia (we definitely want to go there again) and the mainland.
Pictures from Sivota
A nice light wind then pushes our boat north again, between the islands of Lefkas and Meganisi. Actually, we didn't want to go far, just into a beautiful anchorage again. But then it sails so beautifully and the wind now brings us to Palairos on the mainland coast for the third time. Yes, some places attract us like a magnet. Palairos is one of them. We anchor in front of the harbour and again admire the high mountains with alpenglow. And a baroque evening sky. The next day Christos has a place for us in the harbour. Here we prepare a little for the end of our season. Washing day, tidying up, cleaning. And Walter has an appointment with the hairdresser. The weather is nice and warm, just right for a swim in the sea in the late afternoon. And then a cool beer. Unfortunately no more from the tap. End of season.
Pictures from Palairos
And then comes the last day of sailing, which unfortunately doesn't turn out to be one. First we wait the whole morning for wind. Everything is as smooth as glass. Then the wind comes and we set off. We want to go to Vliho Bay on the island of Lefkas. But we can't even get there by cruising. What a pity! We have to motor. Fortunately only 11 nautical miles.
We reach Vliho Bay for the first time. It is a beautiful, well protected bay. Many boats spend the winter here, many of them in the water. With a little effort we find the small floating jetty of the Vliho Boatyard. Here we are allowed to moor overnight, to be pulled ashore the next morning. The slip is shallow. Our depth gauge shows 0.00 for a short time. But we pull our boat in such a way that we still have the proverbial hand's breadth of water under our keel.
The next morning the somewhat exciting landfall takes place, with tractor and hydraulic trailer. We've never had that before. We had asked beforehand if they could manage to bring our 16-ton lady ashore. "No problem" was the answer. A little uneasily we stand on our boat, which is already half pulled out of the slip. But the tractor alone can't do it. So the men from the boatyard have to add a winch. But then it works.
Pictures from Vliho Boaryard
Now we are standing in the boatyard, which is full of boats. Our boat is fixed, but we still have the rocking in us. A few days of work now await us before we start our journey home.
