The past few days have been everything summer sailing should be. We made our way through Greece’s beautiful Ionian Islands, sailing from Lefkada toward Zakynthos, with stops for swimming in Meganisi and an overnight anchorage near Fiskardo on Kefalonia. Along the way we realized we’ve now visited six of the seven major Ionian Islands...
Today’s journey would take us 40 nautical miles from Paxos to Lefkada. With the blue gennaker pulling steadily and calm seas beneath us, everyone quickly settled into passage-making mode. Some stretched out on the foredeck soaking up the sunshine and scenery. Others buried themselves in books. Music played. Songs were sung. And somewhere along...
Our next stop this season was Paxos, one of the smallest inhabited Ionian Islands, known for its turquoise waters, sea caves, olive groves, and laid-back charm. Once a quiet fishing island, Paxos has become a favorite among sailors, charter guests, and those looking to escape the crowds of larger Greek destinations. It didn’t take...
The sail to Corfu was a short one, just 15 nautical miles, but it marked the beginning of a new chapter for KORA as we entered Greece, our home for the next two months. With very little wind to work with, we motored our way across the channel, taking our time as Greece slowly...
Sarandë will be a short post. It’s not that there was anything wrong with the city. In fact, it seemed lively and energetic, with a busy waterfront lined with apartments, restaurants, beach clubs, and holidaymakers. It simply didn’t capture our hearts the way the Albanian Riviera had over the previous few days. Our main...
As we move down the Albanian coast we have reached the Albanian Riviera, a stunning, mountainous stretch of coastline in southwestern Albania running along the Ionian Sea, from the city of Vlorë down to Sarandë near the Greek border. Honestly, the past few days along this coastline are best told through photos. But, before...
The day began as one of those perfect Mediterranean sailing days. With sunshine overhead and Albania’s dramatic cliffs rising straight from the sea, KORA glided south along the coast, sails full, before settling into what appeared to be our own private sanctuary for the night. We were completely alone in a beautiful bay, spending...
Albania continues to surprise us – in the very best way possible. Before arriving, we’d heard all sorts of stories about sailing this coastline. Tales of pirates, questionable anchorages, and reasons to hurry through. Instead, we’ve found ourselves wondering why more people aren’t talking about this place. The sail to Durres was one of...
After more than two hours spent navigating the checkout process in Montenegro – Port Authority, Customs & Immigration, and plenty of paperwork – we were finally underway. Fortunately, the sailing made up for it. With the gennaker drawing beautifully, its bright blue sail stretched against an equally blue sky as KORA glided south toward...
KORA’s final stop in Montenegro would be Bar, and what a way to finish! This wasn’t our first visit to Bar, but it felt like it. Last year, Karen and Doug arrived after an overnight crossing from Italy and had just enough energy to locate dinner before calling it a night. This time, with...
