There’s something rather special about arriving in a small Greek harbour aboard your own yacht. No rushing to catch a ferry, no hotel to check into, just the pleasure of finding somewhere to moor, securing the boat and enjoying whatever the place has to offer.
Vathi, on the island of Meganisi in the Ionian Sea, was one of those places Ann and I kept returning to during our years cruising aboard Ruffles Spray.
I was recently looking through some old photographs when I came across one taken on 23 May 2013. We’d arrived in Vathi, secured ourselves to the town quay, and everything looked rather peaceful.
Thirty minutes later, the quay was packed with yachts!
And this was only May.
Getting There Before Everyone Else
We’d learnt over the years that arriving early at popular Greek harbours was generally a good idea.
There were two very good reasons for this. Firstly, the flotillas. Anyone who’s cruised the Ionian during the sailing season will know how quickly a harbour can fill up when a flotilla arrives.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, there was the wind.
During the summer months, the mornings were often beautifully calm. However, around midday, the sea breeze would start to build, frequently blowing well into the early evening.
Now, manoeuvring a 44-foot, 20-tonne steel yacht stern-to a town quay is perfectly manageable in calm conditions. Add a decent crosswind, a harbour full of yachts and an audience watching from the quayside, and things can become rather more entertaining!
We generally preferred to get ourselves safely moored before all that started.
Stern-To Mooring — The Mediterranean Way
As usual, we’d dropped our own anchor before reversing Ruffles Spray towards the quay.
Mooring stern-to was the accepted practice, allowing plenty of yachts to share the available space.
Mooring alongside, on the other hand, was definitely not an option.
There would have been uproar, possibly even civil disobedience, if some inconsiderate skipper had decided to take up enough quay space for three or four other yachts!
Once secured, we could relax and enjoy watching the harbour come to life.
Of course, using your own anchor meant making sure it was properly set and that you had sufficient chain out. You also had to hope the next yacht arriving didn’t drop its anchor across yours.
Those who’ve cruised the Mediterranean will know exactly what I’m talking about!
Thirty Minutes Later…
On that particular afternoon in May 2013, we’d arrived to find plenty of room.
I took a photograph of the harbour, looking rather pleased with ourselves for getting there before the rush.
Half an hour later, the quay was packed.
I posted the photograph on Facebook with the comment:
‘Anchored on Vathi town quay on Meganisi. 30 minutes later the quay was packed with yachts. And it’s only May! Looks like it will be a good season for the Greeks. They sure need it!’
Greece was still struggling with the effects of its financial crisis, and tourism was incredibly important to the local economy.
Seeing the harbour filling up so early in the season was encouraging.
Why We Kept Returning to Vathi
One of the pleasures of having our own yacht was that we weren’t tied to somebody else’s timetable.
We’d generally spend two or three nights somewhere like Vathi before moving on to another anchorage or harbour.
There was no particular rush.
That was one of the reasons we’d left the UK in the first place. We wanted the freedom to explore, stay somewhere we enjoyed and move on when we felt like it.
Meganisi was an island we returned to many times. Its sheltered bays, attractive harbours and proximity to Lefkada made it a favourite cruising destination.
And Vathi was one of those places where simply sitting aboard Ruffles Spray, watching the comings and goings around the harbour, could be an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.
Looking Back
It’s now more than thirteen years since that photograph was taken.
Looking at it again reminds me how much we enjoyed those ordinary days afloat. Nothing particularly dramatic happened. We arrived, dropped anchor, reversed towards the quay and settled in.
Then thirty minutes later, the harbour was full.
Sometimes it’s the simplest memories that bring back the greatest pleasure.
And after fifteen years cruising the Mediterranean aboard Ruffles Spray, we’ve certainly got plenty of those.
