Moving Eastward

Last season, with the exception of our passages from Tunisia to Malta and then from Malta to Greece, our travels mainly took us north and south.  Today we were going almost due east through the Gulf of Patras, under the Rion and Andirion bridge (apparently the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world and an impressive sight) and into the Gulf of Corinth.  We motored out of the Mesolonghion channel and headed towards the bridge.  There is plenty of clearance (about 45m at the highest point) but they have a system where, as a vessel approaches the bridge, the skipper has to radio the bridge harbourmaster for ‘permission’ to go under.  He asks your air clearance (the height of your mast) and your direction and then directs you through which span to traverse.  It’s all very civilized and I guess must get busy at some times of the year for this procedure to be necessary.  Once through the bridge, the wind had built considerably so that we were able to sail the rest of the way to our next stopping point, Nisis Trizonia.

                                            The Rion-Andirion Bridge

This tiny island on the north side of the Gulf of Corinth is a gem – a marina was partially built here, including concrete diques and lighting, but never completed for some reason (collapsing economy, no doubt).  It had a good number of yachts moored up to it and there was plenty of room for more, but, as usual, we chose to anchor.  The wind blew such that it would have been difficult to moor up to one of the piers without some assistance ashore, and we prefer to be at anchor anyway.  Aside from a rooster crowing intermittently, we enjoyed another peaceful night.  We did not go ashore as the wind kept up sufficiently to preclude

us leaving the boat for any length of time.