Parga to Meganisi (78.8km, by boat): the captain decided our best bet was to do the motor trip to Meganisi this morning, which involved a long ride followed by a timed channel crossing at Lefkada, and then lunch en route
7:38 and we're already moving, about to motor over 75km to Meganisi |
not pictured: whacking my head against the back of the boat trying to turn off my alarm |
leaving Parga behind |
sun behind mountains |
Tom enjoys coffee on deck |
cliffs and mountains |
the morning light is really cool |
one hand for the boat, one hand for the tea |
nice cliff |
mm, coffee |
sun on the hillside |
sun through clouds |
really nice cliff |
look, a bird |
we've had breakfast now, and the light is different, but still pretty good |
it's 11:30, and we're approaching the boat crossing at Lefkada |
the boat crossing opens at noon, so we have time for some high-quality milling about |
Gavin on the front deck |
these sailboats are milling with us |
channel markers |
a catamaran joins the line |
time to start queueing more decisively |
passing Paleiros as we enter the channel |
town next to the channel |
a fortress across the channel |
entering the channel |
that's some very beach-looking blue water there |
don't worry, we'll be back later in the week |
channel marker |
stone wall |
stone seawall |
passing a small marina |
red right returning |
passing the Agia Mavra Fortress |
this side channel looks a little dodgy |
good thing there's a lighthouse |
docked fishing boats |
Ruth enjoying the view |
there's a line of boats coming the other way also |
a number of them waved at us |
building on Lekfada |
that white wall is the end of the rotating bridge (also note the line of cars) |
east side of the drawbridge |
spoiler: the rotating bridge is in fact a boat! |
cars waiting for the bridge to return |
no kidding, don't anchor right next to the drawbridge |
there's a water area enclosed by marshy land, on the northern end of Lefkada |
the channel ahead of us |
drainage under the road |
now it's the cars' turn to mill about waiting |
Lefkada town |
walking path on the other side of the channel |
the bigger marina by Lekfada town |
Hotel Lefkas |
cars driving over a small bridge |
not sure what i was trying to photograph, but there is in fact a bird in the water |
these boats seem to have had some difficulty with the crossing |
leaving the channel |
bye, channel |
this marina is quite large, actually |
cypresses and a shipyard |
the mainland east of the channel |
probably not an active channel marker |
someone having a more adventurous time than we are |
looks like fun |
a rocky coastline |
someone else who had trouble with the channel |
boat wake |
some trees having a nice time |
passing a town |
pointy mountains |
the boat was provisioned with a German-language copy of the Odyssey |
the table in the cabin being set for lunch |
sailboats wandering around |
a boat under sail |
buildings by the water under a tall mountain |
outer walkway of the boat |
lunch: pasta and salad |
lunch: chicken wings |
Papoutsakia! they're made out of eggplant and they're called 'little shoes', so really what could be better? |
a lot of Greek meals don't have a sweet dessert, but this one had an apple tart |
around Meganisi (18.8km (382m of climbing), by bike): we split the group, with the slower riders doing a route with less climbing, while the others got more of a view from Meganisi. The ride was nice, with a climb on the interior, and then a ride back along the coast, where we stopped to look at the shore, and then again a kilometer later for our first swim in the ocean of the trip.
at some point in there we docked in Meganisi, and now it's time to bike |
this building has some nice views |
the ramp, which we just used, and the dinghy, which we did not |
Gina and Beth ready to ride (only missing one thing) |
impressive bike lowering feat time |
the marina is decorated with a very small church |
my bike (boat for scale) |
Gina, still waiting, now on a bench |
cyclists, getting ready |
Vathy town |
and we're rolling |
colorful buildings |
colorful graffiti |
sheep! |
electrical pole with glass beads |
hillside terraced with stone walls |
Peri, approaching |
cyclists, about to descend towards the sea |
trees, water, mountain |
Gavin, underway |
this is pretty. we enjoyed seeing this |
cyclists, alongside a pretty view |
donkeys! |
we are at water level now |
we've parked by a rocky shore |
Gina is victorious |
David is pleased |
clear water along the shore |
we have found a fascinating rock |
view across the water |
building on the hillside |
shrine |
looking down at a beach |
Mary Lu and Beth, ready to go back to the boat |
hey, it's the boat! |
around Vathy (0.9km, on foot): Gavin, Kris, Beth, and i went swiming again near the boat, and then we all got ready to go out to dinner in Vathy, followed by a walk through the town, some ice cream for Gina, and a game of Letter Jam back on the boat.
daylight savings time ended in Greece today: it's dark when we head to dinner at 18:15 |
dinner at O Pasas: some dramatic-looking octopus from Gavin's plate |
my dinner: calamari |
shrimp heads, poor shrimp |
after dinner, we went for a walk along the shore |
Boom Boom cocktail music bar |
an informational sign about Christianity |
a small church |
Jabberwocky, from London |