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 the way a highly competitive game of Golf (the card game, not the sport) broke out, with Ainsley ultimately claiming bragging rights for the day.
Through the Lefkada Canal
By late afternoon we arrived at the northern entrance to the Lefkada Canal and joined the growing queue of boats waiting for the bridge to open.
The Lefkada Canal is a 3.5-mile manmade channel separating Lefkada Island from mainland Greece. At its northern entrance sits the floating swing bridge of Agia Mavra, the island’s only road connection to the mainland. At four precise times each day, 7:30am, 12 noon, 6:00pm and 10:00pm, the bridge swings open, allowing boats to pass through for one hour before car traffic resumes.
L: Aerial view (found online) showing staging area in the foreground and Lefkas Island is the distance.
R: The bridge opens by rotating 90 degrees.
With a little time to spare before the 6:00 pm opening, some of the crew took advantage of the nearby beach for a swim while KORA waited patiently at the staging dock.
Soon enough the bridge opened, lines were cast off, and a parade of sailboats, catamarans, and motorboats began making their way through the narrow canal. It was organized chaos. Unlike cars, boats don’t have brakes, and wind and current are constantly trying to push you somewhere you don’t want to go. Skippers jockeyed for position and shouted out to other boats negotiating passage as everyone tried to squeeze through the opening. What we didn’t realize at the time was that an emergency on the island required the bridge to reopen to road traffic so an ambulance could cross to the mainland. Just six minutes after opening, and not long after KORA had passed through, the bridge closed again, leaving many vessels behind us waiting for the next scheduled opening.
Greek Dancing and Ouzo After Sunset
By evening we arrived in Nydri, one of Lefkada’s most popular waterfront towns. Lined with cafés, tavernas, shops, and charter boats, the town buzzed with energy well into the night.
Following a recommendation from our marinero, we headed to Mamma Mia Taverna for dinner – and what a recommendation it turned out to be! Great Greek food. Live music. Dancing. Views across the water toward the mountains. As the ladies joined a traditional Greek snake dance, it quickly turned into an unofficial ABBA singalong, with enthusiastic renditions of Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, and Waterloo echoing across the taverna. The men, meanwhile, were fully embracing the local customs. A giant bottle of ouzo had made its way around the table, glasses were repeatedly topped up, and cries of “OPA!” became increasingly frequent. (OPA is an enthusiastic Greek exclamation used to express excitement, joy, and celebration! 🇬🇷😀)
The Best Conversations Happen After Midnight
Before long the evening migrated back to KORA, where conversations (and dancing) continued under the stars well past 1:30 in the morning. And maybe even a little more Ouzo amongst the men (when in Greece! 😉).
The Morning After the OPA!
The next morning dawned bright and beautiful, giving us time to slowly awake, wander through town, enjoy a slow start to the day, and prepare for whatever adventure awaited next.
The Ionian Islands are quickly making a strong case for becoming one of our favorite cruising grounds!
