It turned into a great day to sail once we passed under the Rion bridge 2 hours out from Missalonghi. We got the kite up (no bleeding or swearing), and were scooting along at 10 knots until the wind picked up and changed angle. After that we continued on with a tripple reefed main and partial head sail. There are some pretty strong gusts over the mountains all around Greece, and friends of ours had torn their head sail coming through this area the week before. When we rounded the point towards Galaxidhi, the wind just died completely, which was a pleasant surprise as we anticipated it being on the nose.
We were joined in the bay a few days later by Tom and Camilla on Bon Bini, so we organized a beach picnic one afternoon. It was a much needed break from worrying about weather, broken gear and finding parts, or planning the next hop, and it really felt like a vacation day.
Galaxidhi was a real gem of a town. The people seemed happy and the atmosphere was relaxed, bordering on sleepy. We enjoyed a couple of gyro and kebab lunches ( with tatziki of course!), at local Tavernas, and took some good walks around the area.
It was really hot when we arrived and frequent dips were needed to stay cool, so we had anchored off N of the town in a huge bay. Jim and Kate rented a car and we drove the half hour to Delphi to visit the archeological site and museum. It was well worth the 12 euro and a good day out! (I should add that we feel very vulnerable leaving the boat unattended to take these sorts of side trips, but the weather was benign and the anchorage a safe one with good holding and space, and I am glad we took the chance).
