After sailing from the Ionian, south to Pylos, then around tempestuous Cape Maleas, our circumnavigation of the Peloponnese had turned north. The first week’s sailing, which was reported in last month’s issue, ended at Athens’ Alimos marina where we changed crew and got ready for the return leg via the Corinth Canal. On the way to Athens, we had visited the Byzantine stronghold of Monemvasia before continuing to Hydra. The trip was made possible by the owner of a new charter yacht in Sail Ionian’s Yacht Partnership Scheme.
Our time in Alimos marina couldn’t come to an end soon enough for me. After two nights, I was keen to be back on the water and away from the busy charter bases and their noisy sailors arriving and departing. Once our new crew arrived, we would head directly across the Saronic Gulf, past Aegina, to our first stop at Epidavros. Starting early the next morning, we planned to transit the Corinth Canal, then sail west back to the Ionian, stopping along the way in Galaxidi, Trizonia, and Nafpaktos or Messolonghi. The entire return journey would only cover 200nm, around half that of our outbound trip south around the Peloponnese, but with some
