The Ionian magazine August 2014

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I I o o n n i i a a n n

description

English language, yachting, travel and lifestyle magazine for the Ionian area of Greece.

Transcript of The Ionian magazine August 2014

Page 1: The Ionian magazine August 2014

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Another Side of Boatyard LifeKARIA LESCHKE

My husband and I have been restoring a steel sailboat atIonion Marine since 2003. Our boat is next to a water filledditch, called avlaki in Greek, that runs between IonionMarine and Cleopatra Marine.

Last year, all the bushes and trees on our side were cutdown. We were sad to loose the shade and colorful oleanderbut it has turned out to be wonderful. Now when we're upon the boat we can see down into the water. The reeds andoleander have grown back somewhat and white roses,blackberry and, I think, myrtle bushes are blooming. Thereis so much wildlife there. There are tiny minnows that jumpwhen startled, many kinds of frogs with big bubbles thatballoon up on their cheeks when they croak to give us aloud chorus during most of thenight and sometimes during theday. Birds love the bushes on bothsides swooping chirping andsinging. There are many waterturtles of different sizes from 2inches across to one big one thatmust be about 12 inches. There area few water snakes, lots ofcolorful dragon and damsel flies,butterflies and we saw fireflies blinking through the bushesin the middle of May. I think the minnows are eating themosquito larvae so there aren't many mosquitos. Tortoiseshave a passage that takes them up and down alongside theboat.

At the beginning of May this year, while we wereunpacking the boat, we saw what looked like an otter. Wesee otters all the time in the waters around Victoria BCwhere we are from. A week later, having had a good look atit, I looked up water rat online. There were some photos ofthe exact creature but no information. It has bigyellow/orange front teeth and small ears way at the back ofits head. It swims around diving and eating plants from thebottom of the pool and the reeds from beside it and itdissapears into the brush at the side of the pool. One daysome friends who were visiting us from Germany suggestedthat it might be a Nutria. Online I found the exact creature:Nutria or Coypu, originally from Brazil, where they arebreed to be eaten, and brought to Europe and Asia for theirfur. Apparently they have become a nuisance in Europe. Wehave seen two at the same time in the avlaki.

So, having to work in this dusty boatyard for the whole ofour three months here, never going into the water, has beenmade much easier because of having the avlaki and all itswildlife beside us.

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The Ionian

Travel, yachting and lifestylemagazine for the Ionian Islandsand adjacent mainland Greece.

Vol. 5, Issue 4 – August 2014

Publisher and EditorBarbara Molin

Advisory BoardYannis Dimopoulos

Justin Smith

LayoutRyan Smith

[email protected]

www.theionian.com

We make every effort to ensurethe accuracy of each issue.However, we cannot be heldliable for any errors or

omissions. The contributors'opinions are their own.

Printed in Greece.

And the only way to keep cool in the Ionian is to stay close to the

water. This shouldn't be too difficult and our stories this month

show you how.

Andy James writes about his favourite beach on Lefkas Island in,In Praise ofAgiofili Beach, while Maddie Grigg shares a lovely

celebration that if you hurry, you might be able to catch on August 10, inPaleokastritsa on the west coast of Corfu Island (where it's cool).

And what would a life on board be without an occasional unnusual visitor. Read

about it in Another Side ofBoatyard Life by Karya Leschke.

Our cover this month is Old Man in Kinopiastes by Andy.

Happy reading...

≈≈_/)* Barbara Molin

Is it hot or is it hot?Editorial

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ANDY JAMES

On the south coast of the unspoiled island of Lefkas,Vassiliki Bay is famed as one of Europe's topwindsurfing hotspots. For those seeking an activeholiday, other options include sailing, mountain biking,sea kayaking and snorkelling. But even the mostadventurous, or their families, may wish to give theiradrenaline a break from time to time. Where better torelax than on one of several world-class beachesnearby?

The most famous of these is Porto Katsiki, frequently

listed as one of Europe’s top-ten. Fortyminutes by car from Vassiliki, or less bytaxi-boat, this stunning west-facing beachboasts white sands, sparkling waters anda dramatic backdrop of pale cliffs. Thecar park and several tavernas are abovethe beach, which is reached by steps.

Alternatively, Egremni is just north ofPorto Katsiki. Accessed by over 350steps from the car park and café, or byboat, this spectacular beach is backed byhigh chalky cliffs studded withvegetation, and faces a turquoise sea.While a little harder to reach due to thesteps this, and its length, make it lessbusy than its famous neighbour.

I recommend Agiofili, a small perfectbeach just 3 km around the headlandsouth-east of Vassiliki, to which a ferryoperates from Vassiliki harbour.However there is also a footpath, and Ifound the one-hour’s walk one calm, hot,morning, to be a delight. Following ashower the previous evening, the air washeavy with the aroma of dampundergrowth and I was accompanied bymany butterflies, white, yellow, brownand black, relishing the sunshine.

The footpath reaches the beach atop lowcliffs at it’ s right hand end. From here theview is picture-perfect. The crescentsweep of pristine white, little more than

100 metres long, focuses the eye to the sea, anaquamarine gem calmed by a rocky outcrop. Such is thesea's transparency that swimmers appear to hover abovethe seabed. Spotted with vegetation and wildflowers,with large rocks and boulders below, the pale cliffsamplify the sound of waves lapping the shore. The fewyellow and blue parasols and loungers, some occupiedby suntanned bathers — some temptingly free, add tothe impression of idyll. They invite an hour or two to bespent in their company, soaking up golden sunshine,

IN PRAISE OF AGIOFILI BEACH

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gazing into the bay, contemplating cooling dips amongsmall silver fish.

Once on a lounger, or relaxing on the warm pebbles,attention naturally focuses on the bay. The sea’s huedrifts from palest turquoise through deeper shades tosapphire; its vibrant blueness emphasised by a solitaryyacht, riding at anchor in a gentle swell, brilliant-whitehull and deck gleaming in the midday sun. In thedistance, Ithaki and Kefalonia shimmer in the horizon'shaze.

There is no bar or restaurant here. No amusementarcade. No car park. Just nature at its finest: warmsunshine, a white smooth-pebbled beach, calm limpidwaters, and gentle sea breezes to temper the heat.

Those who choose Agiofili above the more famousbeaches nearby, do so from a love of simplicity,unspoiled beauty, and a sense of escape.

IN PRAISE OF AGIOFILI BEACH

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The Wonderful Varkarola in PaleokastritsaMADDIE GRIGG

In Paleokastritsa, parking was at a premium.

We sauntered down to the Apollon restaurant overlookingthe main beach and were shown to our table, which we hadbeen advised to book well in advance.

It was early yet, the sun still warm in the sky. But, already,people were beginning to stake their claim on spots on thebeach, with towels, picnic chairs and rugs. In the centre ofthis pretty crescent-shaped bay, the water slowly rippledaround the base of a stage set into the water. Children swamaround it while, on the shore, sound checks echoed acrossthe bay.

As darkness fell and the sun went down, an early eveningplanet illuminating the sky, the road between our table andthe sea became thronged with people. There were stallsselling candyfloss and cheap-looking toys, popcorn andsweetcorn, with bright white lights strung up over each one.Gypsies walked by with great bunches of garish balloons.

From around the promontory, a red light glided into thecove, accompanied by mandolins and the stirring voices ofthe Corfu Choir. The boat, complete with rigging, fixed sailand a trail of red smoke, came in slowly towards the shore.Carefully, the captain brought the vessel to the back of thestage and the choristers climbed off, one by one, beforeassembling in formation.

They reeled off Greek song after Greek song, including theoft-played Kerkrya, which comes from the 1972 film IKomissa tis Kerkyras (The Countess of Corfu). Theirrepertoire over, the choir said farewell, climbed back on theirboat and sailed off singing around the headland. Then it wastime for the members of the dance troupe from Krini, avillage up in the hills between Paleokastritsa andAngelokastro, to cavort around the staged in traditionalcostume. They danced the way only Greeks can, withenergy, elegance and great joy.

There was a short lull, with the sounds of people, invisiblenow in the darkness but packed like sardines on the beach,chattering in Greek, English, German and Italian.

And then it came.

A flash lit up the bay as group of small boats, bearing redlights and trailing smoke, came closer, their crimsonreflections on the water flowing outwards in ever-increasingcircles. They were led by a large rowing boat, with abillowing sail painted with a great eye. Its oars moved intime to the pulsating chord progression of Vangelis’ s scorefor the film Conquest ofParadise as the silhouette of a manstanding on a raft came into view. Clouds of red smoke filledthe air when the rousing music reached its crescendo.Poseidon, god of the ocean, arose from the depths and a greatbattle ensued, with the man being thrown into the water afterhis raft caught fire.

It was a story I knew so well. The mythical hero, Odysseuslands, naked and exhausted, on the shores of Scheria, thehome of the Phaeacians. He surprises the young princess,Nausikaa, who is taking a break from doing her washing onthe shore and is playing ball with her handmaidens. InHomer’s tale, Nausikaa takes Odysseus home to her parents,the gentle King Alkinoos and Queen Arete.

At Paleokastritsa on that August night, Odysseus and themaidens made their way along the shore to the stage, wherethe hero proceeded to tell the story of the things that hadhappened to him since leaving Troy ten years earlier. Andthen the king gave him a boat so he could sail to his kingdom

of Ithaca, where he would bereunited with his patient wife,Penelope, and his son, who hadbeen waiting for him for twentyyears.

The boatmen and divers ofPaleokastritsa turned the myth intothe most stunning, poignant,surreal, magical and memorabletourist attraction I have ever seen.

But it was not over yet. The musicchanged to poignant oboe and thenthe skies lit up with white rocketsexploding over the bay in afirework display that went on forages.

With music ringing in our ears andour meal over, we joined thecrowds and made our way to thecar, glad we had decided to makeCorfu our home, if only for a year.

This year’s event takes place on 10August.

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