Our perspective of the Ionian as gentle, quiet and distinctive, last visited by Graeme, Diane, James and I about eight years ago has been challenged by the enormous growth in places like Porto Spilia and Ormos Sivota. Both these ports and Vathi have experienced astounding growth. Sivota in September was busier than Julys in past years.
Babbis hard work with Porto Spilia has seen record growth, but luckily he found a spot for us. He was amused to think that just because it was September, we didn’t think to book ahead. Rookie mistake, but we aren’t rookies. The Ionian is busy all summer and into autumn.
Graeme, Babbis and James -Porto Spilia
We sailed over the top of Meganisi, retreating. for a luxurious swim in Ammaglossa Bay. Peaceful and quiet watching small Welsh yawls meet on the beach and retreat to the shade.
The view from Spartachori
During the afternoon, we motored to Porto Sivota. Debbie and Geoff probably thought the four of us were raving, but the number Sivota homes and visiting yachts had grown exponentially. There was a veritable sea of masts. Gobsmacked, we anchored and then saw three more catamarans and four more yachts heading into the churning harbour.
We upped anchor with collective sighs and motored out to try our luck somewhere else.
The harbour of Ormos Rouda beckoned and we came well into the deep bay and anchored close to the beach but outside the buoys. We had dinner onboard, our neighbours of less than a dozen yachts were quiet and the water was like silk, the breeze was cool and we all slept effortlessly, especially without the Doof Doof boat. Only the sound of a rooster in the morning.