Explore Ionian-Gulf of Corinth in a Drascombe Lugger

The Greek temptation

In the second half of the eighties I red the famous books of Ken Duxbury: Lugworm on the loose and Greece to England in an open dinghy. After reading I had one passion: I like to do the same, but the problem was the time! We bought a house, we had to work …

In 1988 we made our first Greek voyage in an open 4.45 m Simoun sailingboat without an engine. We sailed about one month and visit a lot of islands in the Ionic. Over the following years we sailed in different small boats in Greece: a Beneteau 18, a Drascombe Lugger, a Coaster and last year in a Dabber. The blue Greek waters are a real temptation for us.

To make a big trip is a real challenge: don´t expect every day a shower, a 5-star sleeping bed, thousands of tourists. You will met a lot of very friendly local persons who are mostly interested in your sailingtrip. When you spent the night on a beach in a desolated aria you had to prepare your food yourself, but when you stay in a little village you can eat a delicious mail in a little taverna for a very nice price! Learn about 50 common Greek words, you will have a lot of pleasure of these words. Have a lot of fun!

Henriëtte Coppens en Gijs van Kemenade

Sailday 1

Nidri – Kalomo or Kastos 17 nm.

If you planned to stay in Kalomo, don´t spent your night in the harbour. When you are early you will think there is place enough, but after arriving of a flottilia … Sail to position 38˚36.960´N, 20˚ 55.379´O for a very nice quiet night and go to the local taverna at the beach.

Sailday 2

Kalomo or Kastos – Pandelamona (Astakos) 38˚29.211´N, 21˚5.951´O 13 nm.

Try to arrive before 12 o´clock at the bay of Astakos. When you are too late there could be a very strong fall wind from the NW. In such circumstances you can go to bay Pandelamona. A very well shelterd bay. In Astakos you can buy fuel.

Sailday 3 Pandelamona – Beach close to Oxia (Cape Skrofia) 38˚18.549´N, 21˚ 8.423´O 14 nm.

An evening and night on a desolate beach. In 2013 we met `Robinson Crusoë`. In that year he lives in a small house on the top of a rock. No village, no restaurant, so you had to catch your own octopus.

Sailday 4 Beach close to Oxia – Mesolonghi 38˚21.785´N, 21˚ 25.261´O 16 nm.

Before you enter the channel of Mesolonghi there are a few inhabited islands, like Sostis. Nice to spent the night. In Mesolonghi you can try to stay in the fishermansharbour but First ask a place to spent the night. We were serveral times in this harbour and every year we saw seaturtles.In Mesolonghi you can buy fuel.

Sailday 5 Mesolonghi – Makinia 38˚36.960´N, 20˚ 55.379´O 18 nm.

Nice trip without mountains till you see on portside two huge mountains on the opposite site of Patras. Take care of the mountainwind!

Sailday 6 Makinia – Nafpaktos 38˚23.533´N, 21˚ 49.756´O or Marathias 38˚20.567´N, 21˚ 43.233´O 16 nm.

A few nm. from Makinia you will see the huge bridge Andirion – Rion. Take her the northern coast of the Gulf. Protected little harbours of Nafpaktos. Chiliadou, Marathias and Glifada. On the southern coastline the first protected harbour is Egio. Close to the bridge in Andirion you can get fuel.

Sailday 7 Marathias – Trizonia. 38˚22.198´N, 22˚ 4.540´O 5 nm.

Trizonia is a small island. In 1972 Ken Duxbury arrived here and had the idea that her sailed out of the century. There was no electricity in those years. There is little tourism, no cars or mopeds in the little village. There are some nice fishrestaurants.

Sailday 8 Trizonia – Egio. 8nm.

After your trip in your Drascombe you an stay in Spiti Ostria, 75 meters from the beach in Aliki, very close to Egio. Enjoy the luxuary of a real bed, a shower a nice couch, nice bars and restaurants. www.griekshuisje.com