A week from Zakinthos with my brother and his wife - 21 May to 28 May

Inside a blue cave	Near the blue caves

Phoned my brother Murray, and arranged for Chreane and him, and two friends, Peter and Carlie, to drive from their appartment in Alikanas (half way between St Nick and Zakinthos town). When they arrived, we got a really good deal on a boat trip to the Blue Caves, and played the tourist for a couple of hours before lunch in a taverna in the NW corner. The proprietor offered us a free berth tied back from a buoy to his staging. As there was a forecast of SE 7 next day, we accepted, and moved Razzmatazz from the SW quay. A brief swim allowed me to inspect a truly massive chain leading to a well-buried anchor. The taverna also offered to wash our clothes for free - made it a good-value lunch!

Next day, the threatened wind was hardly more than F4, probably 5 or 6 outside, and we would have been safe on the SW wall. Still, better safe than sorry!

Zakinthos harbour	Bay outside Zakinthos town

From St Nick, next day, we set out with Murray, Chreanne and Carlie in a NW 5 to pick up Pete from the tiny harbour at Alikanas. Didn't fancy trying to squeeze into the harbour, so anchored off and dinghied ashore for Pete. Then another downwind stretch to Zakinthos Town, where we moored bows-in to the NE quay. The "agent" demanded 20 euros a day, but backed down to 8 with a short haggle. Then said he would need to update our Depka for another 15, which may or may not have been right - life is too short!

We had a day to ourselves before Murray and Chreanne finished their stay with Pete and Carlie, so explored the town, finding excellent fruit and veg shops near to the SW corner of the harbour (which, incidentally, looked a good place to anchor a cat). Then a ride to the south coast, where the protected turtle beach is backed by rather horrible holiday developments, and inland through attractive, and flat countryside. Finally, in the evening we cycled, or rather pushed the bikes, up to the castle overlooking the town.

When Murray and Chreanne arrived next morning, we set out for Kefalonia in a light headwind, which made it less than certain that we would complete the trip. However, the wind backed and strengthened until we could lay Katelios, on the SE corner of Kefalonia, on a close reach. We anchored off the beach in 4m over sand to enjoy the excellent shelter of the bay, with a nice bar where we could sip our wine and admire Razzmatazz.

The wind was fickle next day, and it wasn't till tea time that the afternoon north-westerly gave us a vigorous beat up Kolpos Arostoliou and then a run down to Argostoli, where spent a couple of nights relaxing.

Finally we needed to get back to Zakinthos. The morning started with thundery threats. By mid-morning, it seemed to have cleared, so we beat out of Kolpos Arostoliou to round the lighthouse and run off to the south. But more thunderstorms appeared, to east and west. We tucked in a couple of reefs and had a splendid run between the storms to St Nick, dead down wind, in F 5 to 6, to moor again on the SW quay.