ITEA TO KORFOS via THE CORINTH CANAL

The voyage from Itea through the Corinth Canal to Korfos was 60 Ks,  so we set off early at 6.45 on another beautiful summer’s morning.   The sailing was good, especially once out in the Gulf of Corinth, however it did become quite choppy.

We made good time arriving at the Canal entrance just after 1.00 pm; we waited behind a breakwater until given permission to make our way Eastwards down the Canal. 


Eventually Moody B'Lou was called on the radio and given the ‘go ahead’.   A Hydraulic bridge (yellow and black diagonal stripes) at the entrance to the Canal was lowered and we travelled through...... 

We led the way with several boats behind us.

The Canal is 3.2 miles long and 25m wide, construction was started by the French, but finished by the Greeks and opened in 1893.  

Before canal completion boats either had to be dragged across the isthmus or make the lengthy journey south around the Peloponnisos.   This strategic situation made the ancient town of Corinth very wealthy – it controlled both North/South trade (Mainland and Peloponnisos) and West/East trade (connecting the Ionian and Aegean Seas).  

Construction necessitated cutting deep into limestone; the canal wall reaches up to 79m at the highest point.

It has three bridges, a rail bridge and two road bridges crossing at the maximum height (people just visible at top of bridge).  We had travelled across the bridge on our travels to and from Lefkas and often looked down in wonder.....

The Canal is closed every Tuesday for repairs to the crumbling walls.  

This much anticipated trip didn't disappoint us.

On to KORFOS

A rather dismal Aegean Sea awaited us at the other end of the Canal.  We were quickly grabbing wet weather gear for the final 3-hour journey east and then south down to Korfos. 

At Korfos we managed to get a ‘stern to’ berth outside one of the tavernas that advertised showers and water.  The showers turned out to be one ropey looking contraption at the front of the taverna in full view of everyone – in fact some Spanish lads moored next to us and put on a ‘floor show’ using aforesaid shower and caused much hilarity.  Water wasn’t much use either as the hosepipe didn’t reach the boat, also the obligatory supper at the Taverna was pretty poor and very expensive – not a good start for the Aegean.

Leaving Korfos - it looked better in the sunshine the next morning.

Korfos to Edpidhavros  

This was just a 10-mile jaunt, a beautiful hazy day and a gentle sail. 

  

This time we chose to put an anchor down just off the beach in front of the little town.   Epidavhros looked far more promising than Korfos, the tavernas were clean and more discreet and there were a fair sprinkling of well stocked food stores. 

We had read about an ancient Amphitheatre nearby so grabbed a taxi to travel the odd 18K to the site.  The Epidhavros Theatre was magnificent and is considered the best preserved of all Greek theatres – it’s mostly original and is still in use today with a capacity of 14,000.   Acoustics are perfect – paper rustled on stage can be heard from the top row of seats.   In ancient times the whole site was better known as a religious centre for curing the sick – and the remains of many old buildings relating to that fact were evident.  Maybe performance in the theatre was thought to be therapeutic?

The next day, a day off from sailing, ‘Bissett Tours’ took a walk along the shore and stumbled on yet another ancient amphitheatre.  This was smaller and not in such good condition, however it did have a lovely situation, facing onto the sea.

We returned to the boat for a refreshing dip in the sea………… and to prepare for the next stage of the trip to the islands of The Aegean.