Welcome to the Ionians

Although I'm glad to be leaving Mesolongion there are some redeeming features like the turtles and cafe that does have great Wi-Fi.  We had a great catch up with Belinda yesterday afternoon and sounds like she is having a ball.

Messolonghi marina is hot and not fully set up yet plus a good 20 min walk into the town centre.  You can't swim in the water as it's too dirty from the fish farms and marsh land so happy to depart Monday morning for a further destination on the mainland on the west coast called Astakos.  Don't get me wrong we are wintering here and a great place to do that but not a great place to hang around for too long.

We start our morning sail in dead calm but 90 minutes out is blows into 4, 5, and 6ers.  So what is new.  Even the Ionians are having unseasonable weather as we find out. We pass loads of fish farms and the water is that greeny yellow murky colour not very inviting and this fish farm is moving to a new location.

We arrive at our next destination around noon and our neighbours ungraciously bark orders at us as we reverse stern to the wharf right outside all the restaurants and cafes.  They assume we are a charter yacht  so we soon set them straight.  Although its a public holiday most places are open for business.

Astakos is a small  fishing village, basic but does have some lovely beaches and we cool off in the afternoon.  There is a unpleasant smell every now and then but the fishes seem to love the water.  I've never seen so large schools of fish.

We are all expecting some big winds tonight but actually they don't really eventuate. As we are both sleep deprived we have an early night and plan to leave early tomorrow as the meltimi is heading our way.  The Meltimi are strong N NW winds that blow for days up to force 7-8.  And as the Greek Islands are large masses or mountainous  rock, the winds blow down the sides of the mountains which accelerates the speed.